IC Markets
FP Markets Stop Out and Margin Call: 100% and 50% Levels Explained
FP Markets issues a margin call when your margin level falls to 100% and emails you; at 50%, it starts closing trades, largest loss first. It also offers negative balance protection. Here is how margin level works, a worked example, and how to stay clear of a stop out.
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FP Markets uses two margin thresholds. According to its FAQ, when your margin level falls to 100% you are in margin call, and FP Markets will try to contact you by email. If it keeps falling to 50%, stop out begins: FP Markets automatically closes trades, starting with those carrying the largest loss. It also offers negative balance protection, so a fast market shouldn't leave you owing money.
Both levels are measured as margin level, which is equity divided by used margin, as a percentage.
| Margin call | Margin level 100% (email warning) |
|---|---|
| Stop out | Margin level 50% |
| Closing order | Largest losing trade first |
| Negative balance protection | Yes |
| Guaranteed stops | Not offered |
| Maximum leverage | 1:500 |
Margin level explained
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Equity | Balance plus or minus open profit and loss |
| Used margin | Margin held for open positions |
| Free margin | Equity minus used margin |
| Margin level | Equity ÷ used margin × 100 |
MetaTrader shows all four at the bottom of the Trade tab.
A worked example
Say you have a $1,000 balance and open positions using $400 of margin. Your margin level is 250%. The margin call comes at 100%, when equity falls to $400, a loss of $600. Stop out comes at 50%, when equity is $200, a loss of $800.
| Point | Equity | Margin level | Loss so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | $1,000 | 250% | $0 |
| Margin call | $400 | 100% | $600 |
| Stop out | $200 | 50% | $800 |
If several trades are open at stop out, FP Markets closes the one with the largest loss first, which often frees enough margin to lift the level back above 50%.
Why stop losses still matter
FP Markets can't guarantee stop losses; all orders fill at the first available price once triggered. In a gap, your stop can fill worse than set. That is still far better than waiting for a stop out, which closes trades at a much larger loss. FP Markets places no minimum distance on stops, so you can set them where your strategy needs. Our FP Markets leverage guide explains how position size drives this.
Negative balance protection
FP Markets' FAQ confirms it offers negative balance protection. If a sharp move takes your account below zero before positions can close, the loss is limited to your account balance. Our FP Markets regulation guide covers its other protections.
Hedging and margin
FP Markets allows hedging, so you can hold opposite positions on the same instrument. A hedge locks in the current loss rather than removing it, and spreads and swaps still apply to both sides. Use it as a short-term pause, not a fix for a position that is too big.
EAs and margin
Automated strategies can stack up positions quickly. FP Markets also limits accounts to 5,000 actions in 24 hours; if an EA exceeds that, the account is set to read-only until you adjust the EA and contact support. Set a maximum position count and lot size in your EA before running it live.
Avoiding a stop out
- Risk 1% to 2% of your balance per trade, set by your stop loss.
- Keep margin level well above 100%; many traders aim for several hundred percent.
- Reduce positions before major news and the weekend.
- Watch for FP Markets' margin call email and act on it.
- Add funds only as part of a plan, not to rescue a losing trade.
By the time you receive a margin call email, the account has already lost a large share of its equity. Treat it as an urgent signal to cut risk.
How FP Markets compares
| Broker | Margin call | Stop out |
|---|---|---|
| FP Markets | 100% | 50% |
| AvaTrade (retail) | Not separate | 50% (20% non-EU) |
| Exness (Pro, Raw, Zero) | 30% | 0% |
See Exness vs FP Markets for a full comparison.
What happens at stop out
- Your margin level falls to 100% and FP Markets emails a margin call.
- If it keeps falling, at 50% the system closes the trade with the largest loss.
- While the level stays below 50%, the next-largest losing trade is closed.
- Closing stops once the margin level is back above 50% or no trades remain.
Margin level targets
| Margin level | What it means |
|---|---|
| Above 500% | Comfortable buffer |
| 200% to 500% | Watch before news |
| 100% | Margin call email |
| 50% | Stop out begins |
Three accounts compared
| Account | Equity | Used margin | Margin level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | $2,000 | $200 | 1,000% | Safe |
| B | $900 | $600 | 150% | Watch closely |
| C | $280 | $500 | 56% | Close to stop out |
Account C will be stopped out if equity drops another $30. B has room, but a modest move against it would bring a margin call.
After a stop out
If your account is stopped out, the closed trades and their losses show in your history. Before trading again, work out what went wrong: usually the position was too large for the balance, a stop was missing, or a trade was held through news. Rebuild with smaller sizes and a stop on every trade.
Don't rush to deposit and win the money back. Many traders lose more in the days after a stop out than in the stop out itself, because they trade bigger to recover.
FP Markets' 100% margin call gives you a genuine warning before the 50% stop out. Use it: once that email arrives, cut the biggest position yourself rather than letting the system choose.
Amira held three gold positions on FP Markets when a sharp move took her margin level below 100%, and an email arrived. She closed the largest position herself, which lifted her margin level to over 200%, and avoided the stop out that would have hit at 50%.
Frequently asked
What is the FP Markets stop out level?
50% margin level. FP Markets closes trades automatically, starting with the largest loss.
What is the FP Markets margin call level?
100% margin level, when FP Markets tries to contact you by email.
Does FP Markets have negative balance protection?
Yes, according to its FAQ.
Does FP Markets guarantee stop losses?
No. Orders fill at the first available price once triggered.
Which trade does FP Markets close first at stop out?
The trade with the largest loss.
How is margin level calculated?
Equity divided by used margin, multiplied by 100.
Does FP Markets warn me before a stop out?
Yes. At a 100% margin level FP Markets is in margin call and tries to contact you by email.
Can I prevent a stop out by hedging?
A hedge freezes your loss but still uses spread and swaps. Reducing position size is usually the better fix.
Does FP Markets have a minimum stop distance?
No. You can place stop loss and take profit orders at any distance from the current price.
What should I do after an FP Markets stop out?
Review why it happened, reduce position sizes, use stops on every trade and avoid trading bigger to recover losses.
Does FP Markets close all trades at stop out?
No. It closes the largest losing trade first and continues only while the margin level stays below 50%.
Can I see my margin level in MetaTrader?
Yes. It appears with equity and free margin at the bottom of the Trade tab.
Does FP Markets stop out work the same on every account?
Yes. FP Markets' FAQ gives a 100% margin call and a 50% stop out without distinguishing between Standard and Raw accounts.
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