How to Deposit Cross-Collateral (Up to 8 Assets) on ApeX
Risk warning. Trading perpetual futures and other leveraged crypto-asset products is high risk. A large share of retail traders lose money, so never trade with money you cannot afford to lose entirely. Disclaimer
Most perpetual DEXs want everything converted to a single stablecoin before you can trade, ApeX’s cross-collateral feature instead accepts eight different tokens directly, converting each into usable margin automatically.
This guide is part of TradeOnDEX’s ApeX Protocol how-to series within Perpetual Futures, building on the account setup guide.
Disclosure: TradeOnDEX may earn a commission from links to ApeX on this page, at no extra cost to you. Full details at the end of this article.
The eight supported collateral tokens
Cross-Collateral on ApeX Omni currently supports eight tokens: USDC, WBTC, WETH, ETH, cmETH, mETH, cbBTC, and USDe, alongside USDT. This means for you, concretely: you’re not required to sell existing BTC or ETH holdings into a stablecoin just to start trading, these assets can back your positions directly, with the platform’s automated system converting collateral into margin instantly.
How to deposit, step by step
- Log into your Omni Perps account, following the account setup guide if you haven’t already.
- Select the deposit chain relevant to your asset.
- Choose your collateral token from the supported list (USDC, WBTC, WETH, ETH, cmETH, mETH, cbBTC, USDe, or USDT).
- Enter the transaction amount and confirm, the system converts your deposited asset into usable margin automatically.
Why this matters beyond simple convenience
Cross-collateral support lets you optimize margin usage across multiple contracts using varied asset types (USDC, ETH, or WBTC, for example) rather than concentrating everything into one asset. This means for you, concretely: you can maintain exposure to assets you already hold (like BTC or ETH) while simultaneously using them as trading collateral, rather than choosing between holding an asset and using capital to trade.
Risk: what depositing non-stablecoin collateral actually means
Your collateral’s own price volatility now affects your margin buffer, not just your position’s price movement. Unlike depositing a stablecoin, using WBTC, WETH, or another volatile asset as collateral means your available margin can shrink if that specific asset’s price drops, independent of how your actual trading position is performing, a double source of risk to track, not one.
Not every collateral asset is necessarily treated identically for margin purposes. Confirm the specific margin treatment (any applicable haircut or valuation method) for your chosen collateral token before assuming a 1:1 dollar-for-dollar valuation the way a stablecoin deposit would work.
Newer collateral additions to the supported list carry less track record than the originally supported assets. As ApeX has expanded this list over time (with power-up rounds adding new supported tokens), a more recently added asset has less operating history within this specific mechanism than USDC or the platform’s original collateral options.
Yield-bearing assets like cmETH and mETH introduce an additional layer worth understanding before using them as collateral. These are covered in more depth later in this series, using a yield-bearing token as margin collateral is a genuinely different structure than a simple spot asset, worth confirming you understand before depositing a large amount.
Cross-collateral vs. single-asset deposit, at a glance
| Single-asset (e.g., USDC only) | Cross-collateral (up to 8 assets) | |
|---|---|---|
| Flexibility | Must convert holdings to the single accepted asset first | Deposit BTC, ETH, and others directly |
| Collateral price risk | None beyond the stablecoin’s own peg risk | Your collateral’s own price movement affects your margin buffer |
| Capital efficiency | Requires selling other holdings to fund trading | Maintain asset exposure while using it as margin |
See it for yourself
Before depositing a large amount of a volatile asset as collateral, check how that specific token is valued for margin purposes and consider how a meaningful price drop in that asset alone could affect your available margin. You can review current supported collateral at apex.exchange.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to convert everything to USDC before trading on ApeX?
No, cross-collateral supports eight tokens directly (USDC, WBTC, WETH, ETH, cmETH, mETH, cbBTC, USDe) plus USDT, each convertible into margin automatically.
Does using a volatile asset as collateral add risk beyond my trading position itself?
Yes, your collateral’s own price movement affects your available margin buffer independently of how your position is performing, a risk a stablecoin deposit doesn’t carry.
Are all eight collateral assets treated identically for margin purposes?
Not necessarily. Confirm the specific valuation and any applicable adjustment for your chosen asset rather than assuming uniform, dollar-for-dollar treatment across every supported token.
Can I use ETH or BTC as collateral while still keeping exposure to those assets?
Yes, that’s the main benefit of cross-collateral: you can use existing holdings as margin without first converting them into a stablecoin.
Affiliate disclosure
TradeOnDEX may earn a commission if you sign up or trade through a link on this page, at no extra cost to you. ApeX’s own affiliate/referral terms are still being confirmed for this site, so links here are direct and untracked for now. This article is educational and is not financial advice. See our disclaimer for the full risk warning.
Risk warning
Trading crypto assets, and leveraged products based on them such as perpetual futures ("perps"), is high risk. A large share of retail traders lose money on these products. Leverage magnifies gains and losses alike and can push your loss beyond the amount you put in. Positions can be closed automatically (liquidation) before you get a chance to react, and some of the platforms we cover offer no negative balance protection.
Never trade with money you cannot afford to lose entirely. TradeOnDEX gives no investment advice, no personal recommendation, and no guarantee of any outcome. Every decision you make is your own decision and your own responsibility.