Futures leverage & margin calculator
Select a futures contract, then enter your position and account equity to measure market exposure and effective leverage. Current margin requirements are optional and add margin usage and equity-buffer figures.
Inputs
Result
Your leverage result will appear here
Enter the position and account equity to calculate notional exposure and effective leverage.
How it’s calculated
Notional = Contracts × Price × MultiplierEffective leverage = Notional ÷ Account equityInitial requirement = Contracts × Initial marginMaintenance requirement = Contracts × Maintenance marginMargin utilization = Initial requirement ÷ Equity × 100Notional / margin = Notional ÷ Initial requirementFutures margin is a performance bond, not a down payment. Exchanges can change requirements and brokers may set higher amounts. The calculator does not model intraday rates, offsets or liquidation prices; confirm current requirements with your broker.
Review the CFTC definition of futures marginMargin is not the position’s maximum loss
Futures margin is a performance bond. Effective leverage and margin utilization describe exposure and collateral; neither is a promise about where a broker will close a position.
Entered requirements
Use the current per-contract initial and maintenance requirements from your exchange or broker. Firms can impose higher requirements and change them.
No liquidation estimate
Liquidation depends on broker rules, mark prices, fees, portfolio offsets and other positions. A generic page cannot calculate it honestly from six inputs.
Source
Read CME’s futures-margin overview. For planned price risk, use the stop and target calculator.
Margin answers a different question than risk.
Size the position from its stop distance instead, or check the trade's P&L and risk–reward — every futures calculator lives on one page.