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Forex margin calculator: how much do you need to open a trade?

Leverage lets a small deposit open a big trade. See exactly how much your broker holds for any pair and size — and the one number that matters even more.

Free tool · forex and gold · US leverage caps · runs in your browser

How it works: the trade's full value = lots × 100,000 units × price (in the quote currency, turned into US dollars). Margin = that value ÷ leverage. Margin is a deposit your broker holds while the trade is open — not the most you can lose. Your stop decides that.

The number that matters more than margin

Leverage decides how little you need to open a trade. It says nothing about how much you should risk. Two traders with the same leverage can risk 1% or 30% of their account — the difference is the trade size and the stop. Size from risk, not from what the margin allows: use the lot size calculator. More in leverage and margin, explained.

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