What does leverage mean in trading?
Leverage in trading enables you to open a position worth much more than the money you deposit. For example, you might be able to multiply your position size by 5, 10, 20 or even 33x the amount of your initial outlay.
When trading, you’re speculating on the price movements of markets and underlying assets, rather than owning these assets outright, in the hope of making a profit. When you do this with leverage, it means that most of the capital is put up by your broker, with you putting down a deposit worth a fraction of the trade size in order to open a larger position.
Trading on stocks with leverage means you can gain exposure to a position without having to commit the full cost at the outset. The funds required to open a position – depending on the leverage ratio – represent only a fraction of its total size. There won’t be a charge for how much leverage you use – whether 5x or 20x your deposit amount.
While leverage enables you to spread your capital further, it is important to keep in mind that your profit or loss will still be calculated on the full size of your position. That means both profits and losses can be magnified compared to your outlay, and that losses can exceed deposits. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the leverage ratio and make sure that you are trading within your means.
So, for example, you may open a trade on Tesla stock worth $1000, with a deposit of $200. Your broker would put up the other $800 initially, enabling you to open a position 5x greater than your initial outlay.
How does leverage work?
Leverage works by using a deposit, known as margin, to provide you with increased exposure to an underlying asset.
Essentially, you’re gaining exposure to a position while putting down a fraction of the full value of your trade. Although you’re only paying a small percentage of the full trade’s value upfront, your total profit or loss will be calculated on the full position size, not your margin amount.
Your total exposure compared to your margin is known as the leverage ratio.
