IC Markets
FP Markets Leverage: Up to 1:500, Margin and How to Check Yours
FP Markets offers leverage from 1:1 up to 1:500, depending on your choice and the instrument, on both Standard and Raw accounts. Here is what 1:500 means in margin, how to see your leverage in MetaTrader, and how to use it without inviting a stop out.
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FP Markets' FAQ says it offers leverage from 1:1 up to 1:500, depending on your preference and the instrument you trade. Its account types page lists a maximum of 1:500 on both the Standard and Raw accounts, and the Islamic versions match it. Those limits apply to FP Markets Ltd, the company that serves many international clients; clients of FP Markets' other companies may have different limits under their regulators.
Leverage only sets the margin you need. Your profit or loss per pip depends on position size, not on leverage.
| Maximum leverage | 1:500 |
|---|---|
| Range | 1:1 to 1:500 |
| Accounts | Standard, Raw and Islamic |
| Varies by | Instrument and your choice |
| Margin call | 100% margin level |
| Stop out | 50% margin level |
What 1:500 means in margin
Margin is the position's value divided by leverage. One standard lot of EUR/USD is €100,000. At around 1.13, that is about US$113,000 of exposure.
| Leverage | Margin for 1 lot EUR/USD | Margin for 0.10 lot |
|---|---|---|
| 1:500 | About $226 | About $23 |
| 1:100 | About $1,130 | About $113 |
| 1:30 | About $3,770 | About $377 |
Leverage on other instruments
FP Markets says leverage depends on the instrument. Forex majors usually carry the highest; metals, indices, commodities, shares and crypto are generally lower. Check an instrument's margin in MetaTrader by right-clicking it in Market Watch and choosing Specifications. FP Markets' leverage page notes index CFD margins starting at 1%. Our FP Markets stocks guide covers shares.
How to see your leverage
In MT4 or MT5, hover your mouse over your account number in the Navigator window; it shows your balance and leverage. Ask FP Markets' support team how to change it for your account.
Effective leverage
Your account's maximum isn't the leverage you use. Divide the total value of your open positions by your equity to get effective leverage. On a $1,000 account, 0.10 lot of EUR/USD (about $11,300) is effective leverage of about 11:1, regardless of the 1:500 setting.
| Position on $1,000 | Exposure | Effective leverage |
|---|---|---|
| 0.01 lot | About $1,130 | About 1:1 |
| 0.10 lot | About $11,300 | About 11:1 |
| 1 lot | About $113,000 | About 113:1 |
Leverage and stop out
FP Markets issues a margin call when your margin level falls to 100% and emails you; at 50%, it starts closing trades, beginning with the largest loss. High leverage makes it easy to open a position too big for your account, which brings stop out closer. Our FP Markets stop out guide explains the levels.
'Not enough money' errors
If MetaTrader shows 'Not enough money' when you try to trade, the position needs more margin than you have free. FP Markets suggests reducing the lot size, increasing your leverage or adding funds; its margin calculator shows the requirement before you trade. Reducing the size is usually the right fix.
Pros and cons
| Advantage | Risk |
|---|---|
| Less capital tied up in margin | Larger positions magnify losses |
| Room to hedge without much extra capital | Stop out comes sooner on oversized trades |
| Access to more instruments on a small account | Swaps scale with position size |
Using leverage safely
- Set position size from your stop loss so a loss is 1% to 2% of your balance.
- Keep effective leverage low, in single figures for most traders.
- Watch margin level before news, when prices gap.
- Remember FP Markets can't guarantee stop losses; fills happen at the first available price.
Leverage and position size
Start from risk, not from leverage. Decide how much of your balance you'll lose if the stop is hit, divide by the stop distance in pips and by the pip value, and that gives the lot size. With a $1,000 balance, 1% risk and a 25-pip stop on EUR/USD, the size is $10 ÷ 25 ÷ $10, or 0.04 lot. The margin at 1:500 for that is under $10.
| Balance | Risk 1% | Stop | Lot size (EUR/USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $5 | 20 pips | 0.025 |
| $1,000 | $10 | 25 pips | 0.04 |
| $5,000 | $50 | 30 pips | 0.17 |
Calculating margin before you trade
FP Markets offers an all-in-one calculator that shows pip value, contract size, swap rate and margin for any instrument. Use it, or the Specifications window in MetaTrader, before opening a position on an unfamiliar market, especially shares and crypto, where margin rates differ from forex.
Leverage and swaps
Leverage lets you hold bigger positions, and swaps are charged on the full position size, not on the margin. A large, highly leveraged trade held for a week can build a swap bill bigger than its spread. Our FP Markets fees guide explains how swaps are calculated.
A simple rule of thumb
Many experienced traders keep their effective leverage below 10:1 across all open positions, whatever the account allows. On a $2,000 account that means total positions worth no more than about $20,000, or roughly 0.17 lot of EUR/USD.
That might feel small at 1:500, but it leaves room for several losing trades in a row without a margin call, and it keeps swaps manageable. Raise size only as your balance grows, not because the margin looks small.
1:500 at FP Markets is useful for keeping margin free, not for trading bigger. Size every trade from your stop, and the leverage setting becomes almost irrelevant to your risk.
Kofi opened an FP Markets Raw account at 1:500 with $800 and placed 1 lot of GBP/USD because the margin was small. A 40-pip move against him took his margin level towards the 100% margin call. He now trades 0.1 lot with 30-pip stops, risking about $30 a trade.
Frequently asked
What is the maximum leverage at FP Markets?
1:500 on Standard, Raw and Islamic accounts at FP Markets Ltd. Clients of its other companies may have different limits.
Can I choose my leverage at FP Markets?
Yes. FP Markets offers leverage from 1:1 up to 1:500 depending on your preference and the instrument.
How do I check my leverage in MetaTrader?
Hover over your account number in the Navigator window to see your balance and leverage.
Does leverage change my profit per pip?
No. Profit per pip depends on position size; leverage only changes the margin required.
What does 'Not enough money' mean in MT4?
The trade needs more margin than you have free. Reduce the size, add funds or change leverage.
What are FP Markets' margin call and stop out levels?
Margin call at 100% margin level and stop out at 50%.
Does FP Markets charge interest on leverage?
FP Markets' leverage page says no interest is payable on the extra exposure, though swaps apply to positions held overnight.
Can I lose more than my deposit with leverage at FP Markets?
FP Markets offers negative balance protection, according to its FAQ.
Is leverage the same on every FP Markets instrument?
No. FP Markets says leverage depends on the instrument; check each symbol's margin under Specifications.
What effective leverage do experienced traders use?
Many keep it below 10:1 across all positions, far under the 1:500 maximum.
Where can I check margin for a symbol at FP Markets?
Right-click the symbol in Market Watch and choose Specifications, or use FP Markets' calculator.
Does leverage affect swaps at FP Markets?
Swaps are charged on the full position size, so larger leveraged positions pay more swap.
Is 1:500 leverage available on every FP Markets account?
FP Markets lists a maximum of 1:500 on both Standard and Raw accounts and on the Islamic versions of each, at FP Markets Ltd.
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