How much margin do I need for 1 lot of EUR/USD?

Divide the position value by the leverage. At EUR/USD 1.0850, one lot is worth $108,500, so at 30:1 leverage the margin is about $3,617 and at 50:1 about $2,170.

What is a margin level of 100%?

It means your equity equals the margin used by open positions, so you have no free margin left to open new trades. Brokers close positions at their stop-out level, which is 50% for retail CFD clients in the EU and UK.

Forex Margin Calculator – Required Margin & Margin Level

Inputs

Currency pair

Account currency

Lots

Leverage

EU/UK/Australian retail limit on major pairs: 30:1. US: 50:1.

Current price of the pair

Pre-filled with the ECB reference rate of 2 October 2026. Type in the live price from your platform for an exact result.

Conversion rate: 1 USD = ? USD

Account equity (optional)

Broker stop-out level (%)

Results

Enter valid numbers to see the result. The calculator updates as you type.

Calculator limits

Results are arithmetic on the numbers you enter, not trading advice. Brokers may use different contract sizes (especially for exotic pairs and CFDs), round lot sizes differently and convert profits at their own rates. Leveraged forex and CFD trading carries a high risk of losing money quickly; most retail CFD accounts lose money. Check your broker's contract specification before you trade.

How margin is calculated

Required margin = Position value in account currency ÷ Leverage
Position value = Units × (1 base currency in account currency)

Margin is a deposit the broker sets aside from your equity while the position is open — it is not a fee. Leverage of 30:1 means a margin requirement of 1/30 = 3.33% of the position value; 50:1 means 2%; 100:1 means 1%.

Example — 1 lot EUR/USD, USD account, 30:1

Position value = 100,000 EUR × 1.0850 = $108,500. Margin = $108,500 ÷ 30 = $3,616.67.

Example — 1 lot USD/JPY, USD account, 30:1

The base currency is USD, so the position value is simply $100,000. Margin = $100,000 ÷ 30 = $3,333.33, whatever the yen price.

Margin level, margin call and stop-out

Margin level (%) = Equity ÷ Used margin × 100

Many platforms warn you (a "margin call") when margin level reaches about 100% and start closing positions at the stop-out level. In the EU and UK, retail CFD providers must close out positions when equity falls to 50% of the initial margin required. The calculator shows how many pips against you each threshold is, for a single position. The margin level guide explains balance, equity and free margin step by step.

Leverage limits for retail traders

Regulator	Major currency pairs	Other pairs
EU (ESMA measures, applied by national regulators)	30:1	20:1 non-major pairs
UK (FCA)	30:1	20:1 non-major pairs
Australia (ASIC)	30:1	20:1 minor pairs
United States (CFTC/NFA)	50:1 (2% security deposit)	20:1 (5% deposit)

Brokers can require more margin than these minimums, and offshore entities of the same brand may offer much higher leverage with weaker protections. More on this in margin and leverage and official regulator resources.

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Last reviewed: October 4, 2026