The biggest edge in forex trading compared to other financial markets 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. While leverage is important in the forex market, as all trades use it. It's important to know that high leverage can increase both losses and gains. Many forex traders lose money because of leverage.
We have researched hundreds of brokers to find the best international and US forex brokers that offer high leverage.
Quick Look: Best High Leverage Forex Brokers
| Broker | Best for | Max Leverage in the U.S. | Max Leverage Non-US |
| FOREX.com | Best for U.S. Traders and All Around Offerings | 50:1 | 50:1 |
| IBKR | Best For Advanced Traders | 50:1 | 30:1 |
| Plus500 | Best for CFD and Mobile Traders | Depends on instrument traded | Depends on instrument traded |
| AvaTrade | Best for Non-US Residents and Education | Doesn't accept U.S. traders | 400:1 |
| eToro | Best for Copy Trading | Doesn't accept U.S. traders | 400:1 |
Best Forex Brokers with High Leverage
High leverage in the United States is limited to 50:1, but for international brokers to qualify, they must offer 400:1 leverage for at least a few major pairs. Keep in mind, leverage can vary depending on your region and account type.
1. Best for U.S. Traders and All Around Offerings: FOREX.com
- Best For:Earning Cashback on FX TradesVIEW PROS & CONS:securely through Forex.com's website
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.
FOREX.com supports MetaTrader 4, TradingView and NinjaTrader and has its own proprietary trading system available on
Max leverage offered: 50:1
2. Best for Advanced Traders: IBKR
- Best For:Active and Global TradersVIEW PROS & CONS:Securely through Interactive Brokers’ website
Interactive Brokers is an industry leader for brokerage accounts and is highly trusted. IBKR is best suited for professional traders who need access to advanced trading tools and analysis methods. They support algorithmic trading high demand strategies
Max leverage offered: Highest leverage available to U.S. clients is 50:1, leverage goes up as high as 30:1
3. Best for CFD and Mobile Traders: Plus500
- Best For:Forex and CFD Trading for Mobile UsersVIEW PROS & CONS:securely through Plus500 Forex's website
Plus500 Ltd is a popular trading company that has gained over 25 million users in 50 countries since it was founded. The company charges commissions for micro, standard, and e-mini contracts, as well as a liquidation fee per contract. There are no fees for deposits, withdrawals, platform usage, routing or accessing Plus500's charts and graphs.
Max leverage offered:
- Forex minors: Retail 1:30, Professional 1:300
- Forex majors: Retail 1:30, Professional 1:300
4. Best for Non-US Residents and Education: AvaTrade
- Best For:Non U.S. Forex & CFD TradersVIEW PROS & CONS:securely through AvaTrade's website
AvaTrade carries 7 regulations across 6 continents and caters to its customers, offering a 24-hour multilingual support desk for a broad range of instruments, platforms
AvaTrade offers desktop, tablet, mobile and web-based trading with MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, its proprietary WebTrader, AvaOptions
Max leverage offered: 400:1, This can vary depending on your jurisdiction and the asset class you are trading
5. Best for Copy Trading: eToro
eToro specializes in social trading, which is ideal for beginners since you can follow the trades of expert traders with a proven track record. In addition to its world-class social trading network, this broker has excellent educational resources for forex beginners. Their intuitive multi-asset trading and social trading platforms and apps can be used by anyone. Unfortunately, they do not support the MetaTrader 4 and 5 (MT4 and MT5) trading platforms.
Max leverage offered: 400:1
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 Forex Brokers with High Leverage
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.
About Dan Schmidt
Dan Schmidt is a finance writer passionate about helping readers understand how assets and markets work. He has over six years of writing experience, focused on stocks. His work has been published by Vanguard, Capital One, PenFed Credit Union, MarketBeat, and Fora Financial. Dan lives in Bucks County, PA with his wife and enjoys summers at Citizens Bank Park cheering on the Phillies.