How much margin does 1 lot of EURUSD need at each leverage?
1.00 lot at an illustrative 1.1000 is $110,000 of EURUSD; the margin is that value divided by the leverage.
| Leverage | Margin rate | 1.00 lot | 0.10 lot | 0.01 lot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 : 10 | 10% | $11,000.00 | $1,100.00 | $110.00 |
| 1 : 20 | 5% | $5,500.00 | $550.00 | $55.00 |
| 1 : 30 | 3.33% | $3,666.67 | $366.67 | $36.67 |
| 1 : 50 | 2% | $2,200.00 | $220.00 | $22.00 |
| 1 : 100 | 1% | $1,100.00 | $110.00 | $11.00 |
| 1 : 200 | 0.5% | $550.00 | $55.00 | $5.50 |
| 1 : 500 | 0.2% | $220.00 | $22.00 | $2.20 |
The price behind the table
On a USD account, at an illustrative EURUSD price of 1.1000, one standard lot of 100,000 euros is worth $110,000. The margin is that value divided by the leverage. Enter today's price in the calculator above: the margin moves with it.
How is margin calculated? Four worked examples
Position value in your account currency ÷ leverage: EURUSD, USDJPY, a cross and gold.
EURUSD, USDJPY, EURGBP and XAUUSD, worked
1. EURUSD on a USD account. 1.00 lot × 100,000 × 1.1000 = $110,000 of position value. At 1:30 the margin is $110,000 ÷ 30 = $3,666.67, a margin rate of 3.33%. The account is in the quote currency, so no conversion is needed.
2. USDJPY on a USD account. 0.50 lot is 50,000 US dollars. At 1:100 the margin is 50,000 ÷ 100 = $500. Worked in yen it is the same: 50,000 × 150.00 = ¥7,500,000 ÷ 100 = ¥75,000, and ¥75,000 ÷ 150.00 = $500. When your account is in the base currency, the price cancels out.
3. EURGBP on a USD account. 1.00 lot at 0.8700 is £87,000. Convert with GBPUSD at 1.2700: $110,490. At 1:30 the margin is $3,683. A cross pair needs one extra rate, from the quote currency to your account currency.
4. Gold (XAUUSD) on a USD account. With a 100-ounce contract, 0.10 lot is 10 ounces. At an illustrative price of 4,000.00 that is $40,000, so 1:20 needs $2,000. Contract sizes for gold differ between brokers; check yours before relying on the number.
How much margin does gold (XAUUSD) need per lot?
A 100-ounce XAUUSD contract at an illustrative 4,000.00, on a USD account.
| Leverage | 1.00 lot (100 oz) | 0.10 lot | 0.01 lot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 : 20 | $20,000.00 | $2,000.00 | $200.00 |
| 1 : 50 | $8,000.00 | $800.00 | $80.00 |
| 1 : 100 | $4,000.00 | $400.00 | $40.00 |
What do free margin, margin level and stop-out mean?
Free margin = equity − used margin; margin level = equity ÷ used margin × 100; the broker starts closing at stop-out.
The definitions, with a worked stop-out
Used margin is the total held for open positions. Free margin is equity minus used margin: what is left to open new positions or absorb losses. Margin level is equity ÷ used margin × 100.
With $5,000 equity and one 1.00-lot EURUSD position holding $3,666.67 at 1:30, free margin is $1,333.33 and margin level is 136.4%. Brokers set a margin call level and a lower stop-out level, usually as a margin level percentage; at stop-out they start closing positions. If the stop-out level were 50%, it would be reached when equity fell to $1,833.33, a loss of $3,166.67 or about 317 pips at $10 a pip. Enter your equity in the calculator to see the same figures for your position, and check your broker's actual levels.
Is margin the same as the risk on a trade?
No: margin is a deposit; the loss at your stop comes from the lot size and the stop, at any leverage.
What leverage does change
Margin is a deposit the broker holds while the position is open; the risk is what the position loses if price moves against it, and that depends on the lot size and the stop, not on the leverage. 1.00 lot EURUSD moves about $10 a pip whether the account runs 1:30 or 1:500.
What leverage changes is how large a position the same money can open. A $1,000 account at 1:500 could open up to about 4.5 lots of EURUSD at 1.1000 ($220 each), and a 10-pip move on 4.5 lots is $450, close to half the account. Sizing from the stop instead, a 1% risk with a 20-pip stop is 0.05 lot. The position size calculator works that out from the loss you plan for, and the pip value calculator shows what each pip is worth on that size.
Who sets the leverage on my account?
Your broker, per symbol, within its regulator's limits; the tables use common settings, not yours.
Regulatory caps, tiered margin and where to check
Your broker, within the rules of its regulator. Leverage is often set per symbol: lower for gold, indices and minor pairs than for major pairs. Retail clients of brokers regulated in the EU, the UK and Australia are limited to 1:30 on major pairs and 1:20 on gold and non-major pairs at the time of writing; professional clients and other jurisdictions can differ. Some brokers also use tiered margin, charging a higher margin rate on the part of a position above a size threshold, or raise margin around weekends and major news. The leverages in the tables on this page are common settings, not what your account receives.
Check your own symbol in MT5: right-click it in Market Watch → Specification. Contract size, margin currency and the margin rate or leverage for your account type are listed there.