AvaTrade Leverage and Account Types (2026): Limits by Asset and Entity

Short answer: AvaTrade’s support centre sets leverage for retail clients at 30:1 on major currency pairs, 20:1 on other pairs, gold and major indices, 10:1 on other commodities, 5:1 on individual equities and 2:1 on crypto. Those are the European limits. AvaTrade says that applying to a non-European entity means you are not subject to leverage caps, so clients outside the EU can see higher figures (source).

AvaTrade European retail leverage limits. Source: AvaTrade support centre, October 2026.

Leverage limits for retail clients

The support article says the limits apply “on the opening of a position by a retail client”:

Asset class	Maximum leverage	Margin needed
Major currency pairs	30:1	3.33%
Non-major pairs, gold, major indices	20:1	5%
Commodities other than gold, non-major equity indices	10:1	10%
Individual equities and other reference values	5:1	20%
Cryptocurrencies	2:1	50%

The margin column is our arithmetic (100 divided by the ratio), not an AvaTrade figure. For the basics, see what leverage is and forex leverage ratios.

Worked example. To open a $3,000 position on a major pair at 30:1 you need about $100 of margin. A 1% move against you costs $30, which is 30% of that margin. At 2:1 on crypto, a $1,000 position needs $500 of margin, and a 1% move costs $10, or 2% of it. Lower leverage means each price move eats less of your account.

Leverage outside the EU

AvaTrade’s comparison page says: “applying to a non-European entity will mean that you are not subject to European client protections, including those for the protection of retail clients (such as leverage caps).” That covers the British Virgin Islands entity most global clients use.

We did not find a single AvaTrade page that gives full FX leverage for the BVI entity. Our AvaTrade review records up to 400:1 on FX for professional accounts and up to 200:1 on indices for non-EU accounts, from other AvaTrade pages we did not re-check here. Treat those as indicative and read the live figures in your account before trading. High leverage is a risk, not a feature: a small adverse move can wipe out the margin on a position.

Account types by entity

The comparison page lists account types by entity:

Entity	Account types listed
Europe (Ava Trade EU Ltd)	Retail, Professional, Options, Spread betting
British Virgin Islands (Ava Trade Markets Ltd)	Standard, Options

The page’s table merges cells across the other entities, so we do not assign types to Australia, South Africa, Japan, Abu Dhabi or Israel. Check your entity’s list when you register. It also says all entities offer Forex, CFD equities and ETFs, commodities, cryptocurrencies, indices and FX options, with desktop, mobile, tablet and web platforms.

The Professional account is where higher leverage normally sits. AvaTrade’s support centre has articles on how to become a professional client, which we did not open, so read the criteria there. Opting into professional status can remove retail protections.

Negative balance protection

The comparison page answers “Can you lose more than you deposit?” with “No, you have negative balance protection” across entities. Our review, based on an AvaTrade support article, says the protection covers retail accounts only, and that professional accounts are not covered. The two pages differ, so assume professional clients can lose more than they deposit until AvaTrade confirms otherwise.

Margin call and stop out

Our review lists a stop out at 50% of margin for retail accounts and 20% for professional and non-EU accounts, from an AvaTrade support article we did not re-open for this page. See margin call and stop out and what margin is. With a 20% stop out, losses can go deeper before positions close.

Which entity applies to you

AVA Trade EU Ltd is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (No. C53877), and Ava Trade Markets Ltd by the BVI Financial Services Commission (No. SIBA/L/13/1049). Only the European entity lists a compensation scheme. Read is AvaTrade legit for every entity and deposits, withdrawals and fees for the costs.

India: AvaTrade is named on the RBI Alert List of unauthorised forex platforms (updated 19 November 2025). Under FEMA, Indian residents may trade forex only in permitted currency pairs through RBI-authorised persons, recognised Indian exchanges or RBI-authorised platforms. AvaTrade’s own support centre lists India among the countries it does not accept.

Bottom line

European retail clients get 30:1 on major pairs and 2:1 on crypto. Outside the EU the caps do not apply, but you also lose European protections and the compensation scheme. Higher leverage multiplies losses as quickly as gains, so size positions from what you can afford to lose, using our lot size calculator, and confirm your entity’s live limits before you trade.