When you trade Futures & Options, you don't pay the full contract value upfront. Instead you post a margin — a deposit that covers the potential risk of the position. In India this margin is calculated using a framework called SPAN + Exposure, mandated by SEBI and the exchanges.
SPAN margin is the core requirement. It's computed by modelling how your position would lose money across a range of possible price and volatility moves, and charging the worst-case scenario. Exposure margin is an additional buffer on top of SPAN to cover extreme moves the model might not fully capture.
Because these are exchange-mandated numbers, MarginPlant shows them transparently before you place an order — there's no opaque markup. Always check the total margin and keep spare funds in your account, so a normal swing in the underlying doesn't trigger a margin shortfall or an auto square-off.
Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. This is education, not advice.