Overview

Risk and Margin


Portfolio margin accounts

House RequirementsAmountNotes
Accounts under $5 million equityAdditional 20% of exchange mandated portfolio margin requirement (TIMS * 20% plus House add-ons).Equivalent to 120% of exchange mandated portfolio margin requirement.
Accounts $5 million and above equityNo additional 20% of exchange mandated portfolio margin requirement (TIMS plus House add-ons).
Non-Marginable SecuritiesPositions will have 100% requirement.Securities below $2 per share or are Non margin eligible.
Liquidity Concentration RequirementAccounts over $5 million equity – additional 15% requirement of the security. Accounts under $5 million equity – additional 12% requirement of the security.This applies to a position size exceeding 25% of the average 5-day volume

Risk guidance

Price range coverage and maximum potential risk relative to liquidating equity.

 

Broad-Based Index: -15% TO +10%

A customer cannot lose more than 100% of their liquidating equity because of the stress test on their positions for the -15% to +10% test points. The maximum potential risk of the position for these test points cannot exceed the customer’s liquidating equity.

 

Broad-Based Index: -/+25%

The maximum potential risk of the position in a broad-based index for these test points is the lesser of 200% of your customer’s liquidating equity or your customer’s liquidating equity plus $2,500,000. See table below:

Liquidating EquityTest PointMaximum Potential Risk (2x Liq. Equity)Maximum Potential Risk (Absolute Dollar)Lightspeed/Wedbush Risk Guidance
$250,000-15% to +10%$250,000
$250,000(25%)$500,000 >$2,750,000$500,000
$500,000(25%)$1,000,000$3,000,000$1,000,000
$750,000(25%)$1,500,000$3,250,000$1,500,000
$1,000,000(25%)$2,000,000$3,500,000$2,000,000
$1,250,000(25%)$2,500,000$3,750,000$2,500,000
$1,500,000(25%)$3,000,000$4,000,000$3,000,000
$2,000,000(25%)$4,000,000$4,500,000$4,000,000
$2,500,000(25%)$5,000,000$5,000,000$5,000,000
$5,000,000(25%)$10,000,000$7,500,000$7,500,000
$10,000,000(25%)$20,000,000$12,500,000$12,500,000
$15,000,000(25%)$30,000,000$17,500,000$17,500,000
$20,000,000(25%)$40,000,000$22,500,000$22,500,000

Single Stocks and Narrow-Based Index: +/-25%

A customer cannot lose more than 100% of their liquidating equity for because of the stress test on their positions for the test points referenced above. The maximum potential risk of any position in the portfolio cannot exceed 100% of the customer’s liquidating equity.

 

VIX Index: -25% TO +200%

A customer cannot lose more than 100% of their liquidating equity for because of the stress test on their VIX positions for the test points referenced above. The maximum potential risk of any position in VIX cannot exceed 100% of the customer’s liquidating equity.

 

All trading in SVXY and UVXY must adhere to the risk guidelines described above for the VIX index.

 

Portfolio: +/- 25%

In addition to reviewing the potential risk in individual stocks or indices the customer’s overall portfolio will be reviewed as well. The aggregate maximum potential risk of all positions in the portfolio cannot exceed 125% of the customer’s liquidating equity.

 

Penalties

Customers are expected to always stay within the above framework. There is no leniency on the Friday of option expiration or the quarter end for options with quarterly expirations.

 

Failing to comply with the above framework may generate a Risk Warning depending on the circumstances and severity of the maximum potential risk. Risk Warnings will be determined at the discretion of Risk Management.

 

A customer may have their margin privileges revoked should they continue to accumulate multiple Risk Warnings..


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