8 min readHow Much Can You Borrow Against 1 BTC, 10 ETH or 100 SOL?
"How much can I borrow against my crypto?" has a one-line answer: your collateral's value multiplied by the loan-to-value ratio you choose. The useful answer is longer, because the ratio you choose also sets your interest, the cash that lands in your account after the fee, and the price at which the lender asks for more collateral. This article runs three common holdings through all of it.
"How much can I borrow against my crypto?" has a one-line answer: your collateral's value multiplied by the loan-to-value ratio you choose. The useful answer is longer, because the ratio you choose also sets your interest, the cash that lands in your account after the fee, and the price at which the lender asks for more collateral. This article runs three common holdings through all of it.
Prices are hypothetical round numbers chosen for clean arithmetic, not quotes. Loan parameters are Arvexo's as published on 12 October 2026: maximum LTV of 70% for BTC, 65% for ETH and 60% for SOL; an annual rate of 12.5%; a 1% origination fee deducted from the principal; loans from $5,000. The signed agreement governs any actual loan.
The two formulas you need
Borrowing power = collateral value × starting LTV
Cash received = borrowing power × (1 − origination fee)
A $100,000 collateral position at 50% LTV supports a $50,000 loan. With a 1% fee deducted, $49,500 arrives. You owe $50,000. The LTV guide explains why the debt, not the cash, is what counts for LTV.
1 BTC at a hypothetical $100,000
- 30%: Loan (principal) $30,000, Cash received $29,700, Year-one interest $3,750, Fee $300, Price at margin call (80%) $37,500, Price at liquidation (85%) $35,294
- 50%: Loan (principal) $50,000, Cash received $49,500, Year-one interest $6,250, Fee $500, Price at margin call (80%) $62,500, Price at liquidation (85%) $58,824
- 70% (max): Loan (principal) $70,000, Cash received $69,300, Year-one interest $8,750, Fee $700, Price at margin call (80%) $87,500, Price at liquidation (85%) $82,353
Reading the table: at 70% you borrow $20,000 more than at 50%, pay $2,500 more interest, and your margin call moves from a 37.5% fall to a 12.5% fall. The extra borrowing is real; so is the loss of room.
10 ETH at a hypothetical $4,000 ($40,000 of collateral)
- 30%: Loan $12,000, Cash received $11,880, Year-one interest $1,500, Fee $120, Price at margin call (75%) $1,600, Price at liquidation (82%) $1,463
- 50%: Loan $20,000, Cash received $19,800, Year-one interest $2,500, Fee $200, Price at margin call (75%) $2,667, Price at liquidation (82%) $2,439
- 65% (max): Loan $26,000, Cash received $25,740, Year-one interest $3,250, Fee $260, Price at margin call (75%) $3,467, Price at liquidation (82%) $3,171
Ethereum's thresholds are five points tighter than Bitcoin's at every level, so the same starting LTV leaves less room. At 50%, an ETH loan's margin call arrives after a 33.3% fall against Bitcoin's 37.5%.
100 SOL at a hypothetical $200 ($20,000 of collateral)
- 30%: Loan $6,000, Cash received $5,940, Year-one interest $750, Fee $60, Price at margin call (72%) $83.33, Price at liquidation (80%) $75.00
- 50%: Loan $10,000, Cash received $9,900, Year-one interest $1,250, Fee $100, Price at margin call (72%) $138.89, Price at liquidation (80%) $125.00
- 60% (max): Loan $12,000, Cash received $11,880, Year-one interest $1,500, Fee $120, Price at margin call (72%) $166.67, Price at liquidation (80%) $150.00
Note the minimum: Arvexo loans start at $5,000, so 100 SOL at $200 supports a loan at 30% LTV but 50 SOL would not. Below the minimum the answer to "how much can I borrow" is "not yet".
Interest figures use 12.5% on the principal for a 365-day year and are rounded to the dollar; a live quote accrues daily over the exact dates and will differ by a few dollars. Threshold price = drawdown price × starting LTV ÷ threshold LTV.
Working backwards from the cash you need
Most people start with an amount, not a ratio. Three steps:
- Gross up for the fee. Cash needed ÷ 0.99 = principal. For $50,000 of cash, the principal is $50,505.05.
- Choose a starting LTV you can live with. Collateral needed = principal ÷ LTV. At 50%, $101,010 of collateral; at 70%, $72,150.
- Check it against what you hold. If you hold 1 BTC at $100,000 and need $50,000 net, you can do it at 50.5% LTV with the whole coin, or at a higher LTV with part of it. You cannot do it at 30%, because that needs 1.68 BTC.
Borrowing vs selling walks through this exact case for a holder who owns one coin.
What the maximum LTV is for
The maximum is a ceiling the lender sets per asset for its own risk. It is not a recommendation. Arvexo's maximum for BTC is 70%; borrowing at 70% means a 12.5% price fall triggers a margin call, and Bitcoin has moved 12.5% in a week many times. ESMA's October 2022 report records falls of more than 30% in a week for Bitcoin and Ether in May 2022. [1]
A practical rule for most borrowers: choose a starting LTV at which you could fund the margin call from money you already have. For many that is 30% to 50%. The price-fall tables show the room at each level for all five assets.
Can you borrow more later?
Two routes, both subject to the lender's process.
Add collateral. More collateral at the same LTV supports a larger principal. Arvexo's help centre describes adding collateral during a loan.
Price rises. If Bitcoin doubles, a 50% loan becomes a 25% loan. That does not automatically make more cash available; a new drawdown or a second loan is a new credit decision. It does make withdrawing excess collateral a possibility, which raises LTV again.
Larger and smaller positions
The tables scale linearly. 2 BTC at $100,000 supports exactly twice the figures above; 0.5 BTC supports half. Arvexo's published range is from $5,000; the help centre covers the upper end, and larger facilities are usually quoted individually.
Business and institutional borrowers follow a separate onboarding route: see Can I apply as a business or institution?
Three mistakes the tables prevent
Borrowing against the whole position at the maximum. 1 BTC at 70% gives $69,300 of cash and a margin call at $87,500. The borrower has no spare coins to top up with, because they are all pledged, and no cash buffer, because that is why they borrowed. The first 12.5% fall is a forced decision. Pledging the same coin at 50% gives $19,800 less cash and three times the room.
Confusing cash received with debt owed. The $49,500 that arrives from a $50,000 loan is the number people remember; the $50,000 is the number the lender uses for LTV and interest. Budget around the larger one.
Forgetting the year-one cost is not the only cost. The interest figures above are for twelve months. A 36-month loan at the same rate costs roughly three times as much in interest, with the principal still due at the end. The repayment guide walks a loan month by month.
Frequently asked questions
Does the lender count the price when I apply or when the collateral arrives?
Usually when the collateral is confirmed in custody, because that is when the loan can be funded. If the price moves between application and confirmation, the loan amount or LTV may be adjusted. Ask how the lender handles it.
Can I borrow against more than one asset in one loan?
Depends on the lender. A mixed-collateral loan has a blended LTV and thresholds. Arvexo's calculator quotes per asset; ask about mixed collateral before applying.
Is the interest rate different at a lower LTV?
Some lenders tier the rate by LTV. Arvexo currently quotes one rate across LTVs; the calculator shows the live figure.
Why is my cash less than the loan amount?
Because the origination fee is deducted from the principal at drawdown. You owe the full principal and receive the principal less 1%. The fees guide covers the arithmetic.
Can I borrow in a currency other than USD?
Arvexo loans are in USD. Converting to another currency is a separate step with its own cost.
Run your own numbers
The Arvexo calculator takes your amount, term and asset and returns the collateral needed and the estimated interest. Pair it with the price-fall tables, then decide the LTV around your ability to respond, not the maximum on offer.
Related reading
- How far can crypto prices fall before a margin call?
- Understanding crypto loan APR, interest and fees
- What is loan-to-value (LTV) and why does it matter?
- Minimum and maximum loan amounts
- Can I add collateral during my loan?
Collateral can fall in value and be sold. This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice.
Sources
- ESMA, Crypto-assets and financial stability, October 2022, p. 12. Verified.
- Arvexo, Loan calculator and help centre pages linked above; parameters as published 12 October 2026.
