Zerodha will now release margins blocked for equity F&O positions immediately after market close on expiry days, allowing traders to deploy these funds in the commodity derivatives segment the same evening, the platform announced on Thursday, December 11.
The move addresses a long-standing friction point for active derivatives traders, who previously had to wait for settlement files to be processed before accessing excess margins.
Earlier, margins tied to open equity F&O positions remained blocked even after contracts expired at 3:30 pm. With commodity markets operating beyond equity hours, many traders were unable to utilise these funds until the next trading day.
Under the new process, Zerodha says margins will be released by around 4 pm after expiry, subject to standard risk checks. Leveraging the broker’s single-ledger structure—which pools funds across equity, F&O, currency, and commodity segments—traders can now use funds across segments wherever exchange rules allow.
The change affects only the timing of excess margin availability. Peak margin rules, SPAN/exposure requirements, and intraday margin-blocking processes remain unchanged. Regulatory settlement timelines are also unaffected; the faster release applies solely to clearing expired F&O positions.
This update streamlines fund utilisation for intraday and expiry-day traders relying on a unified margin pool across segments.
