What leverage do pro trading accounts get in Australia?
Verdict
- At Pepperstone, our pick for Australian pro traders, pro accounts get up to 1:500 on major and minor FX and gold, 1:400 on major indices, 1:20 on shares and ETFs and 1:10 on bitcoin and ether CFDs.
- That compares with retail ceilings of 1:30, 1:20, 1:5 and 1:2 for the same groups.
- Some classes barely change: FX NDFs stay at 1:10 and smaller cryptocurrencies at 1:2.
- Pepperstone's own pages disagree in places, including a 400:1 dynamic crypto tier, so check the margin table for each instrument.
Pro leverage in Australia is set by each broker for clients who qualify as wholesale or sophisticated investors, rather than by the retail caps. Pepperstone publishes a full asset-by-asset table for its ASIC-licensed company, which makes it the clearest reference we have.
Pepperstone's pro leverage, asset by asset
The table below comes from Pepperstone Group Limited's (AFSL 414530) Australian costs page, which lists retail and pro maximums side by side. Pepperstone is our first choice for pro traders because it publishes this level of detail, and its Razor account averages 0.1 pips on EUR/USD.
| Asset class | Pro | Retail |
|---|---|---|
| Major FX | 1:500 | 1:30 |
| Minor FX | 1:500 | 1:20 |
| FX NDFs | 1:10 | 1:10 |
| Major indices | 1:400 | 1:20 |
| Minor indices | 1:100 | 1:10 |
| Currency indices | 1:100 | 1:5 |
| Gold | 1:500 | 1:20 |
| Other metals | 1:10 | 1:10 |
| Energy | 1:20 | 1:10 |
| Softs | 1:50 | 1:10 |
| BTC/USD, ETH/USD | 1:10 | 1:2 |
| Other crypto | 1:2 | 1:2 |
| Shares and ETFs | 1:20 | 1:5 |
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Margin per A$100,000 of exposure
Lower margin frees cash, but it also means a 0.2% move against a fully leveraged FX position wipes out the margin behind it.
- Major FX: A$200 as pro (0.2%) against A$3,333 as retail.
- Major indices such as AUS200: A$250 as pro against A$5,000 as retail.
- Gold: A$200 as pro against A$5,000 as retail.
- Shares: A$5,000 as pro against A$20,000 as retail.
- Bitcoin CFDs: A$10,000 as pro against A$50,000 as retail.
Where Pepperstone's figures conflict
Pepperstone's own pages don't line up perfectly. The trading-accounts page sums pro leverage up as '500:1'. The crypto spreads page describes a pro-only dynamic leverage tier of 400:1 on the first $50,000 of exposure, while the costs table shows 1:10 for bitcoin and ether. We use the costs table above, but confirm the live margin for any instrument on the platform before you size a trade.
Getting access, and what it costs you
To trade at these levels you must pass Pepperstone's sophisticated-investor test with a knowledge quiz, or its wholesale wealth test with an accountant's certificate. In return you give up most of the retail safety net: negative balance protection becomes a single cover of up to USD 100,000. Capital.com, our second choice in Australia, publishes retail leverage for its Australian company but our verified data holds no pro table for it, so ask before applying there.
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Sources
Pepperstone's Australian leverage pages.
What is the highest leverage a pro trader can get at Pepperstone Australia?
1:500 on major and minor FX and gold, according to its Australian costs table.
Do pro accounts get more leverage on crypto?
On bitcoin and ether CFDs, 1:10 against 1:2 for retail. Other cryptocurrencies stay at 1:2.
Is 1:500 the same across Pepperstone's regions?
Pro FX leverage is also 1:500 in its UK, EU and Bahamas tables, but other asset classes and eligibility tests differ by region.
CFDs are leveraged and complex, and you can lose money rapidly. Make sure you understand how they work and can afford the risk. Nothing here is investment advice; broker terms change, so confirm them in the broker's own documents before you deposit.