What is leverage in trading? A powerful tool for doing more with less

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More power, for better or worse.

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Leverage is a part of everyday financial existence for consumers. Anyone who’s taken out a mortgage to buy a house or paid for holiday gifts with a credit card has used leverage—borrowed money that enhances your immediate buying power but must be paid back.

When applied to trading, leverage works in a similar way except that, instead of being used to buy a good or service, the borrowed money is used to speculate on the price of an asset such as a stock or commodity. Leverage can pump up gains if the market goes your way, but also blow up into big losses if the market turns against you.

Think of leverage as a tool. A wrench—which is basically a lever with a hexagon-shaped head used to grip things—might be a mechanic’s best friend. It’s a simple but powerful tool for doing more with less. Levers also apply metaphorically to trading stocks and other assets. Leverage—also called trading on margin—can be a useful and potentially lucrative tool for investors and traders, but also poses unique risks that should be fully understood.

Qualified traders can apply to open a margin account and borrow money from their broker to buy stocks or other securities. In margin trading, a brokerage lends the account owner part—typically 30% to 50%—of the total purchase price, raising the trader’s buying power. Securities in the trader’s account act as collateral, and the trader pays interest on the money they borrow.

For equity (stock) trading, margin is typically regulated by the Federal Reserve’s Regulation T (Reg T), which allows borrowing up to 50% of the purchase price of securities. This is also known as “initial margin,” as some brokerages require a deposit greater than 50% of the purchase price. Exchanges and brokerages can establish their own margin requirements, but they must be at least as restrictive as Reg T.

With a cash account (the standard brokerage account), you must pay the full amount for securities you purchase. For example, if you want to buy 100 shares of a stock trading at $38 per share, you’ll fork over $3,800 (plus any transaction costs assessed by the broker), and you’ll get the 100 shares deposited into your account.

By putting up less than the full cost of a trade, traders can make larger trades—and take on more risk for more potential reward—in a margin account compared to a cash account. Typically, an investor starts with a cash account. If they apply for margin account status, they’d retain that cash account for some of their trading and investing.

It’s important to know that with margin, it’s the lender (the broker) who’s ultimately on the hook for any funds they loan out over and above the money in a trader’s account. That means the brokerages, as well as the exchange clearinghouses that act as a backstop (and guarantor of last resort) to every trade, hold certain powers and can take certain steps if a trader’s position turns into a big loser. Traders might be subject to a margin call, for example. Brokers also might be less inclined to offer margin on high-volatility securities or to offer margin during volatile markets in general.

Suppose two traders, Alvin and Bertha, each have $10,000 held at a brokerage. Alvin’s money is in a cash account and Bertha’s is in a margin-approved account. Both traders want to invest their $10,000 in XYZ Corp., which is trading at $100 per share.

Alvin could place an order to take his $10,000 and buy 100 shares of XYZ at $100 per share. If XYZ rises 25% to $125, Alvin could then sell the shares and pocket a gain of $2,500, or 25%. (The math: $125 x 100 = $12,500 – $10,000 = $2,500.)

Bertha opts to amp up her buying power and shoot for an outsize gain by trading on margin. She buys 200 shares of XYZ with the $10,000 in her account plus $10,000 in margin funds borrowed from the broker. The shares are held as collateral against the position.

In theory, Bertha doubled her buying power, purchasing $20,000 worth of stock with $10,000 cash. If XYZ shares rise to $125, Bertha’s position would be worth $5,000 more, or $25,000 total. She could then sell the 200 shares for $25,000, pay back the $10,000 margin loan to her broker, and pocket a gain of $5,000, or 50% on her initial $10,000 (not including fees or interest).

Bertha doubled her reward potential compared to Alvin. But she also took on more risk, because margin can just as easily or quickly amplify losses.

Suppose that instead of rallying $25 per share, XYZ drops $25 per share to $75. Alvin’s shares, which he bought through his cash account, would be worth $7,500, for a loss of $2,500, or 25%.

Bertha, however, would take a much bigger hit. Her 200 shares, half of which she bought on margin, would be worth $15,000. Because she owes $10,000 in margin to the broker, she’d hold just $5,000 on paper. That’s a loss of $5,000, or 50%, on her initial $10,000.

If stock prices continue dropping, traders using margin can in theory lose their entire initial investment and still owe money to their broker.

Before applying leverage to your trading, you need to be aware of the risks. The more you leverage, the higher your potential reward. But you’re playing with fire. Specifically:

Also, it’s worth noting that your broker can choose to change the margin requirement at any time. For example, you might have a position that’s making money, but because the environment has turned volatile, the broker might bump up the margin requirement percentage.

The point is, when you trade with leverage, that useful wrench can morph into a flamethrower.

Beware of the risks. Trading with leverage can be a dangerous game.

Margin can be a useful tool for many investors and traders. It can be applied beyond the equity markets to foreign exchange, options, futures, and other asset classes where margin requirements are substantially lower than the Reg T margin.

But just like with a mortgage, credit card, or other form of leverage, if you “overextend” beyond your financial reach, it can put your finances in a precarious spot. Proceed with caution.