# Automatic Collateral Management

## What is ACM?&#x20;

Automatic Collateral Management (ACM) is one of Wick’s core features. It gives users a single, unified USDC balance to trade seamlessly across spot, perpetual, and HIP3 markets.

With ACM, you can long Bitcoin, buy Hyperliquid spot, and trade HIP3 markets like **XYZ-100** — all without manually transferring USDC between accounts.

## How does it work?

Wick handles collateral transfers instantly and automatically in the background. Whenever you place a trade, ACM moves your USDC where it needs to go — no manual steps required.

For example, if you deposit and market sell **1 SOL** through Unit, the USDC initially sits in your spot account balance. The moment you open a Bitcoin long, Wick automatically allocates that USDC to your perpetuals account on Hyperliquid.

## Simplified by design

ACM is designed to make trading effortless. Users never need to manually move funds between accounts. All positions on Wick use **isolated margin**. There is **no cross-margin trading**. Each position manages its own collateral independently, ensuring clear risk boundaries and predictable exposure.


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