CFD Leverage Calculator

Calculate your effective leverage and margin percentage for any CFD position. Know your real exposure before you trade.

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Formula

Effective leverage formula

Notional Value Contracts × Contract Size × Price × Base→Account Rate
Effective Leverage Notional Value ÷ Account Equity
Margin % Account Equity ÷ Notional Value × 100

Worked Example

Given

2 S&P 500 CFD contracts · Contract size = 50 · Price = 5,000 · Account equity = $50,000

Notional Value
2 × 50 × 5,000 = $500,000
Effective Leverage
$500,000 ÷ $50,000 = 10:1
Margin %
$50,000 ÷ $500,000 × 100 = 10%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is effective leverage?
Effective leverage is the ratio of your total position notional value to your account equity. It shows how many times your own capital is at work. A $250,000 position with $25,000 of equity = 10:1 effective leverage, meaning a 10% adverse move wipes out your full account.
How does effective leverage differ from broker-offered leverage?
Broker leverage is the maximum you are allowed to use (e.g. 20:1). Effective leverage is what you are actually using based on your current position size and equity. Experienced traders often deliberately use less leverage than the broker maximum — effective leverage is the number that matters for risk management.
What is a safe effective leverage level?
Professional guidelines suggest effective leverage of 2:1–5:1 for most traders. At 10:1, a 10% adverse move eliminates your account. At 20:1 (the EU retail maximum for indices), a 5% move does the same. Many institutional traders operate below 3:1 effective leverage even when higher leverage is available.
What is margin percentage?
Margin percentage is the inverse of effective leverage: it shows what fraction of your notional value is covered by your own equity. At 10:1 effective leverage, margin percentage = 10%. This is useful when comparing margin requirements across different brokers and instruments.