What is a unified account?

The single account is an innovative comprehensive trading system launched by leading cryptocurrency platforms to simplify the trading process. This system allows traders to trade spot and margin instruments, perpetual swaps, futures, and options simultaneously from one trading account. The core idea of the single account is to unify all trading instruments into a single ecosystem, significantly increasing trading efficiency. Instead of switching between different accounts for spot and derivatives trading, users can manage their entire portfolio from one place. This not only saves time but also enables more effective utilization of available capital. **Advantages of a single account** The single account offers numerous benefits that make trading more convenient and efficient: **Simple, optimized trading process** One of the main advantages is the ability to trade spot and derivative instruments concurrently in multiple currencies within a single account, without transferring funds between multiple accounts. This means you can respond instantly to market changes by opening positions across different markets without delays related to moving funds. For example, if you trade spot Bitcoin and want to simultaneously open a position on Ethereum futures, you do not need to perform additional fund transfers. **Higher capital efficiency** Profits and losses across different trading markets can offset each other within a single account. If you have a profitable position in one market and a losing position in another, the system automatically accounts for this when calculating your overall margin. This feature allows you to hold more open positions with the same capital volume, significantly improving capital utilization. **More effective risk management** The required margin size is calculated considering all positions and the total obligations on your account. This provides a more accurate picture of your risk profile compared to traditional systems where each position is evaluated separately. The system considers correlations between different assets and can reduce overall margin requirements if your positions partially offset each other's risks. **Concept of account modes** Leading cryptocurrency platforms offer four different account modes to meet various trader needs: simple mode, single-currency margin mode, multi-currency margin mode, and portfolio margin mode. For new users, the default setting activates the simple mode, in which margin trading is unavailable. This mode is ideal for beginners who are just getting acquainted with cryptocurrency trading and are not ready to use complex leverage instruments. In simple mode, you can only trade on the spot market using your own funds without leverage. Account modes can be switched on the trading settings page. However, before transitioning to more complex modes, it is recommended to carefully study their features and risks. Some modes may require passing a knowledge test on trading basics to confirm your readiness to use margin instruments. **Cross-margin and isolated margin modes** **Single-currency cross-margin mode** Single-currency cross-margin mode allows all trading products, whose settlements are conducted in one currency, to share a common margin pool across positions. Profits can be used to offset losses. For example, if you trade BTC derivatives, all your BTC-denominated positions share a common margin pool. This means profit from one position can automatically support another position that incurs losses. **Multi-currency cross-margin mode** Multi-currency cross-margin mode involves shared margin and netting of profits and losses across all positions regardless of settlement currency. This is the most flexible mode, enabling the most efficient use of available capital. In this mode, your positions in BTC, ETH, USDT, and other currencies can offset risks mutually. **Portfolio cross-margin mode** Portfolio cross-margin mode provides shared margin and netting of profits and losses across different derivatives. Margin for derivatives with the same index involves netting. This mode is especially useful for traders employing complex arbitrage or hedging strategies, as the system considers correlations between different instruments when calculating margin. **Isolated margin mode** In isolated margin mode (available within single-currency, multi-currency, or portfolio margin modes), risks of isolated positions in different business directions are evaluated separately, and risks of isolated positions are detached from cross-positions. This means if one of your isolated positions is liquidated, it will not affect your other positions. Isolated margin is useful for risky trades where you want to limit maximum potential loss to a predefined amount. **How does a single account differ from a standard account?** The difference between a single account and a traditional trading account system is significant and multifaceted. With a single account, you can trade spot and derivative instruments simultaneously in multiple currencies within one account without transferring funds between accounts. In traditional systems, separate accounts are usually required for spot trading, futures, options, etc., and transferring funds can be time-consuming and inconvenient. Profit and loss (PnL) netting across different instruments is possible, greatly enhancing capital efficiency. In traditional systems, profit in one account cannot offset losses in another, leading to inefficient capital use. For example, if you have a profitable spot position and a losing futures position in different accounts, you might need to deposit additional funds into the futures account even if your overall balance is positive. This facilitates risk management by offsetting risks across positions, increasing capital efficiency—especially valuable when implementing complex trading strategies. Professional traders using arbitrage, hedging, or market-making strategies can significantly reduce margin requirements thanks to the single account system. **Getting started with a single account** Switching to a single account or changing the account mode is a straightforward process that can be completed in a few steps: 1. Go to the **Trading** section in the platform’s main menu 2. Select “…” (additional options menu) in the upper right corner of the trading interface 3. Choose **Settings** from the available options 4. Select **Account Mode** in the settings menu 5. Pick the desired account mode from the list of available options **Important user tips** If the chosen account mode is not yet activated on your profile, additional steps may be needed to enable it. For example, access to margin modes might require passing a basic trading knowledge test and confirming understanding of related risks. This security measure ensures users are aware of margin trading risks before starting. If there are pending orders or open positions on your current account, you cannot change the account mode until all pending orders are canceled and all positions are closed. This safeguard ensures that mode changes do not negatively affect existing trades. It is recommended to close active trades or transfer them according to your trading plans before switching modes. **FAQ** **How to create a single account?** Visit the platform’s website, click the registration button, enter your email address, and create a secure password. Confirm your email via the link sent in the email, complete your profile, and verify your identity. After this, your single account will be activated for use. **What are the benefits of a single account?** A single account provides convenient access to all services with one login, enhances security through centralized management, simplifies verification and data storage, and allows you to optimize trading operations and analytics in one place. **How to log in to a single account?** Enter your email and password on the login page. Then complete two-factor authentication via email or TOTP app. After that, you will gain access to your single account. **Is a single account secure?** Yes, the single account is secure. It uses modern encryption and multi-factor authentication to protect your data. Your private keys are stored securely, and all transactions are verified to prevent unauthorized access. **What to do if I forget my single account password?** Go to the password recovery page and click “Forgot password.” Enter the email address associated with your account. You will receive a link to reset your password. Follow the link and set a new password. If you do not receive the email, check your spam folder. **Can I use one single account on multiple devices?** Yes, one account can be used on multiple devices simultaneously. Just log in to your account on each device using your credentials. We recommend using a strong password and two-factor authentication for security.