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To ensure your Bitcoin-backed loan stays secure and you avoid the process of forced liquidation, it’s important to understand what does forced liquidation mean, how does liquidation work and to know the steps you can take to prevent it. Here's what you need to know about forced liquidation and how to protect yourself.

## What is forced liquidation?

Forced liquidation happens when your **LTV ratio** (Loan-to-Value ratio) **rises above 90%** and you don’t take action to fix it. This usually occurs when Bitcoin’s price drops, your collateral loses value, and your loan becomes too risky. The Borrower should either increase the amount of collateral or partially repay the debt to keep the LTV ratio at an appropriate level, between 30 and 70%.

Before a forced liquidation starts, the Borrower will get **three margin call notifications**. What is a margin call? A margin call means a note of warning that your collateral value has fallen below the required level according to your contract.

If you don’t respond and your LTV goes higher than 90%, Debifi notifies both the Borrower and the Lender as well as the Authorized Key Holder that the forced liquidation process has started. You can’t take any actions if the forced liquidation process has started.

The contract is then closed, and the collateral is transferred to the Lender.
 
Forced liquidation can also occur **if the Borrower doesn’t repay the loan**. After the contract ends, the Borrower has 24 hours to repay the debt. If they don’t do it, forced liquidation begins and the collateral will be liquidated in favor of the Lender.
The collateral will be liquidated based on the exchange rate of bitcoin to USD at the time of liquidation.
 
## Important things to know about forced liquidation

_**For Lenders:**_

·        Even in forced liquidation, your interest is safe. There is no risk of losing your interest, all loans on Debifi are over-collateralized.

·        After liquidation of the contract, you receive the loan amount + interest in bitcoin. Since it is a volatile asset, lenders choose to monitor bitcoin price closely and hedge their risks by converting the bitcoin into fiat or stablecoins in a timely manner.
 
_**For Borrowers:**_

·        Be aware that forced liquidation includes a 5% liquidation fee. It is calculated from the outstanding debt at the time of liquidation (remaining loan amount + accrued interest).

·        If the collateral amount in the multisig escrow exceeds your outstanding debt, the difference is refunded to you.
 
<h2>How to avoid forced liquidation – our tips</h2>

**1. Choose a low LTV ratio**

Your LTV ratio shows how your loan compares to your collateral value. If BTC price drops then your LTV rises and therefore you may need to add collateral.

At the moment of signing the contract take into consideration:

Higher LTV = higher risk of contract liquidation.

Lower LTV = more protection but also more collateral.
 
**2. Add extra BTC to escrow**

Even if your loan starts at, say, 70% LTV, you can always deposit more collateral to protect yourself.

Adding more BTC to the multisig escrow gives you more time to react if the Bitcoin price goes down.
 
**3. Monitor the Bitcoin price**

If Bitcoin starts falling, log in to the Debifi account and check the current LTV of your contract.

A quick adjustment can fully prevent liquidation.
 
**4. Use a valid email address**

Debifi sends all notifications, including margin calls, to your email.

Make sure you have access to it. Always use a valid email to create an account on Debifi.
 
**5. Repay the debt on time (or earlier)**

Don’t wait until the last minute. You can close your loan early anytime without extra fees.
 
**6. Act immediately when you receive a margin call**

A Margin call means that your LTV ratio is too high.

Fix it by:

·        adding more collateral

·        partially repaying your loan.

Forced Liquidation is easy to avoid when you stay ahead of your LTV ratio.

Monitor your loan, react to notifications, and let your BTC keep working for you without selling it.



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How to avoid Forced Liquidation

BTC Sessions  released a detailed tutorial showing exactly how to use [Debifi ](https://debifi.com/)to get a Bitcoin-backed [loan](https://debifi.com/offers) He walks through every step, from setting up your collateral to repaying the loan and getting your bitcoin back.

The video demonstrates how Debifi lets you borrow against your bitcoin without handing over custody. Every loan is secured by a 3-of-4 multisignature escrow, which means your BTC stays locked on-chain where you can verify it throughout the entire loan period.

## What Makes Debifi Different

Most traditional lending platforms re-lend your collateral or hide it behind unclear custody arrangements. Debifi does the opposite:

* **Non-custodial by design.** Your bitcoin stays in a verifiable multisig where you hold one of the keys.
* **No rehypothecation.** Your collateral cannot be re-used or lent out to anyone else.
* **On-chain transparency.** Every contract, deposit, and repayment is visible and verifiable on the blockchain.
* **Institutional liquidity.** Loans are matched with professional lenders using fully collateralized bitcoin escrows.

## Inside the Tutorial

BTC Sessions covers the complete borrowing process from start to finish:

1. Setting up a Debifi account and securing it with PIN and 2FA
2. Creating a loan contract and verifying the escrow on-chain
3. Receiving USD-denominated stablecoins (Liquid USDT)
4. Making repayments and automatically reclaiming your bitcoin collateral

**"The way Debifi's multisig is structured aligns incentives perfectly. Neither party wants the collateral moved. It's designed for transparency and peace of mind."** - BTC Sessions

Watch the full tutorial below to see how to get, repay, and reclaim your bitcoin-backed loan with Debifi, step by step.
[![HOW TO GET A BITCOIN-BACKED LOAN WITH DEBIFI: FULL WALKTHROUGH BY BTC SESSIONS](https://zr5pqljgeynt.compat.objectstorage.eu-zurich-1.oraclecloud.com/blog-production-mainnet/Image_22_10_2025_at_13_12_a8d41dc303.jpeg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIBBtH-y-lg)


Debifi Blog: Guides