Forex Margin & Leverage Calculator
See exactly how much margin a forex position locks up before you place it, and check the effective leverage on your account so position sizing never catches you off guard.
1.00 = one standard lot. Use 0.10 for a mini lot, 0.01 for a micro lot.
Standard forex lot = 100,000 units of the base currency.
Current quote for the pair, e.g. 1.10000 for EUR/USD.
The maximum leverage your broker allows on this pair.
A 1.00 lot position at 1.10000 with 100:1 leverage locks up $1,100.00 of your account as margin.
For educational purposes only. Read our risk warning before trading.
How Required Margin Is Calculated
Margin is the slice of your balance the broker sets aside to hold a leveraged position. It is the full notional value of the trade divided by your leverage. The larger the position or price, the more margin you need; the higher the leverage, the less margin a position ties up.
Margin Per Standard Lot at Price 1.10000
| Leverage | Margin Requirement | Margin on 1.00 Lot |
|---|---|---|
| 10:1 | 10% | $11,000.00 |
| 30:1 | 3.33% | $3,666.67 |
| 50:1 | 2% | $2,200.00 |
| 100:1 | 1% | $1,100.00 |
| 200:1 | 0.5% | $550.00 |
| 500:1 | 0.2% | $220.00 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Required margin is the portion of your account balance the broker sets aside to open and hold a leveraged position. It is the position's notional value divided by your account leverage.
Higher leverage lowers the margin a position ties up, freeing up balance but increasing exposure relative to your equity. Lower leverage requires more margin and keeps exposure smaller.
A standard lot equals 100,000 units of the base currency. A mini lot is 10,000 units (0.10) and a micro lot is 1,000 units (0.01). Set the contract size to match your account.
Effective leverage is your total position notional divided by the margin used. It shows the real exposure a trade carries and helps you compare position sizing across pairs and accounts.