Work out the margin a broker holds for a forex trade at any leverage, with the pip value, free margin and margin level, the cash and margin-call price for shares bought on margin, and the margin on CFDs and crypto. Looking for profit margin instead? See the profit margin calculator.
How to use the margin calculator
- Choose your account currency and the market: forex, shares on margin, or CFDs and crypto.
- For forex, pick the pair, enter the position in lots and the price from your platform, and your leverage. Add your equity to see free margin and margin level.
- For shares, enter the shares, price and your broker's initial and maintenance margin to see what you pay, what you borrow and the margin-call price.
- For CFDs and crypto, enter the position value and choose the asset class for its usual retail leverage.
Formulas
Position value = units × price, and margin = position value ÷ leverage (margin % = 100 ÷ leverage)Free margin = equity − margin and margin level = equity ÷ margin × 100Pip value = units × pip size (0.0001, or 0.01 for yen pairs), in the quote currency- Shares:
margin-call price = loan ÷ (shares × (1 − maintenance %))
Sources, checked 7 October 2026: ESMA's CFD leverage limits (2018), the FCA's COBS 22.5, ASIC's CFD order, 17 CFR 5.9 (US forex), Regulation T, FINRA Rule 4210 and the RBI's forex FAQ.
Pricing goods rather than trades? The profit margin calculator works out margin and markup. To convert between currencies, use the currency converter.
For information only, not investment advice. Trading on margin can lose more than you put in.
Frequently asked questions
How is forex margin calculated?
Multiply the position size in units by the price to get its value, then divide by the leverage. One standard lot (100,000) of EUR/USD at 1.0850 is worth 108,500 USD; at 100:1 leverage the margin is 1,085.00 USD, and at 30:1 it's 3,616.67 USD. If your account is in another currency, convert at today's rate.
What does 30:1 leverage mean?
You put up 1/30 of the position's value, a margin of 3.33%, and borrow the rest from the broker. Regulators cap leverage for retail traders: in the EU, UK and Australia it's 30:1 on major currency pairs, 20:1 on other pairs, gold and major indices, 10:1 on other commodities and indices, 5:1 on shares and 2:1 on crypto. US forex dealers must collect at least 2% (50:1) on major pairs and 5% (20:1) on others.
What are free margin and margin level?
Free margin is your equity minus the margin in use: what's left to open new trades or absorb losses. Margin level is equity ÷ margin × 100. With 2,000 of equity and 1,085.00 of margin, free margin is 915.00 and the margin level 184.3%. Brokers warn or close positions when the level falls to their margin-call or stop-out level.
How do I work out a margin call price for shares?
In the US, Regulation T lets you borrow up to half the price (50% initial margin) and FINRA requires equity of at least 25% after that. Buying 100 shares at 50 means 2,500.00 of your money and 2,500.00 borrowed; a margin call comes if the price falls below loan ÷ (shares × (1 − 0.25)) = 33.33, a 33.3% fall. Many brokers set higher levels.
How much is a pip worth?
A pip is 0.0001 for most pairs and 0.01 for yen pairs. Its value is the position size × the pip size, in the quote currency: 10.00 USD for one standard lot of EUR/USD, 1 USD for a micro lot. Choose the pair's quote currency and the calculator converts it to your account currency.
Can I trade forex on margin from India?
The Reserve Bank of India allows residents to trade currency derivatives only with authorised dealers or on recognised exchanges (NSE, BSE and MSE); rupee pairs are for hedging a real exposure, while exchange-listed cross pairs such as EUR/USD have no purpose limit. Trading forex or CFDs with overseas online platforms isn't permitted. Margins on Indian exchanges are set by SEBI and the exchanges, so use your broker's margin calculator for F&O.
