Forex Margin Calculator

Calculate the margin a position requires at any leverage tier — or flip it around and see the largest position your available margin can support, using live market prices.

Calculation mode

Account currency

Instrument

Position size (lots)

Leverage

Required margin$1,126.23

Units100,000

Notional value$112,623.00

Margin as % of notional1.00%

Rate used: 1.12623 ·updated Oct 2, 2026, 13:54 GMT+00:00 ·EUR/USD

Leverage of 1:100 exceeds the 1:30 retail cap set by ESMA (EU) and the FCA (UK) for major forex pairs. Tiers above 1:30 are typically only available to professional clients or from brokers in other jurisdictions, and losses are amplified accordingly.

Excludes spread, commission and swap — your broker's costs will reduce realized P/L.

See the P/L of this position in the Profit Calculator

Margin by leverage tier

Live required margin for one standard lot of EUR/USD in a USD account at each leverage tier.

Leverage	Margin requirement	Margin per 1 lot EUR/USD
1:30	3.33%	$3,754.10
1:50	2.00%	$2,252.46
1:100	1.00%	$1,126.23
1:200	0.50%	$563.12
1:400	0.25%	$281.56
1:500	0.20%	$225.25

How it works

Notional value = Lots × 100,000 × Live price
Required margin = Notional value ÷ Leverage

Worked example

One standard lot of EUR/USD at a live price of 1.0850 has a notional value of $108,500. At 1:100 leverage the required margin is $108,500 ÷ 100 = $1,085.

FAQ

What is margin in forex trading?

Margin is the deposit your broker locks as collateral while a leveraged position is open. It is not a cost — it is released when the position closes — but if losses reduce your equity below the margin requirement, the broker may close your positions.

How does leverage change the margin requirement?

Required margin is the notional value of the position divided by the leverage. At 1:100 you post 1% of the position value; at 1:30 you post 3.33%. Higher leverage means less locked margin but faster losses relative to your equity.

Why is there a warning above 1:30 leverage?

European (ESMA) and UK (FCA) regulators cap retail forex leverage at 1:30 on major pairs to limit consumer losses. Higher tiers exist for professional clients or in other jurisdictions — the calculator still computes them, but flags that the protection rules differ.

What is the difference between margin and free margin?

Margin (used margin) is what your open positions currently lock. Free margin is your equity minus used margin — the amount available for opening new positions. The “max position size” mode of this calculator works from that free amount.

What is a margin call and a stop-out?

A margin call warns that equity is approaching used margin. Stop-out is when the broker automatically closes positions because equity fell below its stop-out level. Exact percentages vary by broker and are not the same as the required-margin figure this calculator shows.

What does margin as a percentage of notional mean?

Required margin divided by the position’s notional value. At 1:100 leverage it is 1%; at 1:30 it is about 3.33%. It is another way of reading the same leverage you selected.

Does the pair’s live price change the margin?

Yes. Notional value is lots × 100,000 × the live price (converted into your account currency), so required margin moves with the market even if your size and leverage stay the same.

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The results produced by these calculators are estimates based on live market prices and the inputs you provide. They are for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Actual trading conditions, including spreads, commissions, swap rates and broker margin requirements, may differ. Trading foreign exchange and CFDs carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors.