Currency traders have a few advantages over traders of other types of securities. The market stays open 24 hours a day during the work week and the best high leverage forex broker's commissions are often a fraction of what online stock brokers charge. But the biggest edge is margin requirements and leverage. You don’t need a big infusion of capital to begin a career as a forex trader, just the right tools and the right broker.
4 Best High Leverage Forex Brokers
Using the above criteria, Benzinga has identified the best high leverage forex brokers on the market today. High leverage in the United States is limited to 50:1, but for international brokers to qualify, they must offer 500:1 leverage for at least a few major pairs.
- Best Overall: FOREX.com
- Best for Non-US Residents: AvaTrade
- Best Forex Execution: IG
- Best for Comprehensive Trading Platform: Interactive Brokers
1. Best Overall: FOREX.com
- Best For:Forex Trading in and Outside the U.S.Rating:Read Review
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
FOREX.com has over 80 forex pairs to choose from and you’ll get 50:1 leverage ratio (2% margin) on major pairs EUR/USD, USD/CAD, and EUR/CAD. Most other major pairs rest between 3% and 5% margin. Forex.com offers three different account types: standard, commission and direct market access (DMA). The standard account is spread only, while the commission account lowers spreads but institutes a$5 commission on every 100,000 units.
FOREXX.com supports MetaTrader 4 and NinjaTrader and has its own proprietary trading system available on
Pros
- 80+ currency pairs
- Up to 1:50 leverage for U.S. clients
- Tight spreads
- Fast execution
- Accepts U.S. and international clients
Cons
- Higher CFD fees
- Lack of educational resources compared to other options
2. Best for Non-US Residents: AvaTrade
- Best For:Non US Forex TradingRating:Read Review
AvaTrade carries 7 regulations across 6 continents (Europe, Australia, Japan, British Virgin Islands, UAE
AvaTrade caters to its customers, offering a 24-hour multilingual support desk for a broad range of instruments, platforms
- Forex
- Stocks
- Commodities
- Cryptocurrencies
- Indices
AvaTrade offers desktop, tablet, mobile and web-based trading with MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, its proprietary WebTrader, AvaOptions
Pros
- 55 currency pairs
- Offers other assets
- Good for CFD trading
- Supports multiple third-party platforms
- Offers advanced trading tools
Cons
- High inactivity fees
- Not available in the U.S.
3. Best Forex Execution: IG
- Best For:Forex ExecutionRating:Read Review
For USA residents: Trading foreign exchange on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors. Before deciding to trade foreign exchange you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. You could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. Be advised that CFDs are not available in the U.S. from this provider.
Outside of the USA: CFDs are complex instruments. 70% of retail client accounts lose money when trading CFDs, with this investment provider. You can lose your money rapidly due to leverage. Please ensure you understand how this product works and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing money.
At 30:1 leverage, IG is another broker that allows you to speculate on currencies across the globe. IG offers high leverage, which you need to increase your gains quickly, but the platform makes the process as simple and profitable for investors as possible by:
- 80 currency pairs to choose from
- Very tight spreads starting at 0.8 pips
- Massive liquidity
- Open 24 hours a day, 5 days a week
Take advantage of the platform’s simplicity and leverage options to diversify your portfolio without investing all your cash at one time.
Pros
- Access to over 80 currency pairs
- Excellent education tools
- Simple deposit and withdrawal methods
- Easy-to-navigate platform that is easy for beginners to master
Cons
- Only U.S. traders can trade forex
- Slow customer service
4. Best for Comprehensive Trading Platform: Interactive Brokers
- Best For:Active and Global TradersRating:Read Review
Interactive Brokers is a trading platform that provides leverage options to clients in the US. This platform is designed to provide currency traders with access to wholesale markets through interbank currency quotes. Interactive Brokers offers competitive rates in the market.
Spreads on major currency pairs can be accessed from as little as 1/10 of a pip. For those who trade less than $1 million within a 30-day period, the commission rate is 0.20 basis points, which is competitive. The commission rate of 0.08 basis points is the highest available, but it requires a minimum monthly trade volume of over $5 million.
Pros
- 100+ currency pairs
- Leverage up to 1:50 for U.S. clients
- Other assets offered
- Low margin rates
- Commission free trading
Cons
- Some research tools come at a fee
- Trading platform can be complicated for new traders
What’s Leverage and Margin in Forex Trading?
Traditional stock brokers in the United States often offer margin trading to their clients. The broker will lend money to the client for additional stock purchases and then make money in interest when the loan is repaid. Margin rates vary, but most online brokers charge clients between 5% and 9% to borrow money, depending on the amount. Why would clients want to borrow money for the stock market from their brokers?
They want to crank up the leverage on trades.
Leverage refers to how much borrowed money is involved in a trade. In most stock brokerages, investors can get 2:1 leverage, which means they need $50 in their account to trade $100 in capital. Obviously, leverage adds risk to any trade. Since you don’t just lose your capital if it goes bad, you owe your broker money.
Excessive leverage has killed many financial firms, including Lehman Brothers and Long Term Capital Management. But when it’s used properly, you can generate tremendous profits with little upfront capital.
In forex trading, leverage can often be as high as 500:1. Since currencies move incrementally compared to stocks, using leverage doesn’t carry the same risks. When trades are measured in fractions of a penny, 500:1 leverage doesn’t seem excessive. Forex brokers use margin requirements to determine how much leverage currency traders can use per trade. This is expressed as a percentage, such as USD/EUR trades that require a 2% margin.
United States Limitations
Forex trading is subject to stricter regulations in the United States than most countries in the world. Europe and Australia have no aversion to leverage as high as 500:1, but U.S. law limits forex brokers to 50:1 leverage.
Additionally, many forex brokers offer contracts for difference (CFDs) on indices, bonds, commodities and even cryptocurrencies. These products are highly speculative and banned entirely in the U.S., which means MetaTrader 5 has practically no uptake.
What to Look for in a High Leverage Forex Broker
Choosing a forex broker depends not only on your trading preferences but also the country you live in. United States forex traders won’t be able to use the highest available leverage or use popular trading programs like MetaTrader 5. When you pick a broker, here are a few things to pay attention to:
Margin Requirements
In the United States, margin requirements are limited to 2% (50:1 leverage). Internationally, you can lever trades up to 500:1 on most major currencies. You don’t need to use high leverage on all trades, but make sure to pick a broker with limits that work for you.
Commissions and Fees
Forex brokers make money in two ways: from commissions or from the spread. Many brokers have spread-only and commission accounts available, and commission accounts get reduced spreads. Brokers have fee charts on their websites. Make sure you understand all charges before you open an account.
Support for Trading Software
Many forex brokers have their own proprietary trading software, but also offer popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and cTrader. If you like to trade using MT4, make sure the broker you choose supports it!
Account and Trade Minimums
Capital required to open an account varies by the broker, as does the amount needed to complete a trade. Some brokers may have no account minimum, but all will have trade minimums.
Get the Best High Leverage Forex Broker
Forex traders enjoy leverage that makes equity and bond traders weak at the knees. Leverage of 500:1 isn’t uncommon for most forex brokers, but U.S. clients can only get 50:1. Leverage shouldn’t be the only factor when deciding on a forex broker, however.
Consider the trading platforms and currency pairs available when cooking a broker for the foreign exchange market. Along with the costs and fees associated with trading and the capital needed to open an account.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I over-leverage?
Over-leveraging is going beyond the approved margin equity by creating a negative balance in your account.
Are using high amounts of leverage good with Forex?
Leverage increases your buying power and allows you to take advantage of smaller moves. The downside is if the position goes against you, it creates margin calls.
Explore More: BEST ASIC-REGULATED FOREX BROKERS
Get a Forex Pro on Your Side
FOREX.com, registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), lets you trade a wide range of forex markets with low pricing and fast, quality execution on every trade.
You can also tap into:
- EUR/USD as low as 0.2 with fixed $5 commissions per 100,000
- Powerful, purpose-built currency trading platforms
- Monthly cash rebates of up to $9 per million dollars traded with FOREX.com’s Active Trader Program
Learn more about FOREX.com’s low pricing and how you can get started trading with FOREX.com.