Forex trading calculator
Discover how a forex trade works – including the margin requirement and potential profit or loss on a forex CFD trade – with our forex trading calculator.
Start trading today. For account opening enquiries call 1800 601 799 between 9am and 6pm (AEDT) weekdays, or email newaccounts.au@ig.com.
Contact us: 1800 601 799
Start trading today. For account opening enquiries call 1800 601 799 between 9am and 6pm (AEDT) weekdays, or email newaccounts.au@ig.com.
Contact us: 1800 601 799
Our forex trading calculator
Choose from the options below to see how margin requirements and profit or loss are calculated on forex CFD trades.
** The profit, loss and margin requirement figures in this example are for illustrative purposes only, and the calculation assumes a spread of 1 point – which could vary.
If you keep your cash CFD positions through the daily cut-off time (typically 10pm UK time, although this may vary for international markets1), you will pay overnight funding charges to reflect the cost of funding your position, plus a small admin fee. For more information on overnight funding fees and other fees that may apply, please refer to our cost and charges page.
The above calculation of margin requirement only applies to retail clients. Please visit here for Pro Level 1 and 2 margin requirements.
How to use our forex trading calculator
Decide on your points of movement
Choose between the different points of movement – from 50 points all the way up to 500. These are applicable for different timeframes including hourly, daily, weekly and monthly.
Put in your order size
Select the order size in the underlying currency pair’s price. For our example, this is given in USD.
See how your margin and P&L are calculated
Look at the different margin requirements and profit or loss figures for the trade using the figures provided by our example, and tweak the input options to get a different calculation.
When you trade forex with us, you’ll be trading using CFDs which are leveraged. In doing so, you’ll only need to put up a deposit (called margin) to open a position. This can magnify your profits and losses as it will be based on the full exposure of the trade, not just the margin required to open it. This means losses as well as profits could far outweigh your margin, so always ensure you’re trading within your means.
Start trading today
Start trading today
Fast execution on a huge range of markets
Enjoy flexible access to more than 17,000 global markets, with reliable execution
Deal seamlessly, wherever you are
Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app*
Feel secure with a trusted provider
With 48 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service
Start trading today
Start trading today
Fast execution on a huge range of markets
Enjoy flexible access to more than 17,000 global markets, with reliable execution
Deal seamlessly, wherever you are
Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app
Feel secure with a trusted provider
With 48 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service
How to get started with forex trading
To get started with trading forex, check out the educational resources we have at IG Academy – which can help you with your market analysis and risk management – or learn more about how forex trading works.
In the calculator on this page, we’ve included an example of a forex CFD trade. CFDs are a derivative that enable you to speculate on the price of a forex pair rising or falling – and there are a range of benefits to trading forex with CFDs. With us, you’ll be able to trade forex mini lots or standard lots with CFDs. Mini lots represent 10,000 of the first-named currency in a pair and can help to decrease your position size, while standard lots represent 100,000 of the first-named currency.
Remember that since CFDs are leveraged products, it’s important that you take steps to manage your risk because leverage can increase both your profits and your losses.
- Learn how to trade forex with CFDs
- Choose a forex pair to trade
- Create a CFD account
- Take steps to manage your risk
- Open, monitor and close your forex trade
Remember that our forex calculator is a useful tool for determining the margin requirement and potential profit or loss of your forex trade before you open a position2. CFD traders can also check out our CFD calculator.
Who are we?
If you want to trade financial markets, you’ve come to the right place. We offer CFD derivatives to retail traders who are looking to seize their next opportunity. We’ve got a range of markets to choose from, including indices, forex, commodities, shares and more.
If you prefer to own assets, you can also buy and sell thousands of shares and ETFs with our share trading offering, or choose a wealth portfolio managed by one of our pros.
FAQs
How is forex margin and leverage calculated?
Margin is calculated as a percentage of the total position size when trading with leverage, because margin is the deposit that you need to put down to open a leveraged position. Our margins for CFDs start at 3.33% for major pairs like GBP/USD, EUR/USD and EUR/GBP. Find out more about our margin rates, including for other markets like indices, stocks and commodities.
How is forex profit and loss calculated?
Your forex CFD profit and loss is calculated as the difference in price from when you opened your position to when you closed it, multiplied by your total position size.
You should remember that when you’re trading with leverage, your final profit or loss will be calculated using the full position size – not just the margin required to open it – which can result in both greater profits and greater losses.
Learn more about calculating your profit or loss on a CFD trade
Try these next
Discover our charges for share dealing and CFDs.
Get to grips with what CFDs are and how to trade them.
Learn more about the markets we offer.
*Best Finance App, Best Multi-Platform Provider and Best Platform for the Active Trader as awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2024.
1 4.50pm (Sydney time) for AUD-denominated contracts or 10pm (UK time) for all US shares.
2Other fees and charges may apply, please refer to our cost and charges page.
