Leverage remains one of the most powerful — and dangerous — tools in forex and CFD trading. With FXTM (also known as ForexTime), traders outside heavily regulated regions like the EU can access some of the industry’s highest ratios, reaching up to 1:3000 on certain accounts. That kind of firepower lets you control massive positions with minimal capital, but it also turns small market moves into account-killers if you’re not careful.
I’ve traded with brokers offering everything from conservative 1:30 caps to aggressive 1:2000+ setups, and FXTM’s flexible (sometimes called “floating”) leverage system stands out for scalpers and high-volume traders who know how to manage risk. But for beginners or anyone without ironclad discipline, those ultra-high levels often do more harm than good. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what FXTM offers in late 2025, how it varies by account and asset, and why I believe most traders are better off dialing it down.
How Leverage Actually Works at FXTM
Leverage is expressed as a ratio (e.g., 1:1000 means you put up $1 to control $1000). The required margin is simply Notional Value ÷ Leverage.
Example: Opening 1 standard lot (100,000 units) of EUR/USD at 1:2000 leverage requires just $50 margin ($100,000 ÷ 2000). At 1:100, the same trade needs $1,000 margin.
FXTM uses floating/fixed leverage that automatically reduces as your total exposure (notional value) grows. This tiered system prevents traders from accidentally over-leveraging huge volumes at the maximum ratio.
They also apply Dynamic Margin Requirements (DMR) during volatile periods:
- 10 minutes before and 2 minutes after major news
- 60 minutes before weekend/holiday close
During DMR, leverage can drop to 1:200 or lower, dramatically increasing margin needs and potentially triggering stop-outs if you’re overextended.
Which Accounts Actually Get the Crazy Leverage?
Not all FXTM accounts are created equal.
- Advantage (MT4/MT5) → Floating leverage up to 1:3000
- Advantage Plus (MT4/MT5) → Same, up to 1:3000
- Stocks Account → Fixed 1:1 (no leverage — this is for people who actually want to own shares)
- Clients in Kenya, Nigeria, or under Exinity Capital East Africa Ltd → Hard cap at 1:400 no matter what the tables say
- EU/UK clients (CySEC/FCA regulated entities) → ESMA rules apply, max 1:30 on majors, 1:20 on minors, etc.
If you’re outside Europe and not in one of the restricted African jurisdictions, then yes — you can actually get the headline-grabbing numbers.
The Real Leverage Table Everyone Skips Reading (FX Majors & Spot Metals)
This is the current tiering for major forex pairs and gold/silver on Advantage/Advantage Plus accounts (as of the latest June 2025 update — still valid in November).
| Notional Value (USD) | Leverage | Margin Required |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 100,000 | 1:3000 | 0.03% |
| 100,001 – 700,000 | 1:1000 | 0.10% |
| 700,001 – 2,000,000 | 1:500 | 0.20% |
| 2,000,001 – 7,000,000 | 1:200 | 0.50% |
| 7,000,001 – 15,000,000 | 1:100 | 1.00% |
| 15,000,001 – 22,000,000 | 1:25 | 4.00% |
| 22,000,001 – 30,000,000 | 1:10 | 10.00% |
| Over 30,000,000 | 1:1 | 100.00% |
So that $100 turning into $300,000? That’s only true for your first ~$100k notional exposure. Open bigger positions and the leverage drops fast. I’ve seen traders think they’re running 1:3000 on a 10-lot EUR/USD position and then get margin-called because they didn’t realize they were already down in the 1:200 tier.
Minors (like EURGBP, NZDUSD) start at 1:1000, exotics at 1:200, and TRY pairs are stuck at a brutal 1:3. Gold follows the same table as majors — so yes, you really can trade XAUUSD at 1:3000 on tiny size.
Maximum Leverage by Regulatory Entity (as of November 2025)
FXTM operates multiple entities, so your available leverage depends on where you’re classified:
| Entity / Region | Max Leverage (Forex Majors) | Max for Minors/Exotics | Metals (Gold/Silver) | Indices & Commodities | Stocks CFDs | Cryptos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exinity Limited (global/offshore, most non-EU clients) | Up to 1:3000 (floating) | 1:1000–1:2000 | Up to 1:2000 | 1:100–1:500 | 1:20–1:33 | Up to 1:1000 |
| Exinity Capital East Africa Ltd (Kenya etc.) | 1:400 fixed cap | 1:200–1:400 | 1:200 | 1:100 | 1:10 | Restricted/variable |
| CySEC (EU) / FCA (UK) retail clients | 1:30 | 1:20 | 1:20 | 1:10–1:5 | 1:5 | Often 1:2 or banned |
| Professional clients (any entity) | Up to 1:500–1:1000 depending on qualification | — | — | — | — | — |
Note: Some sources still quote 1:2000 as the headline figure, but FXTM’s Advantage accounts introduced higher tiers (up to 1:3000) for low-volume trades in 2024–2025.
Leverage Tiers on Advantage & Advantage Plus Accounts (Global Entity)
These are the most popular accounts. Leverage scales down with position size:
| Notional Value (USD) | Forex Majors | Forex Minors | Exotics | Spot Metals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to $100,000 | 1:3000 | 1:2000 | 1:500 | 1:2000 |
| $100,001 – $500,000 | 1:2000 | 1:1000 | 1:300 | 1:1000 |
| $500,001 – $2,000,000 | 1:1000 | 1:500 | 1:200 | 1:500 |
| $2,000,001 – $5,000,000 | 1:500 | 1:300 | 1:100 | 1:200 |
| Above $5,000,000 | 1:200 | 1:200 | 1:50 | 1:100 |
Stocks CFDs are generally fixed at 1:33 (global) or 1:5 (EU/UK). Cryptos float but rarely exceed 1:1000 and can be much lower during volatility.
My Take After Years on Similar Setups
Ultra-high leverage like 1:2000+ looks seductive on paper — turn $500 into control of half a million dollars? Sure. But in practice, I’ve watched countless accounts blow up because a 50-pip move wipes out the entire balance. The brokers who push 1:3000 know exactly what they’re doing: it drives trading volume (and their commission revenue) while the statistical edge stays with the house.
If you’re consistently profitable at 1:100 or 1:200, congratulations — you’re in the top fraction of traders. For everyone else, I treat anything above 1:500 as “lottery mode.” Even FXTM’s own risk disclosures say 83% of retail accounts lose money, and that’s with negative balance protection in place.
Smart move in 2025: Start with their demo, then live with self-imposed 1:100–1:200 limits (you can request lower leverage in the client portal). Use the tiered system to your advantage — keep individual positions small enough to stay in the highest bracket without overexposing the account.
FXTM still delivers some of the most aggressive leverage available in 2025 for non-EU traders, making it a solid choice for experienced scalpers and day traders who want raw pricing and deep liquidity. Just remember that higher leverage doesn’t make you a better trader — it only accelerates whatever skill (or lack thereof) you already have.
Trade like the leverage is 1:30 even when it’s 1:3000, and you’ll probably stick around longer than most.
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