> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.whitebit.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Balances & Transfers

> Understand WhiteBIT's three account types — Main, Trade, and Collateral — and how funds move between them.

WhiteBIT uses three account types to separate funds by purpose: Main, Trade, and Collateral. Funds must be transferred between accounts before use — deposits arrive in Main, trading requires Trade or Collateral.

## Account types

**Main balance** — The primary holding account. Deposits arrive here. Withdrawals leave from here. Creating a U EARN (lending) investment debits funds from Main and moves the assets into a separate investment account; the platform UI surfaces the investment as a virtual Earn balance. Main balance is not used for direct trading.

* Endpoint: `POST /api/v4/main-account/balance` — [API Reference](/api-reference/account-wallet/overview)

**Trade balance (Spot)** — Holds funds for spot trading. Transfer funds from Main to Trade before placing spot orders. Each currency has an `available` amount (ready to trade) and a `freeze` amount (locked in open orders).

* Endpoint: `POST /api/v4/trade-account/balance` — [API Reference](/api-reference/account-wallet/overview)

**Collateral balance (Margin & Futures)** — Holds funds for both margin and futures trading. Transfer funds from Main to Collateral before opening leveraged positions. The same Collateral balance serves both products — the market pair determines whether the position is Margin or Futures.

* Endpoint: `POST /api/v4/collateral-account/balance` — [API Reference](/api-reference/collateral-trading/collateral-account-balance)

<Note>
  **API naming convention:** WhiteBIT's API uses "collateral" endpoints for both
  Margin and Futures trading. The market pair determines the product:
  spot pairs (e.g., `BTC_USDT`) for Margin, perpetual pairs (e.g., `BTC_PERP`)
  for Futures. All endpoints under `/api/v4/order/collateral/` and
  `/api/v4/collateral-account/` serve both products.
</Note>

## Fund flow

Transfers between account types use a single endpoint and are instant and fee-free.

```
Main ↔ Trade          (for spot trading)
Main ↔ Collateral     (for margin and futures trading)
```

The `/api/v4/main-account/transfer` endpoint supports only Main ↔ Trade and Main ↔ Collateral — to move funds between Trade and Collateral via the API, route through Main (two transfers). The platform UI exposes a direct Trade ↔ Collateral transfer, but the same Main-routed transfers happen under the hood.

* Transfer endpoint: `POST /api/v4/main-account/transfer` — [API Reference](/api-reference/account-wallet/transfer-between-balances)

Transfer direction is controlled via the `method` parameter:

* `deposit` — Main → Trade
* `withdraw` — Trade → Main
* `collateral-deposit` — Main → Collateral
* `collateral-withdraw` — Collateral → Main

## Available vs. frozen balance

Each balance entry includes two fields:

| Field       | Description                                       |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `available` | Funds ready to use for new orders or transfers    |
| `freeze`    | Funds locked by open orders or pending operations |

Total balance = `available` + `freeze`. Only `available` funds can be transferred or used to place orders.

## USDTB (bonus collateral)

USDTB is a bonus collateral token used for futures trading. USDTB cannot be deposited or withdrawn — the platform grants USDTB as a bonus asset. USDTB appears in the Collateral balance and counts toward futures margin requirements.

## Deposit flow

1. Generate a deposit address. Use `POST /api/v4/main-account/create-new-address` ([API Reference](/api-reference/account-wallet/create-new-address-for-deposit)) to generate a unique address per request, or `POST /api/v4/main-account/address` ([API Reference](/api-reference/account-wallet/get-cryptocurrency-deposit-address)) to retrieve a persistent reusable address. Alternatively, create an address through the platform UI.
2. Send crypto to the generated address.
3. Funds arrive in Main balance after blockchain confirmations. Confirmation requirements vary by asset.
4. Transfer from Main to Trade (for spot orders) or to Collateral (for margin/futures positions).

## Withdrawal flow

1. Ensure funds are in Main balance — transfer from Trade or Collateral if needed.
2. (Optional) If the held currency differs from the withdrawal currency, transfer to Trade balance, convert via the [Convert](/platform/convert) feature, and transfer back to Main balance. See [Payment Integration](/guides/payment-integration) for the full withdrawal-with-conversion flow.
3. Submit a withdrawal request via `POST /api/v4/main-account/withdraw`.
4. Withdrawal processes after security checks complete.

<Note>
  **EEA users:** Crypto withdrawals require a `travelRule` object with beneficiary
  information (name, address, VASP). Deposits may be held for Travel Rule
  verification (status codes 27, 28). See [Regulatory Compliance](/institutional/compliance)
  for full details.
</Note>

## What's Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Authentication" icon="key" href="/api-reference/authentication">
    Generate API keys and sign requests.
  </Card>

  <Card title="First API Call" icon="rocket" href="/guides/first-api-call">
    Choose an integration path.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Account & Wallet API" icon="wallet" href="/api-reference/account-wallet/overview">
    Full endpoint documentation for balances, deposits, and withdrawals.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>