Start with exposure

Margin is the amount required to support a position. Your gain or loss depends on the position’s exposure and the market movement, not simply on the margin posted. Higher available leverage makes it easier to take an oversized position.

Sources: [1]

A hypothetical example

If a position has $10,000 of currency exposure, an adverse 1% move is approximately $100 before fees and currency-conversion effects. Posting a smaller margin does not make that market move smaller. This is a simplified arithmetic illustration, not a trading recommendation.

Sources: [1]

Check liquidation and protection rules

Read margin-call and close-out rules, stop-order limitations and any negative-balance protection that applies to your specific account. Gaps and volatile markets can change execution prices. Rules differ by jurisdiction and by retail or professional classification.

Sources: [1]

Sources

  1. ASIC Moneysmart: contracts for difference ↗

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