Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Spread betting margins

Q: How does spread betting margin work?

A spread betting margin requirement is the deposit amount needed to give you access to a larger sum of money in a trade. The rest of the sum is essentially ‘borrowed’ from a broker. Depositing a margin requirement gives you access to leverage. Learn how to calculate margin requirement to support your position sizing strategy.

Q: How can you calculate spread betting margin requirement?

When calculating spread betting margins, take the margin rate and multiply it by your position size to get the total amount you need to deposit to gain full exposure to a trade. Make sure to check the risks of spread betting , as trading on margin amplifies both your profits and losses.

Q: What is the minimum stake size when spread betting?

The minimum stake size depends on the product you are trading. Minimum stakes start at 10p per point for some shares, but most shares start at around £1 per point. Indices, FX and commodities start at around 50p per point. To see a full list of securities visit our range of markets page.

Q: How can I start spread betting?

To get started, open a demo or live account to access our trading platform. On our platform, you can follow the necessary steps to start trading, such as choosing from a variety of instruments, buying or selling via an order ticket, and implementing risk management techniques. For a more detailed analysis, see our guide on ‘ how to start spread betting ’.

View at a glance the current margin rates across popular spread betting instruments.

New to spread betting? Learn how to calculate margins

See the margin rates for our most traded forex pairs, indices, commodities and treasuries.

Forex

Instrument	Margin rate from
EUR/USD	3.3%
GBP/USD	3.3%
USD/JPY	3.3%
AUD/USD	5%

View our forex margins rates

Indices

Instrument	Margin rate from
UK 100	5%
US 30	5%
US SPX 500	5%
Germany 30	5%

View our indices margins rates

Commodities

Instrument	Margin rate from
Gold	5%
Silver	10%
Crude Oil West Texas - Cash	10%
Crude Oil Brent – Cash	10%

View our commodities margin rates

Treasuries

Instrument	Margin rate from
UK Gilt – Cash	3.3%
Euro Bund – Cash	3.3%
US T-Bond – Cash	3.3%
Euro Bobl – Cash	3.3%

View our treasuries margin rates

Our margin rates on shares start from 20% for UK and US shares. For more information, view our shares product details.

Different margin rates apply for large position sizes on shares. The margin rate depends on which tier the position size falls under. View full details of our margin rates in the product library section of our trading platform.

View our spreads and other trading fees associated with spread betting.

Spread betting using margin allows you to open a position by only depositing a percentage of the full value of the position. This means that your losses will be amplified and you could lose more than your deposits. Profits and losses are relative to the full value of your position. Spread betting using margin is not necessarily for everyone and you should ensure you understand the risks involved and if necessary seek independent professional advice before placing any bets.

Award-winning platform^†

Our trading platform combines innovative trading tools and an intuitive interface, with native mobile apps for iPad, iPhone and Android giving you access to your account wherever you are.

Learn about our trading platform

Range of markets

Spread bet on over 10,000 instruments on our award-winning trading platform, including forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs and treasuries.

View our range of markets

FAQs

How does spread betting margin work?

How can you calculate spread betting margin requirement?

What is the minimum stake size when spread betting?

How can I start spread betting?

^†Awarded Best Platform Features, Best Mobile Phone/Tablet App, ranked highest for Charting and Spreads, based on highest user satisfaction among spread betters, CFD and FX traders, Investment Trends 2019 UK Leverage Trading Report.

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