The mark price is the price of a contract used for certain calculations on the
BitMEX platform. It is a notional price that is used to mark the current value of a contract for margin calculations, liquidation prices, and other calculations. It is sometimes referred to as the “fair price”, since it is used to calculate margin requirements and liquidation prices that are fair to both buyers and sellers.
The mark price is calculated as a volume-weighted average price of the last 25 trades on the BitMEX platform. This is done to ensure that the mark price remains as close as possible to the current market price. The mark price is also adjusted for the effects of order book liquidity, so that it more accurately reflects the current market price.
The mark price can be used to monitor the current value of a contract. By comparing the mark price to the settlement price (the price at which the contract is settled when it expires), traders can determine if the contract is trading at a premium or a discount. If the mark price is higher than the settlement price, it indicates that the contract is trading at a premium. Conversely, if the mark price is lower than the settlement price, it indicates that the contract is trading at a discount.
The mark price can also be used to monitor the current margin requirements for a contract. By comparing the mark price to the entry price (the price at which the contract was bought or sold), traders can determine if they have sufficient margin to cover the current value of the contract. If the mark price is higher than the entry price, it indicates that the trader may need to add more margin to their account to cover the current value of the contract.
The mark price can be used to monitor the current liquidation price of a contract. By comparing the mark price to the liquidation price (the price at which the contract will be liquidated if the trader’s margin is insufficient to cover the contract’s current value), traders can determine if their account is at risk of liquidation. If the mark price is higher than the liquidation price, it indicates that the trader’s account is at risk of liquidation.
The mark price is a useful tool for monitoring the current value of a contract on the BitMEX platform. By comparing the mark price to the settlement price, entry price, and liquidation price, traders can monitor the current value of the contract and ensure that their account is adequately funded and not at risk of liquidation.