What leverage is available on crypto CFDs?
Verdict
- A Singapore resident trading crypto CFDs with Pepperstone, our pick, can use up to 1:20 on BTC/USD as a retail client of its Bahamas entity, which means 5% margin.
- Pepperstone's ASIC, BaFin and CySEC companies cap retail crypto at 1:2 (50% margin), and UK retail clients cannot trade crypto CFDs at all.
- Pro clients of the Bahamas entity are offered up to 1:500 on BTC and ETH, with only discretionary negative-balance cover.
- XS advertises dynamic leverage up to 1:2000 without naming the entity; Pepperstone holds no MAS licence.
Crypto CFD leverage is set first by the regulator of the company holding your account, then by the broker within that limit. That is why the same Bitcoin trade can need 5% margin in one place and 50% in another. Here are the numbers, company by company.
1:20 on Bitcoin at Pepperstone's Bahamas entity
Pepperstone is our pick for crypto CFDs from Singapore, and the costs page of its international entity sets retail leverage on BTC/USD at up to 1:20. A $10,000 Bitcoin position therefore needs $500 of margin. That is far more room than Pepperstone may give retail traders in Australia or Europe, and the reason is regulatory: Pepperstone Markets Limited is licensed by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas, not by MAS, ASIC or CySEC. Retail clients keep negative-balance protection under its terms.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Crypto leverage by Pepperstone company
Pepperstone's own pages disagree on some Pro figures; its Australian crypto page, for example, shows a 400:1 tier on the first $50k. Confirm before you rely on them.
| Company or site | Regulator | Retail BTC/USD | Other retail crypto | Pro BTC/ETH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone Markets Limited (serves Singapore) | SCB, Bahamas | 1:20 | See the retail margin table | 1:500 |
| UAE site | Bahamas product issuer | 1:20 (BTC and ETH) | 1:2 | 1:500 |
| Pepperstone Group Limited | ASIC | 1:2 | 1:2 | 1:10 |
| Pepperstone GmbH | BaFin | 1:2 | 1:2 | 1:500 |
| Pepperstone Limited | FCA | No retail crypto | No retail crypto | Pro clients only |
Margin on a $10,000 crypto position
- 1:20 (Bahamas retail): $500.
- 1:2 (ASIC, BaFin and CySEC retail): $5,000.
- 1:500 (Bahamas Pro): $20.
- A 10% drop in Bitcoin costs $1,000 at every ratio: twice the margin at 1:20, fifty times it at 1:500.
Leverage at other brokers
XS accepts Singapore residents and advertises dynamic leverage up to 1:2000 with a 20% stop-out, but it does not name the entity behind those terms or give a crypto-specific cap, so ask before you fund. Capital.com lists 20:1 on crypto at its Bahamas company, but it does not accept Singapore residents. MAS-licensed providers set leverage under Singapore rules; we have not verified their crypto caps.
Sources
Leverage tables as published.
Is crypto leverage the same on every coin?
Not necessarily. Pepperstone's Bahamas costs page states 1:20 for BTC/USD; other coins follow their own rows in the retail margin table, and on its UAE, Australian and EU sites smaller coins are capped at 1:2.
Can I get 1:500 on Bitcoin?
Only as a Pro client of Pepperstone's Bahamas entity, which means meeting two of three tests (trading experience, over USD 500,000 in cash and investments, or industry experience) and giving up automatic negative-balance protection.
Does Pepperstone offer crypto leverage to UK retail clients?
No. The FCA has banned crypto derivatives for retail consumers since 6 January 2021; Pepperstone's UK site shows crypto only to Pro clients.
Leverage on crypto CFDs magnifies losses as well as gains, and crypto prices can move sharply. CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly; Pepperstone's international site reports that 80% of retail investor accounts lose money with this provider. Not investment advice.