Notional Amount is a term used in financial markets, particularly in the context of derivatives and structured finance products. It refers to the value of an underlying asset or liability that is used to determine the size or value of a financial contract.For example, in the case of a currency swap, the notional amount would be the value of the currencies being exchanged. In the case of a interest rate swap, the notional amount would be the value of the principal that is used to calculate the interest payments.The notional amount is not the same as the market value of the contract. Market value is the price at which a contract can be bought or sold in the open market and it takes into account the current market conditions, while notional amount is the value of the underlying assets used to calculate the interest payments or cash flows of the contract.Notional amount is used to calculate the value of the cash flows of the contract but it does not represent the actual cash flows, it does not represent the financial exposure of the contract, and it does not represent the collateral requirements of the contract.It is an important concept in derivatives and structured finance because it is used to determine the size of the contract, which in turn is used to calculate the margin requirement, or collateral needed to secure the contract.