
CMC Markets offers a maximum leverage of 1:30 for major currency pairs, which means you can control a position worth 30 times your initial deposit. This high leverage can amplify your gains but also increases the risk of significant losses.
To trade with leverage, you'll need to open a CMC Markets account and deposit funds into it. CMC Markets allows you to trade with leverage as low as 1:2 and as high as 1:30, depending on the market conditions and your account type.
CMC Markets' leverage is calculated based on the initial margin required for a trade, which is typically a percentage of the position size. For example, if you want to trade a major currency pair with a margin requirement of 2%, you'll need to deposit 2% of the position size into your account.
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Understanding CMC Markets Leverage
CMC Markets offers leverage on various assets, but the specifics can be a bit confusing. Let's break it down: for currency pairs like EURUSD, the live spread is 0.5 pips in the morning and 0.6 pips in the afternoon, compared to an industry average of 1.08 pips.
For indices like Dow Jones 30, the live spread is 2.2 basis points in the morning and 2.4 basis points in the afternoon, which is relatively low compared to the industry average of 3.3 basis points.
For commodities like Gold (XAUUSD), the live spread is 43 pips in the morning and 44 pips in the afternoon, which is actually higher than the industry average of 42 pips.
What Is Leverage
Leverage is essentially a borrowed amount of money that allows traders to control larger positions with a smaller amount of capital.
The amount of leverage offered by CMC Markets can range from 1:2 to 1:30, depending on the account type and the type of financial instrument being traded.
Using leverage can amplify potential gains, but it also increases the risk of significant losses.
For example, if a trader uses 1:10 leverage to buy $100 worth of a financial instrument, they only need to deposit $10 to control a $1,000 position.
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However, if the market moves against them, they could lose the entire $1,000, plus any additional losses due to the margin call.
CMC Markets' margin call policy requires traders to deposit additional funds to cover the loss when the balance falls below a certain level.
The margin call level varies depending on the account type and the type of financial instrument being traded.
Using leverage requires a good understanding of the risks involved and a solid trading strategy to manage those risks effectively.
CMC Markets Spreads
CMC Markets offers low spreads on share CFDs, with Apple and Tesla CFDs costing 0.04 and 0.03 points respectively, compared to an industry average of 0.33 and 0.50 points.
Their spreads on currency pairs and indices are generally low-to-average, with EURUSD and GBPJPY live spreads ranging from 0.5 to 2.3 pips, and Dow Jones 30 spreads costing 2.2-2.4 basis points.
The industry average for these instruments is 1.08 pips and 3.3 basis points respectively.
Their spreads on commodities are average, with Gold (XAUUSD) live spreads ranging from 43 to 44 pips, compared to an industry average of 42 pips.
Crude Oil spreads are extremely competitive, costing just 0.03 pips, which is the same as the industry average.
Bitcoin is not available as a trading instrument at CMC Markets, with a listed industry average of $35.
Trading with CMC Markets
Forex trading with CMC Markets allows you to borrow capital to gain a larger exposure to the FX market, with leverage starting at around 0.20% for the most traded currency pairs.
Leverage in forex can magnify profits if markets move in your favour, but you can also lose all of your capital should markets move against you, as profits and losses are based on the full value of the trade.
CMC Markets offers fast order execution speeds, with average execution speeds below 3 milliseconds, making it a viable option for automated trading.
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Their spreads vary by asset class, with low spreads on share CFDs, low-to-average spreads on currency pairs and indices, and average spreads on commodities. Here's a breakdown of their spreads compared to the industry average:
This information will help you make an informed decision about trading with CMC Markets.
Forex Trading Basics
Forex trading allows you to control a larger trade size with a limited amount of capital.
Trading with leverage in forex means you can magnify profits if markets move in your favor.
Forex trading comes with some of the lowest margin rates in the financial markets.
The leverage difference between forex and stocks is much higher, with stock market leverage starting at around 20:1.
Leverage in forex can lead to bigger profits and losses, as they are based on the full value of the position.
You can lose all of your capital should markets move against you, because profits and losses are based on the full value of the trade, and not just the deposit amount.
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Order Execution
CMC Markets is a dealing desk/market maker broker, meaning they set the bid (buy) and offer (sell) prices internally and automatically take the other side of a client’s trade.
This contrasts with STP/ECN brokers who provide clients direct access to other market participants.
The average execution speed of CMC Markets is below 3 milliseconds, which is impressive, but it's worth noting that some brokers offer even faster execution speeds through Virtual Private Servers (VPS).
How to Trade
Trading with CMC Markets requires a solid understanding of leverage and margin. Margin is the amount of capital needed to open a trade, while leverage is the ratio applied to the margin amount to determine the trade size.
Leveraged trading is more suitable for short-term traders, as it allows for magnified trading capacity. However, it's essential to be cautious, as a high leverage can quickly wipe out a trader's margin.
Novice traders should start with a lower leverage to minimize risks. Using a lower leverage, such as 5:1, means a trader's position size is reduced, and a 1% price movement will only result in a $500 loss.
It's also crucial to keep leverage rates low, especially for those with limited trading experience. A lower leverage allows traders to absorb losses without wiping out their capital.
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Risk Management
Having an effective risk-management strategy in place is essential for using leverage in forex. High leverage forex brokers usually provide key risk management tools to help traders manage their risk more effectively.
High leverage forex brokers provide stop-loss orders to limit potential losses. This can be a crucial tool in risk management, as it automatically closes a trade when it reaches a certain price level.
Effective risk management is critical when using leverage in forex, as it can magnify both profits and losses.
Risk and Trading
Leverage can magnify both profits and losses in trading, making it crucial to understand the risks involved.
The risk of leverage trading is inherent to any type of trading, and it's essential to choose the right amount of leverage to use.
A prudent approach is to determine the leverage ratio in advance of trading, rather than increasing it mid-trade.
Doubling your risk on a one-off basis may seem beneficial if you get the trade right, but it can lead to much larger losses if you get it wrong.
To reduce risks, it's essential to plan out your trading strategy in advance, considering factors like maximum daily risk and the number of trades per day.
Determining the maximum amount you're willing to lose in one day of trading is a good starting point, with 1% to 2% being a common range.
For instance, if you're using 2% as your maximum daily risk, it would take 50 days of consecutive losses to wipe out your capital.
A good rule of thumb is to divide your maximum daily risk by the number of trades you want to place per day, to determine the risk per trade.
For example, if you plan to make three trades per day, you can divide your maximum daily risk by three to determine the risk per trade.
Here's a simple table to illustrate this:
By considering these factors and planning your trading strategy in advance, you can minimize the risks associated with leverage trading.
Trust
Having a solid understanding of a broker's trustworthiness is crucial for risk management. CMC Markets holds multiple Tier-1 licenses across various jurisdictions, which is a significant indicator of its reliability.
The broker operates under a 'best execution policy,' providing clients with the most optimal price feeds. This policy ensures that clients receive the best possible prices for their trades.
CMC Markets is publicly traded and a member of the FTSE 250 Index, which adds to its trustworthiness. This level of transparency and accountability is essential for building trust with clients.
Here's a breakdown of CMC Markets' regulatory bodies and licenses:
This table highlights the various regulatory bodies and licenses held by CMC Markets across different jurisdictions.
Calculating and Choosing Leverage
Calculating leverage ratios is crucial to understanding how to use leverage effectively. The formula for leverage is L = A / E, where L is leverage, E is the margin amount (equity), and A is the asset amount.
Dividing the asset amount by the margin amount gives the ratio of leverage, allowing you to determine how much risk you're taking on. This calculation is essential for traders to manage their risk exposure.
Most traders distribute risks across different markets, which can be done by taking various positions in different markets. This approach requires calculations to determine things like net asset value, or the accumulative value of a trader's positions.
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Calculating Ratios
Calculating ratios is crucial in understanding how leverage works. The formula for leverage is L = A / E, where L is leverage, E is the margin amount (equity), and A is the asset amount.
To calculate the ratio, you simply divide the asset amount by the margin amount, which gives you the ratio of leverage. For example, a margin rate of 2.90% can also be referred to as '34:1 leverage', meaning you can open a position worth up to 34 times more than the required deposit to open the trade.
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You can also start with the margin amount and apply a leverage ratio to determine the position size. In this case, the formula would be A = E.L, where multiplying the margin amount by the leverage ratio gives you the asset size of a trader's position.
Most traders distribute risks across different markets, which means they need to calculate the accumulative value of their positions. This can be done using platform technology offered by most brokers, making it easier to monitor all parameters and open or close individual positions as needed.
Max by Asset Class
If you're looking to maximize your trading potential, understanding the maximum leverage available for different asset classes is crucial.
For currency pairs, the maximum retail leverage is 1:30 with CMC Markets.
Commodities have a lower maximum leverage of 1:20, which means you can't borrow as much money to trade these instruments.
Share CFDs have the lowest maximum leverage of 1:5, making them a more conservative option.
Indices also have a maximum leverage of 1:20, similar to commodities.
Here's a summary of the maximum leverage by asset class:
Account and Broker Information
CMC Markets is a well-established online broker that offers a range of trading products and services.
CMC Markets is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, ensuring a high level of security and protection for clients' funds.
The broker offers a user-friendly trading platform that can be accessed through a web browser or mobile app, making it easy to trade on the go.
CMC Markets offers a range of account types, including a demo account, which allows new traders to practice trading with virtual funds.
The broker also offers a live trading account, which can be funded with a minimum deposit of $200.
CMC Markets provides a range of educational resources, including webinars, tutorials, and market analysis, to help traders improve their skills and knowledge.
The broker's customer support team is available 24/5 to assist with any questions or issues that may arise.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best leverage for a $100 account?
The recommended leverage for a $100 account is 1:100, allowing you to trade up to $100,000. However, be aware that leverage increases risk, so it's essential to understand the associated risks before trading.
What is a 1:500 leverage?
A 1:500 leverage allows you to control a position worth 500 times your initial investment, but comes with a high risk of significant losses if the market moves against you. This level of leverage is not recommended for most investors.
Is my money safe with CMC Markets?
Your money is protected and separate from CMC Markets' funds, safeguarding it in case of insolvency. Learn more about our secure account protection and how your funds are safeguarded.
What is a 1/1000 leverage?
A 1:1000 leverage allows traders to open positions with 1000 times more volume than their available funds, effectively amplifying their trading power. This means a $100 investment can be used to control a $100,000 position.
Sources
- https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-ca/learn/trading-library/what-is-leverage-trading
- https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en/learn-forex/forex-leverage
- https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-ca/learn-forex/forex-leverage
- https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-nz/cfd/learn/cfd-asset-classes/forex-leverage
- https://www.fxempire.com/brokers/cmcmarkets
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