5 Best High Leverage Forex Brokers for 2026

After testing over 80 brokers this year, we selected those that support high-leverage trading in a safe and practical way. We only selected brokers that offer at least 1:1000 leverage for retail traders, giving high-volatility strategies the room they need. At the same time, we made sure every broker is properly regulated and follows industry standards, which is crucial when you’re trading with amplified exposure.

Using our consistent scorecard, we compared brokers side by side for spreads, commissions, and overall pricing to find the most competitive options. We also tested each platform’s usability to make sure it’s stable and easy to work with at a fast pace. For risk management, we checked for negative balance protection and reviewed margin call and stop-out levels to confirm that traders have the tools to stay in control.

List of Top Forex Brokers with High Leverage

Best Brokers for US Traders

Best Brokers for International Traders

How Did FXEmpire Choose the Best High Leverage Forex Brokers?

• Leverage. We only selected brokers that offer leverage for retail traders of at least 1:1000, so that they can implement high-volatility strategies.
• Regulation. Since high leverage is needed for highly speculative trading, we only considered brokers that are regulated and adhere to industry standards.
• Competitive pricing. We measured spreads and commissions and compared them to the industry average to ensure our picks for each category afford competitive pricing.
• Available platforms. We checked the usability of brokers’ platforms and made sure they were practical and user-friendly.
• Risk management tools. We considered whether a broker has negative balance protection and assessed its margin call and stop-out levels to confirm that traders have the tools for managing their market exposure.
• Diverse account types. We selected brokers that offer diverse account types with varied pricing and execution mechanisms serving different types of traders.
• Range of markets. We only considered brokers that offer a range of instruments from major asset classes, such as FX pairs, commodities, CFD shares, and indices.
• Scope of supporting content. We verified whether a broker provides comprehensive research content, such as a nuanced overview of current market developments, including where the market is headed and why.

Our team of experts has identified brokers’ strengths and weaknesses using FXEmpire’s comprehensive methodology.

Now let’s dive into the selected brokers.

How to Choose a Forex Broker With High Leverage?

Now, it is time to outline the specific considerations traders need to make when looking for a trustworthy partner.

How to Find a Safe Broker?

To ensure that you are dealing with a trustworthy partner, you need to clarify that the broker entity you choose is tightly regulated and complies with all industry safety requirements.

I have broken down the most important safety mechanisms to look for in a broker below:

• Segregation of Funds: Brokers must keep client funds separate from corporate accounts to reduce the risk of accounting errors.
• Negative Balance Protection: Ensures traders cannot lose more than their account balance, crucial for high-risk instruments like CFDs.
• Leverage Limits: To protect beginners, retail traders are generally limited to 1:30 leverage, reducing exposure to volatile price swings.
• Compensation Schemes: Depending on regulation, traders may be protected in case of broker insolvency (e.g., CySEC’s ICF covers up to €20,000, while the UK’s FSCS covers up to £85,000).

Generally, offshore regulators offer higher leverage but weaker overall protections. In contrast, top-tier regulators seek to limit the maximum market exposure afforded to traders via leverage by capping it.

Read more about Best regulated forex brokers.

How to Verify if a Broker Is Regulated?

• Check the Broker’s Website: Legitimate, regulated brokers typically display their license number and the name of their regulator on their website, often in the footer or “About Us” section.
• Visit the Regulator’s Website: Every country’s financial regulator has a website where they list all the brokers they regulate. Search for the broker’s name to see if they’re listed.
• Contact the Regulator: If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, you can directly contact the regulator with the broker’s name and any other identifying information you have.
• Check for Memberships: Regulated brokers often belong to compensation schemes or organizations that protect clients’ funds. Check if the broker mentions such memberships on their website.

Check out our guides on Best CySEC-regulated forex brokers and Best ASIC-regulated forex brokers.

How to Check if a Broker’s Fees Are Competitive?

A broker may offer multiple account types with different pricing models suited to various trading styles. The main difference between STP and ECN accounts is pricing—STP accounts typically feature commission-free trading with floating spreads, while ECN accounts have fixed commissions and raw spreads (often starting from 0.1 pips).

Read more about Best STP forex brokers and Best ECN forex brokers.

Many brokers inflate STP spreads, making them less competitive than ECN accounts. To compare costs, use the formula: Net Cost = (Spread × Pip Value) + Commission.

For example, if EUR/USD has a 0.9-pip spread on STP ($9 cost) vs. a 0.1-pip spread on ECN with a $6 commission ($7 cost), the ECN account is cheaper overall.

Always evaluate a broker’s actual trading costs before opening an account. If unsure, check our broker reviews or Best lowest spread forex brokers guide to find the most competitive options.

How to Choose a Trading Platform?

A trading platform is your gateway to the market, enabling price analysis and order execution. Technical traders rely on indicators, drawing tools, and charting features to assess price patterns, volatility, and liquidity for optimal trade timing.

The best platforms offer versatility and efficiency, featuring a wide range of indicators (e.g., Fibonacci, oscillators, trend tools) and one-click trading, algorithmic support, and advanced order types. MT4 and MT5 remain industry benchmarks for simplicity and reliability, but their design feels outdated compared to newer platforms.

Read more about best MT4 brokers and best MT5 brokers.

To enhance functionality, many brokers develop proprietary platforms, offering intuitive navigation, advanced order execution, and better asset search. Ultimately, choosing the right platform depends on whether you prioritize simplicity or advanced features.

Check out our dedicated guide on Best forex trading platforms.

What Are the Dangers of Using High Leverage?

• Amplified Losses: Leverage can increase the size of potential profits, but it also magnifies the potential losses. A slight fluctuation in the market can lead to substantial losses when high leverage is involved.
• Margin Call Risk: If your investment moves in the wrong direction, you could lose your entire initial deposit (margin) and be required to deposit additional funds to maintain your position.
• Overtrading: High leverage can encourage overtrading. Because of the small initial deposit requirement, traders might be tempted to open larger positions or more trades than they would with their own capital alone, increasing the risk.
• Fast Market Action: Markets can sometimes move very quickly, and high leverage can mean that these rapid changes have a more significant impact on your account.
• Risk of Account Blowup: With high leverage, there’s a higher risk of losing all of the capital in your trading account within a very short time, particularly if the market is very volatile.
• Negative Balance: If the market moves against your position, you may end up owing more than you initially invested, leading to a negative balance.

What to Avoid When Choosing a Forex Broker?

Here is a quick rundown of what to avoid when choosing a broker offering high leverage:

• Unregulated Brokers: Trading with them carries a high fraud risk and lacks regulatory protection, offering no legal recourse or compensation if disputes arise or bankruptcy occurs.
• Brokers Lacking Deep Liquidity: Essential for high-leverage precision trading, poor liquidity increases the risk of negative slippage.
• Brokers with Stop-Out Levels Above 50%: Higher levels can increase the risk of premature position closures.
• STP Accounts with Spreads Over 1.8 Pips: Accounts with floating spreads starting from 1.8 pips or higher can affect trading cost efficiency.
• ECN Accounts with Commissions Over $7: High round-turn commissions can significantly impact the cost of trading.

Meet Our Experts

The team of forex and CFD analysts and editors at FXEmpire is composed of trading industry professionals and seasoned financial journalists. Our experts have been published on leading financial websites such as Investopedia and Forbes. In addition, they all have extensive trading experience.

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