pledgeFirst input
BTC collateral value
How much can you borrow against your Bitcoin?
The answer depends on BTC value, lender max LTV, minimum loan size, and how much liquidation buffer you want.
Data checked: June 21, 2026 · Examples use a static $100,000/BTC reference price
Quick decision
Size the loan before you compare lenders.
Borrowing power is not just max LTV. A usable loan also has to clear minimums, monthly carry, and downside room.
Main constraint
LTV and minimum loan size
Next check
Liquidation room after the loan is sized
The formula is simple. The details are not.
Loan Amount = BTC Value × Max LTV
But every lender has different LTV caps, minimum loans, and fee structures that change your actual cost.
Example: 1 BTC collateral ($100,000) at 50% LTV
7 of 15 platforms cap at 50% LTV. With 1 BTC ($100,000) as collateral, that means a $50,000 loan. But the monthly interest estimate varies by lender. Here is the breakdown.
Monthly payment calculated as interest-only on 12-month term using each lender's quoted BTC rate. Figure's tracked 12-month product is 8.91% base / 9.999% effective APR after its 1% origination fee. Nexo and YouHodler excluded due to variable APR tiers.
Not all LTVs are equal
Max LTV determines how much you can borrow — but it also determines how close you start to liquidation. YouHodler's current BTC product is a 30-day ladder from 50% to loan-form LTV. The loan-form LTV rung can show the biggest max-loan number, but it starts almost on top of liquidation.
50–loan-form LTV
YouHodlerMax loan: $50,000–quote-form
Tier-based — ~45% BTC-drop buffer at 50% LTV, ~5% at 90%, ~1.5% at loan-form LTV
60%
ArchMax loan: $60,000
Higher max LTV, but less downside room than a 50% starting LTV
50%
LednMax loan: $50,000
More conservative — larger safety margin
50%
UnchainedMax loan: $50,000
50% LTV + 24h grace period = strong borrower protection
50%
FigureMax loan: $50,000
Standard LTV, origination fee reduces net proceeds
50%
NexoMax loan: $50,000
LTV same, but liquidation threshold varies by tier
50%
LavaMax loan: $50,000
DeFi — liquidation is automatic, no grace period
Minimum loan amounts block small borrowers
Even if the math says you can borrow $5,000 against 0.15 BTC, most platforms will not let you. Here are the actual minimums.
BTC amounts calculated at $100,000/BTC and 50% LTV. Actual amounts depend on the BTC price you use.
The costs most calculators miss
Origination fees — Figure charges 1%
On a $50,000 loan, Figure's origination fee takes $500 off the top. You borrow $50,000 but receive $49,500. The interest is still calculated on the full $50,000. Effective APR: 9.999%, not the quoted 8.91% base rate.
Unchained charges 2% — but only on the first loan
Unchained's origination fee drops to 0% on subsequent loans. At $150,000 minimum, that first fee is $3,000. But if you refinance or take another loan later, it is free. Still, the minimum loan of $150,000 makes this irrelevant for most retail borrowers.
Nexo's quote-dependent rate requires token loyalty
Nexo advertises a public from-rate, but the borrower's actual quote depends on loyalty tier, collateral mix, jurisdiction, and account terms. For apples-to-apples planning, model Nexo from the live quote rather than treating the public from-rate as a guaranteed baseline.
How to use this before narrowing the field
The tables above show the math at a single BTC price. That is enough to expose the real decision variables first: how much room you have before liquidation, whether the minimum loan blocks your plan, and how much monthly carry the structure creates.
Keep the next step in the research flow, not the calculator funnel. Use the cost guide, liquidation guide, and broader loan research hub to pressure-test whether the borrowing plan still makes sense before you optimize for platform fit.
Related research
Read liquidation guide
What LTV means, how margin calls work, and how to avoid losing your collateral.
Read cost guide
Effective APR, origination fees, and total loan costs across 500+ scenarios.
Read downside guide
Exact margin call and liquidation triggers for all 15 lenders.
Open loan research
Use the broader loan hub once the LTV, cost, and liquidation math still looks workable.
Keep the next step in the research flow
Use this page to pressure-test borrowing power, carry cost, and liquidation distance first. Then move into the cost guide, downside guide, or broader loan hub depending on which variable still makes the plan fragile.
Read cost guide →