How to Calculate Leverage in Forex 1:200 and 1:100 Leverage Ratio
How Leverage Increases Forex Profits and Loses?
If you have a 1,000 dollar Forex trading account with leverage 100:1 you can buy a maximum of 1 lot which is equal to 100,000 dollars contract(1 Standard lot).
If you have a 1,000 dollar Forex trading account with leverage 200:1 you can buy a maximum of 2 lots which is equal to 200,000 dollars Forex contract(2 Standard lots).
Let us calculate Forex profits and losses based on two examples of used leverage, based on $1,000 forex account:
NB: This is the Leverage used not the Maximum leverage, If a Forex broker gives you 200:1 leverage, but you only trade 1 lot the used leverage you are using is 100:1, But if you trade 2 contracts then the leverage you will use is 200:1 which is equal to Maximum leverage (200:1).
So the example referred in this below is talking of the leverage used based on the volume of the trade that you have opened.
Example 1: (200:1 Leverage or 2 Lots)
For 1 lot 1 pip equals $ 10
If you make a profit of 100 pips the calculation of profit in dollars is:
2 lots
1 pip = $20
100 pips = 100 * 20 = $2,000
Total= balance + profit
= 1000+ 2000
= $3,000 you have just doubled your trading account balance three times
If you make a loss of 20 pips the loss in dollars is
2 lots
1 pip = $20
20 pips = 20 * 20 = $400
Total= account balance - loss
Total= 1000 - 400
Total = $ 600 you have just lost 40% of your trading account balance
Example 2: (100:1 FX Trading Leverage)
For 1 lot 1 pip equals $ 10
If you make a profit of 100 pips the calculation of profit in dollars is:
1 lot
1 pip = $10
100 pips = 100 * 10 = $1000
Total= balance + profit
= 1000+ 1000
= $2,000 you have just doubled your trading account balance
If you make a loss of 20 pips the loss in dollars is
1 lot
1 pip = $10
20 pips = 20 * 10 = $200
Total= account balance - loss
Total= 1000 - 200
Total = $ 800 you have just lost 20% of your trading account balance
From the above example you can see that the more leverage you use the greater the profits or losses and less you use the lesser the profit or losses.
It is therefore better to use less leverage so that to minimize the risks involved. The higher the leverage used the higher the risk. This is one of the Forex leverage rules not to trade with more than 5:1 leverage.
In Forex leverage rules: It is always advisable to stay below 10:1 which is still high, most professional money managers use 2:1 meaning they trade only 2 lots for every $100,000 in their trading account.
To Learn More about Forex Leverage and Margin - Read the Topics Below:
Forex Leverage & Margin Discussed
