CÓRDOBA, Spain, Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- U.S.-based retail crypto derivatives traders checked liquidation risk roughly twice as often as the global average in 2025, according to data from Leverage.Trading, which analyzed roughly 880,000 anonymized pre-trade setups. The pattern indicates traders increasingly shifted into defense mode well ahead of major liquidation events, suggesting early signs of market stress may emerge before forced exits.

Key Data (Aug–Dec 2025)

• Spikes in liquidation and margin checks often appeared well in advance of the biggest crypto market wipeouts
• U.S. traders checked risk twice as often per trader as the global average during peak volatility
• Mobile usage accounted for about 58% of global risk checks vs. roughly 63% among U.S. traders
• Fast liquidation checks mostly happened on mobile, while deeper monitoring happened on desktop
  
  

Risk Checks Rose Before Major Liquidations

Across multiple volatility spikes in 2025, liquidation and margin checks frequently rose hours — sometimes days — before the largest forced liquidations occurred. The pattern suggests many retail crypto derivatives traders were becoming more cautious as market stress began to build, rather than reacting only after prices had already moved sharply.

“Retail traders aren’t just reacting to liquidations anymore — many are checking risk well before volatility fully hits the market,” said Anton Palovaara, founder and lead analyst at Leverage.Trading. “That shift in behavior is becoming more visible during periods of peak crypto market stress.”

The behavior appeared consistently across the dataset, particularly during fast-moving market conditions.

U.S. Traders Ran Roughly Twice as Many Risk Checks

The trend was most pronounced among U.S. users. During peak crypto market volatility in 2025, U.S.-based traders ran roughly twice as many liquidation checks per trader as the global average.

The gap was most visible during periods of heightened volatility, when U.S. traders focused more heavily on monitoring risk while activity in other regions shifted back toward new positions more quickly.

The data does not suggest one approach was superior, but it highlights a clear regional difference in how retail traders managed risk during volatile conditions.

Traders Turned to Mobile for Speed, Desktop for Depth

Mobile usage surged during the most volatile market swings as traders quickly verified liquidation risk on the go. Desktop sessions typically followed, with users reviewing margin levels and adjusting positions.

The mobile tilt was even more pronounced in the United States. Throughout peak volatility, roughly 63% of U.S. risk checks occurred on mobile devices, compared with about 58% globally, indicating a heavier reliance on handheld monitoring among retail traders.

Methodology

The analysis is based on aggregated, anonymized first-party telemetry from Leverage.Trading’s risk calculators collected between August and December 2025. The calculators are used by retail crypto derivatives traders globally to evaluate trade setups and potential liquidation risk across crypto futures exchanges and leveraged trading platforms before placing trades.

The dataset includes approximately 880,000 pre-trade risk checks spanning users in 190 countries, with U.S. users accounting for roughly 8–12% of activity.

All data was processed in aggregate with no personally identifiable information. The analysis does not represent executed trades, investment performance, or financial advice.

About Leverage.Trading

Leverage.Trading is an independent risk-first research and education publisher specializing in leverage, margin, futures, and derivatives trading. Founded in 2022 by Anton Palovaara and operated by Prospective Aimline S.L. in Córdoba, Spain, the publisher provides plain-English explainers, interactive calculators, behavioral data reports, and methodology-based platform comparisons that help retail traders quantify risk before entering leveraged positions. Its calculators model liquidation levels, margin requirements, and leverage ratios to support risk-aware decision-making in crypto derivatives markets.

Media Contact:
Virginia Montañez Soto
Leverage.Trading
virginia@leverage.trading
+34 613 272 266

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