Futures Margin Calculator
Estimate the upfront margin needed to take a futures position, and the leverage it gives you.
Show solution steps
What is the Futures Margin Calculator?
A futures margin is the deposit your broker collects to let you control a futures contract worth far more than the margin itself — this leverage is what makes futures capital-efficient but also riskier. Margins are marked to market daily; if the position moves against you enough, you may get a margin call requiring you to add funds or the position gets squared off.
How to Calculate
Enter the futures price, the contract's lot size, how many lots you're trading, and the margin percentage set by the exchange (a combination of SPAN and exposure margin, which rises with the contract's volatility). The calculator multiplies price × lot size × lots for the total contract value, then applies the margin percentage to show the upfront deposit required and the resulting leverage.
Formula
Margin = Price × Lot size × Lots × Margin%
How to Use
- Enter your details in the fields above.
- The result updates instantly as you type.
- Use Copy, Print or Download PDF to save your result.