Maintenance margin

An alternative method of margining often used in the United States. When a position is opened, initial margin is called in the usual way and is credited to a maintenance margin account. However, variation margin debits and credits are not payable/paid daily but are debited and credited directly against the maintenance margin account. When the balance in the account falls below a predetermined level (normally around two thirds of the initial margin payment), the customer must fund the account back up to the initial margin level. Such a system is also sometimes operated by brokers in the UK for their customers.