What is Margin?

Margin is the amount of money required to open and maintain a trading position.
It is not a fee — it’s a security deposit that your broker temporarily locks while your trade is active.

Simple Example

If leverage is 1:100, to open a $10,000 position, required margin =
$10,000 / 100 = $100

So with just $100 margin, you can control $10,000 trading volume.

What is Leverage?

Leverage allows you to control a larger position with a smaller amount of capital.
It is expressed as a ratio such as 1:50, 1:100, 1:500, etc.

How Leverage Works

Higher leverage = higher profit potential + higher risk

Key Margin Terms

Free Margin

The unused available capital that can open new trades or handle drawdown.

Margin Level

Margin Level (%) = (Equity / Used Margin) × 100
If margin level is low, broker may close trades automatically.

Margin Call

A warning that equity is too low to maintain open positions.

Stop Out

Automatic closing of positions when account drops to a certain level to prevent negative balance.

How Margin & Leverage Affect Trading

• High leverage increases profit and loss speed

• Small market movement can wipe out high-leverage accounts

• Higher margin level helps prevent margin calls

• Proper lot size and stop-loss control risk

Simple Rules for Beginners

• Use moderate leverage (e.g., 1:50 or 1:100)

• Risk only 1–2% of your account per trade

• Maintain margin level above 300%

• Avoid overtrading even if free margin looks high

• Higher leverage is not always better

Quick Example

Account Balance = $200
Leverage = 1:100
Trade Volume = 0.10 lot (10,000 units)
Required Margin = 10,000 ÷ 100 = $100

If trade goes against you:

• Only 20–30 pips loss can cause margin pressure

• Margin call may occur quickly if no stop-loss is used

Conclusion

Margin and leverage are powerful tools that make Forex accessible, but without proper risk control they can destroy accounts fast.
Successful traders use leverage wisely, plan margin carefully, and respect risk management.