How much leverage is a lot size on my account?
One EURUSD position at an illustrative 1.1000: position value ÷ equity, and (in brackets) what a 1% move costs.
| Equity | 0.01 lot ($1,100) | 0.10 lot ($11,000) | 1.00 lot ($110,000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 11:1 (11%) | 110:1 (110%) | 1,100:1 (1,100%) |
| $1,000 | 1.1:1 (1.1%) | 11:1 (11%) | 110:1 (110%) |
| $10,000 | 0.11:1 (0.11%) | 1.1:1 (1.1%) | 11:1 (11%) |
How to read the cells
Effective leverage for one EURUSD position at an illustrative price of 1.1000 on a USD account. Each cell is the position value divided by equity and, in brackets, what a 1% move against the position costs as a share of equity. Cells above 30:1 need more margin than the equity on a 1:30 account, so they could only be opened at a higher account leverage.
How to calculate effective leverage
Value each position, add them, divide by equity: $160,000 ÷ $10,000 = 16:1.
The three steps, with two positions
1. Value each position in your account currency. Lots × contract size × price gives the value in the quote currency; convert it the same way the margin calculator does. 1.00 lot EURUSD at 1.1000 is $110,000. 0.50 lot USDJPY is 50,000 US dollars whatever the price, because the account is in the base currency.
2. Add them and divide by equity. $160,000 ÷ $10,000 = 16:1. Equity is the balance plus or minus open profit and loss, so effective leverage rises as a position loses even if you open nothing new.
3. Read it as sensitivity. At 16:1 a 1% move against both positions costs 16% of equity, and a 6.25% move would cost all of it. At 1:30 the two positions hold $5,333.33 of margin, a margin level of 187.5%; at a 50% stop-out level the broker could start closing them after a loss of $7,333.33, a 4.58% move against both at once.
Same position, different account leverage
1.00 lot EURUSD on $10,000 with a 50% stop-out: the margin moves, the effective leverage and pip value do not.
| Account leverage | Margin | Margin level | Loss to stop-out | Move to stop-out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 : 30 | $3,666.67 | 272.7% | $8,166.67 | 7.42% (816.7 pips) |
| 1 : 100 | $1,100.00 | 909.1% | $9,450.00 | 8.59% (945 pips) |
| 1 : 500 | $220.00 | 4,545.5% | $9,890.00 | 8.99% (989 pips) |
Why a higher setting is not the danger itself
1.00 lot EURUSD at 1.1000 on $10,000 of equity, with a 50% stop-out level. The effective leverage and the pip value do not change; the margin does, and with it how far equity can fall before a stop-out.
A higher account leverage holds less margin, so on the same position the stop-out comes later. The danger of a high setting is different: it lets the same equity open far more. At 1:500, $10,000 could carry $5,000,000.00 of positions. The position size calculator sizes from the loss you plan for at your stop instead.
Who caps retail leverage?
In the EU, ESMA's 2018 measures cap retail CFDs at 30:1 on major pairs and 20:1 on gold; your broker sets yours.
The ESMA limits, with the source
Your broker sets the account leverage within its regulator's rules. In the EU, ESMA's product intervention measures announced on 27 March 2018 limited the leverage a retail client can use to open a CFD position to 30:1 on major currency pairs, 20:1 on non-major pairs, gold and major indices, 10:1 on other commodities and non-major indices, 5:1 on individual equities and 2:1 on cryptocurrencies, with a margin close-out at 50% of the required margin per account (ESMA press release, checked 8 October 2026). Other regulators set their own limits, and professional clients can be treated differently. Check the leverage and stop-out level in your account terms and each symbol's specification.
What this calculator does not do
It adds positions gross and holds margin and pip value at today's rates.
Hedges, moving rates and broker margin rules
It adds positions gross and assumes they all move against you by the same percentage at once, which overstates the exposure of a hedged or offsetting book. It holds margin and pip value at today's rates, while both move with price, so the stop-out distance is an approximation. Tiered margin, weekend or news margin increases and per-symbol leverage can make the broker's figures differ.