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Forex Margin Calculator

Work out how much margin a position ties up at your leverage, and the position value behind it.

Reference price filled in — type to use your own.

Contract specs: 1 lot = 100,000 units

Standard forex lots are 100,000 units of the base currency. Check the contract specification in your broker's platform (MT4/MT5: right-click the symbol → Specification).

lots

EU/UK retail limit for EUR/USD: 1:30.

More options
USD

Optional. Shows the free margin and margin level after opening this trade.

Required margin

$3,736.00

at 1:30 leverage

Position value

$112,080.00

100,000 units

Margin requirement

3.33%

of position value

Show the math
  1. Position value in USD1.00 lots × 100,000 × 1.12080 = 112,080.00 USD
  2. Required margin$112,080.00 ÷ 30 = $3,736.00

Rates from ECB, gold-api.com, CoinGecko, FX reference 2026-10-15, checked 12:08 UTC. Use your broker's live quote to trade.

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Quick answer

Required margin = position value ÷ leverage, where position value = lots × contract size × price, converted to your account currency. One standard lot of EUR/USD at 1.0850 is $108,500, so it needs $3,616.67 at 1:30 leverage and $1,085 at 1:100.

Worked examples: Leverage & margin

Margin Calculator by instrument

Margin for 1 lot at common leverage

Required margin is the position's notional value divided by your leverage. The table shows the margin for 1.00 lot in US dollars; for 0.10 lot divide by 10. 1:30 is the EU/UK retail cap for major pairs and 1:2 the cap for crypto CFDs.

Margin for 1.00 lot, USD account
InstrumentPriceNotional1:21:201:301:1001:500
Forex majors
EUR/USD1.12080$112,080$56,040$5,604$3,736$1,121$224
GBP/USD1.32466$132,466$66,233$6,623$4,416$1,325$265
USD/JPY157.980$100,000$50,000$5,000$3,333$1,000$200
USD/CHF0.83021$100,000$50,000$5,000$3,333$1,000$200
AUD/USD0.69109$69,109$34,554$3,455$2,304$691$138
USD/CAD1.42070$100,000$50,000$5,000$3,333$1,000$200
NZD/USD0.56007$56,007$28,003$2,800$1,867$560$112
Forex crosses
EUR/GBP0.84610$112,080$56,040$5,604$3,736$1,121$224
EUR/JPY177.064$112,080$56,040$5,604$3,736$1,121$224
GBP/JPY209.270$132,466$66,233$6,623$4,416$1,325$265
Metals
XAU/USDGold4,176.20$417,620$208,810$20,881$13,921$4,176$835
XAG/USDSilver57.922$289,610$144,805$14,481$9,654$2,896$579
Indices
US30Dow Jones 3051,650.0*$51,650$25,825$2,583$1,722$517$103
NAS100Nasdaq 10030,880.0*$30,880$15,440$1,544$1,029$309$62
GER40DAX 4025,270.0*$28,323$14,161$1,416$944$283$57
Energy
USOILWTI Crude Oil94.00*$94,000$47,000$4,700$3,133$940$188
Crypto
BTC/USDBitcoin82,455.00$82,455$41,228$4,123$2,749$825$165

Reference rates: ECB, gold-api.com, CoinGecko · FX reference date . Values update hourly.

* Example price: indices and oil have no free live feed, so their margin scales with the price your broker quotes. EU/UK retail leverage caps: 1:30 for major pairs (any two of USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF, CAD), 1:20 for other pairs (including AUD and NZD pairs), gold and major indices, 1:10 for silver and oil, 1:2 for crypto. Brokers may apply their own margin tiers on top.

What is the Forex Margin Calculator?

Margin is the part of your balance a broker sets aside as collateral while a leveraged position is open. It is not a fee: it is released when you close the trade, less any loss.

Required margin = Position value ÷ Leverage
Position value = Lots × Contract size × Price, converted to your account currency

Leverage and margin describe the same thing: 1:30 leverage means a 3.33% margin requirement, 1:100 means 1%. One standard lot of EUR/USD at 1.1000 is €100,000, worth $110,000. At 1:30 it needs $3,666.67 of margin; at 1:100 it needs $1,100.

Margin is not the same as risk. A 1% move on that $110,000 position is $1,100 whether the broker lends you 1:30 or 1:500. Higher leverage only lets you open more with the same balance, which is how accounts end up close to a margin call.

Retail limits depend on the regulator. In the EU and UK they are 1:30 on major currency pairs; 1:20 on other pairs, gold and major indices; 1:10 on other commodities and indices; 1:5 on shares; and 1:2 on crypto. In the US the limits are 1:50 on major pairs and 1:20 on others.

How to use this calculator

  1. Instrument — forex, gold, silver, indices, oil or crypto.
  2. Account currency — the margin is shown in this currency. A conversion rate field appears when one is needed, pre-filled with a reference rate.
  3. Price — a reference price is filled in; type your broker's price to use it. For indices and oil the filled-in value is only an example price, so enter the current quote.
  4. Position size (lots).
  5. Leverage — choose from 1:1 to 1:1000.

The result shows the required margin, the position value (also in the quote currency when it differs), and the margin requirement as a percentage. Use Contract specs if your broker's contract size differs, Show the math to see each step, and Copy link with these numbers to share it.

Worked example

EUR/USD, USD account, 1:30. 1 lot at 1.1000 = 1 × 100,000 × 1.1000 = $110,000. Margin = $110,000 ÷ 30 = $3,666.67. At 1:100 the same trade needs $1,100.

USD/JPY, USD account, 1:30. 1 lot at 150.00 = ¥15,000,000, which is $100,000 because the base currency is the US dollar. Margin = $100,000 ÷ 30 = $3,333.33.

Gold, USD account, 1:20. 1 lot = 100 oz × $2,000 = $200,000. Margin = $10,000.

Two positions together. 1 lot of EUR/USD and 1 lot of USD/JPY at 1:30 use $3,666.67 + $3,333.33 = $7,000. In a $10,000 account with no open profit or loss, that leaves $3,000 of free margin and a margin level of about 143%.

When to use it

  • Before opening a trade — to see how much of the account it ties up.
  • Before adding positions — to check you still have enough free margin.
  • When comparing account types or brokers — the same trade needs different margin at 1:30 and 1:500.
  • Ahead of news or weekends — some brokers raise margin requirements at these times.

Common mistakes

  • Treating margin as a cost. It is held, not spent, and is returned when the position closes.
  • Treating low margin as low risk. Profit and loss depend on position size, not on leverage.
  • Using nearly all available margin. With little free margin, a small adverse move triggers a margin call or stop-out.
  • Labelling the quote-currency figure as dollars. 1 lot of USD/JPY is ¥15,000,000 of quote currency but $100,000 of exposure; the calculator converts it for you.
  • Ignoring spread and swap. Both reduce equity, which brings the margin level down even when price has not moved.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my margin runs low?

When equity falls to the broker's margin call level (often 100% of used margin) you are warned and usually cannot open new trades. If it falls further to the stop-out level (often 50%), the broker starts closing positions, typically the one with the largest loss first.

Does higher leverage make a trade riskier?

Not by itself: a pip is worth the same on 1 lot whatever the leverage. Higher leverage lowers the margin per trade, which makes it possible to open positions that are too large for the account. That is where the extra risk comes from.

How is margin calculated for USD/JPY?

Position value is lots × 100,000 × price in yen, then converted to your account currency. Because the base currency is USD, 1 lot is $100,000 at any price, so at 1:30 the margin is $3,333.33.

Does the required margin change while a trade is open?

With most brokers it is recalculated at the current price, so it rises and falls slightly as price moves, and changes with the exchange rate if your account currency differs. Brokers may also raise requirements before major news or weekends.

What is the difference between used margin and free margin?

Used margin is the amount held for open positions. Free margin is equity minus used margin — what is left to open new trades or absorb losses on existing ones.

Related calculators

  • Forex Leverage Calculator

    Work out the real leverage of a trade — position value divided by your equity — the margin it ties up, and the largest position your account leverage allows.

  • Lot Size & Position Size Calculator

    Find the lot size that risks exactly the amount you choose, from your balance, risk per trade and stop-loss distance.

  • Notional Value Calculator

    See the full market value of a position in your account currency and the effective leverage it puts on your balance.

  • Margin Call & Stop-Out Calculator

    See your margin level and how much loss your account can take before a margin call or stop-out.

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Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged forex are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74–89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with the brokers listed here. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.