Despite the new ASIC regulation regarding leverage, there are high leverage forex brokers in Australia that you can choose. Here are some considerations to review them.

In 2021, the ASIC introduced new regulations that limited the amount of leverage a broker can offer in Australia. Now, the broker could only offer 1:30 for major FX pairs, 1:20 for minor FX pairs, 1:10 for most commodity CFDs, 1:5 for stock CFDs, and 1:2 for crypto CFDs. However, that doesn't mean you can't find high leverage forex brokers in Australia at all.

High Leverage Forex Brokers in Australia

 

Understanding Leverage

Before you choose the best forex broker with high leverage, let's understand this feature first. Leverage is the ratio of the trader's fund to the size of the broker's credit. In short, it's a borrowed capital that the broker 'lends' traders. This is a common feature in forex brokers. Traders use leverage to get returns from the fluctuations of the exchange rates between two currencies. But how does leverage works?

For example, your broker gives you a leverage of 1:100. That means for every $1000 in your account, you can trade up to $100,000 in value.

Using leverage also influences you psychologically. It can be compared to borrowing money from banks. By using leverage, it means you 'borrow' extra trading power from your brokers. If you use 1:1 leverage, it means you don't borrow any money and trade using your own fund. Since you technically have more trading power, you might feel braver than usual. It can expose you to more danger such as making risky decisions. 

As it is directly correlated with risk, high leverage means more risks in trading. But for experienced traders and whoever happens to know how to use leverage wisely, high leverage offers a good opportunity to earn bigger profit from the forex market.

 

List of High Leverage Forex Broker in Australia

Despite the new restriction applied by ASIC regulation, forex brokers in Australia could still offer higher leverage by their offshore subsidiaries. However, not all Australian brokers have expanded their business to other jurisdictions. Thus, you should look for Australian-based brokers that aim to reach the global market. Some of the best forex brokers in Australia with said quality are as follows:

 

1. IC Markets

As a high leverage forex broker in Australia, IC Markets allows you to trade with more than one instrument. Those are Currencies, Crypto, Indices, Metals, Energies, Softs, Stocks, and Bonds. IC Markets provides leverage up to 1:500 through their related companies in Seychelles. When it comes to the trading platform, IC Markets allows clients to choose between MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and the cTrader. Being one of the most prominent brokers from Australia, this broker also offers a lot of payment options such as debit or credit cards, bank wire, and a range of e-payments.

IC Markets Specifications

🌐 Website
www.icmarkets.com
Leverage
1:500
💼 Regulation
💲 Min Deposit
$200
Year Established
2007

Interest rate on funds
Free education
PAMM accounts
MAM accounts
Segregated accounts
Managed accounts
Islamic accounts available
FasaPay
Neteller
PayPal
Skrill
Wire transfer

IC Markets is an online forex broker operating under the company of International Capital Markets Pty Ltd. Traders under the Australian jurisdiction are provided with the trading service of IC Markets AU that is headquartered in Australia and licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

On the other hand, non-Australian traders who open an account in this broker are registered under IC Markets SEY that is based in Seychelles, and regulated under the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (SFSA). The dual operation is a result of the relatively new rules from ASIC that prohibit their regulated broker to offer trading services outside Australia.

Classified as an ECN broker, IC Markets provide clients with MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader as platform trading options. This broker also follows market trends to include Cryptocurrencies as one of its products, enriching its already wide selection of trading assets that include Currencies, Indices, Metals, Energies, Softs, Stocks, as well as Bonds.

The minimum deposit in IC Markets is in the middle range compared to other ASIC-regulated brokers, as it reaches $200 for every client. Market analysis materials are also prepared regularly for trading insights on IC Markets's official website, proving their competence to serve their traders with important contents created by market experts that work specifically for them.

For payment methods, IC Markets allows funding and withdrawal via wire transfer, credit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, FasaPay, UnionPay, as well as Bitcoin via BitPay. The more interesting aspect from this broker is its multi-base currencies that include USD, AUD, EUR, GBP, SGD, NZD, JPY, CHF, HKD, and CAD.

As the trading technology in IC Markets is highly equipped with co-located servers and extremely low latency (especially on cTrader), the broker is widely known for its capability in hosting traders with the special needs for high-frequency trading as well as scalping.

To sum up, IC Markets is a fitting destination for active traders looking for a well-regulated broker. IC Markets is also flexible in terms of base currency and payment methods, signaling their commitment to welcome traders beyond their home country. As of late 2019, IC Markets provided their website in 18 international languages including English, Korean, Indonesian, French, Spanish, Italian, Malay, German, and Chinese.

 

2. FXOpen

FXOpen is the first Sharia-compliant forex brokerage in the world that is also a high leverage broker. Founded in 2005, FXOpen was originally established outside of Australia but later established an office in the country to provide services as an ASIC-regulated broker through FXOpen AU. Nevertheless, the service for global clients presents a leverage up to 1:500 with deposits as low as $1. They also offer more than one instruments to trade with, which include currencies, crypto, indices, metals, and energies.

In terms of the trading platform, FXOpen mostly uses MetaTrader 4 (MT4) which is a popular choice among traders and brokers. The same platform is also available in a web-based version that is accessible from any device. This high leverage broker in Australia also has good customer service; FXOpen makes sure their clients can reach them through a 24-hour live chat on weekdays. 

FXOpen Specifications

🌐 Website
fxopen.com
Leverage
1:500
💼 Regulation
💲 Min Deposit
$1
Year Established
2003

Bonus offers
Trading contests
PAMM accounts
Segregated accounts
Affiliate program
Islamic accounts available
FasaPay
Wire transfer

FXOpen started its operation as an online trading provider for retail clients since 2005. The company was founded by a group of traders with a mission to provide services that refer to the interests of traders. FXOpen claimed to be one of the firsts to offer ECN trading via MetaTrader 4 (MT4). With FXOpen's unique proprietary price aggregating technology, their clients can benefit from the industry's most competitive spreads (from 0 pips) and low trading commissions.

In 2006, FXOpen also became the first broker to offer a micro account and a swap-free account. After that, they continue to be the pioneers of several new and high-tech services, including the first Crypto account that can provide trading facilities on 24 Cryptocurrency pairs such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum.

Furthermore, the company provides One Click Trading and Level 2 MT4 plug-ins, enabling traders to place trades with just one click of the mouse. Traders do not need to worry about trading security at FXOpen. They have registered in Nevis, the UK FCA, and ASIC Australia.

A variety of trading accounts are provided such as STP, Micro, ECN, and free unlimited demo accounts. The minimum deposit for each account depends on the account type; USD1 in Micro Account, USD10 in STP and Crypto Accounts, and USD100 in ECN Accounts. As for leverage, FXOpen offers up to 1:3 (for Crypto Accounts), and up to 1:500 (for Micro, STP, and ECN Accounts).

Besides, traders can enhance their trading capabilities with Myfxbook and Zulutrade automated trading systems. Both of these services allow anyone to copy the transactions of experienced traders. Thus, traders can replicate the results of professional traders' strategies.

The FXOpen PAMM Service allows copying trades from a Master account to one or more than one Follower account and automates the distribution of profits and losses. The Master operates personal capital through a PAMM account, and his trading strategy is replicated to the Follower's capital. The owner of the Follower account can view and analyze the performance of the PAMM account with the help of advanced analytics. There are 3 PAMM accounts in FXOpen, namely STP, ECN, and Crypto PAMM.

On ECN accounts, traders will get direct price quotes from leading liquidity providers, including Dresdner, SG Paris, Standard Chartered, Barclays Capital, Bank of America, CRNX, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank AG, RBS, CITI, and UBS. This is one of the reasons why FXOpen's ECN account has become a trader favorite.

After seeing the various advantages offered by FXOpen, traders can easily register an account, simply by filling out the form in the registration menu on the FXOpen website. Traders will be asked to verify documents in advance if the trader will make a deposit or withdrawal of funds. Based on traders' experience and information since FXOpen was founded, there have not been any major complaints about payments (depositing or withdrawing funds) from clients.

Once registered with the FXOpen broker, traders also have the opportunity to get other benefits. One example is the FXOpen cashback program for the first 90 days from registration as a new client. The minimum cashback is USD5 and the maximum is USD1,000.

Furthermore, free VPS is available for ECN, STP, and Crypto account holders. Traders can use FXOpen VPS without any fees for 1 month if they can maintain equity of USD5,000 at the end of the month or trade with a trading volume of USD10,000,000 per month. The advantages of VPS on FXOpen are excellent accessibility, flexibility, and speed.

Trading on FXOpen is made easier because traders can add insight into trading by entering contests. FXOpen Broker offers weekly and monthly trading contests on demo accounts through the ForexCup.com site. Traders can join competitions that are free of charge to hone their skills. If a trader wants a bigger challenge, there is also a trading contest on a real account.

The company also offers Forex partnership programs to traders, Forex brokers, and website owners who publish information about fiat and crypto-currency trading. There are 3 types of partnership levels, including Forex IB (Forex Agent) that attracts new clients to FXOpen using a referral (affiliate) link, Forex Rebate, and individual partnership conditions.

In Conclusion, FXOpen is a well-rounded forex brokerage for traders with a desire to try various trading instruments, a trading environment in ECN account, low minimum deposits, the best cryptocurrency trading condition, as well as interesting trading features like PAMM and demo contests.

 

3. Anzo Capital

Anzo capital was established in 2015 and is known as one of the best high leverage forex brokers in Australia. They also offer other instruments to trade with, which include currencies, crypto, indices, metals, and energies. Anzo capital in Australia is regulated by ASIC, which means your security is guaranteed. As a high leverage forex broker, this broker offers leverage up to 1:500 and a minimum deposit as low as $100.

Anzo Capital give their clients a free 30-day demo account with $100,000 virtual capital to trade with. When it comes to deposit and withdrawal, Anzo offers credit and debit cards, international wire transfers, and a number of online money transfer services. Sadly, this broker does not have a direct support phone number available for clients. 

Anzo Capital Specifications

🌐 Website
anzocapital.com
Leverage
1:1000
💼 Regulation
💲 Min Deposit
$100
Year Established
2015

Bonus offers
Trading contests
Free education
Personal manager
PAMM accounts
MAM accounts
Affiliate program
Neteller
Skrill
Wire transfer

 

4. GOMarkets

Established in 2006, GOMarkets allows you to trade with currencies, indices, metals, energies, and stocks. They are regulated by ASIC and FSC. Although their Australian-based branch has been imposed with trading leverage limitations, their Mauritius branch is free from the restrictions. 

GOMarkets also provides their client with leverage as high as 1:500 with a deposit as low as AUD200. When it comes to the trading platform, this broker offers several choices such as MT4, MT5, as well as a web-based version of those platforms. It's also available from mobile apps for Apple and Android users. 

GOMarkets Specifications

🌐 Website
www.gomarkets.com
Leverage
1:500
💼 Regulation
💲 Min Deposit
$200
Year Established
2008

Free education
Segregated accounts
Affiliate program
FasaPay
Neteller
PayPal
Skrill
Wire transfer

Go Markets is a broker established in Australia in 2006. Go Markets has also been licensed by the Australia Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), identified by its AFSL 254963. Go Markets has some partnerships with various specialists in global securities and derivatives, thus it can provide better service to their customers by bringing this expertise on board. Go Markets is well known for having some branches in the UK, Taiwan, and Hongkong.

Go Markets commits to give the best to their clients, by refining their technology and improving their service and clients' education. Furthermore, Go Markets is also willing to continuously provide the best trading experience to the clients through reliable customer service, transparent pricing, low-latency trade execution, and platform stability.

When it comes to trading, the right platform is needed to carry out your trades perfectly. GO Markets offers both the powerful MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 as desktop and mobile trading platforms for traders. Since Go Markets has been acknowledged as the first MT4 broker in Australia, they do some improvement by adding MT5 and a web-based trading platform to fulfill their clients' needs for suitable platforms.

MT4 for mobile allows new and seasoned traders to trade anywhere and any time, analyze markets and easily access all Expert Advisors. The main difference between MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and their associated mobile trading platforms is that MT4 is predominantly a Forex trading platform, while MT5 is a multi-asset CFD trading platform. Moreover, the internationally trusted Go Markets Metatrader 4 Platform has these advantages among many others:

  • No dealing desk involvement
  • Spreads from 0.5 pips
  • Leverage up to 500:1
  • No hedge restrictions

By opening an account in GO Markets, traders will be provided with some of the most advanced and powerful trading tools in a range of markets when it comes to online CFDs Trading. For traders who just start, honing skills in GO Markets' demo account can familiarize themselves with the broker's trading platforms and tools.

While for those who want to start real trading, GO Markets allow for flexible trading on a range of Forex and CFDs including Shares, Commodities, Indices, and Cryptocurrencies through MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms.

Go Markets is very pleased to announce that they will be soon using Currenex technology, a born of Currenex interbank liquidity, to provide more liquidity to their clients.

GO Markets ease their clients' money transfer through Client Portal. They can open accounts and deposit funds in 9 currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, NZD, SGD, CHF, CAD, HKD, AUD). Whereas, deposit and withdrawal can be done either by bank transfer or e-payment (FasaPay, Neteller, and Skrill). Clients do not need to worry about deposit and withdrawal fees, because GO Markets does not charge any internal deposit fees using Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, and Bank Transfer.

Last but not least, Go Markets also guarantees the clients' funds by protecting their privacy and financial information with maximum care. Go Markets employs leading security systems and has strict procedures in place to protect clients' information.

If you want to start trading in Go Markets with a little cash and low risk, Go Markets offers special accounts where clients can start trading with a few dollars and the ability to trade from one cent per pip only. There is a $500 deposit limit in these accounts and Expert Advisors use is allowed.

 

5. Admirals

Admirals is an STP broker regulated by ASIC, FCA, CySEC, and SFSA. They offer different kinds of instruments such as currencies, cryptocurrencies, indices, metals, energies, stocks, bonds, and ETFs. When it comes to the trading platforms, Admirals uses MT4 and MT5. These platforms are accessible for Android, IOS, and Mac users as well as web-based trading. This broker also has its own mobile trading app with a simple user interface that allows trading on the go.

As one of the best high leverage forex brokers in Australia, Admirals offers different variety of payments such as wire transfers, credit cards, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, and many more. This broker is very novice-friendly, as they offer large ions of educational materials on trading. It comes in the forms of webinars, tutorials, forex & CFD trading seminars, as well as online lessons. 

Admirals Specifications

🌐 Website
admiralmarkets.com
Leverage
1:500
💼 Regulation
💲 Min Deposit
$1
Year Established
2001

Bonus offers
Trading contests
Free education
Trading by telephone
PAMM accounts
MAM accounts
Segregated accounts
Affiliate program
Islamic accounts available
Neteller
PayPal
Skrill
Wire transfer

 

6. XM

XM is a high leverage forex broker regulated by ASIC, FCA, CySEC, DFSA, and IFSC. This broker offers up to 1:888 leverage with a deposit as low as $5. XM allows their clients to trade with lots of instruments which includes currencies, indices, metals, energies, soft, and stocks. As for platforms, they provide MT4, MT5, as well as web-based versions of these platforms.

Their customer service is available 24 hours a day on weekdays. You can contact them from live chat, phone, and email. As a global brand, XM Group has representatives that speak an impressive 25 languages. 

XM Specifications

🌐 Website
www.xm.com
Leverage
1:888
💼 Regulation
💲 Min Deposit
$5
Year Established
2009

Interest rate on funds
Bonus offers
Free education
Personal manager
Trading by telephone
Segregated accounts
Affiliate program
Islamic accounts available
Requires sending documents via postal mail
CashU
FasaPay
Neteller
QIWI
Skrill
WebMoney
Wire transfer

Established in 2009, XM is a member of an online brokerage company called Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd. In providing clients on a global scale, the company has branched into XM Australia and XM Global, and XM Cyprus. Each member has different headquarters and licenses, with XM Australia registered under the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (reference number: 443670), XM Global under the IFSC (60/354/TS/19), and XM Cyprus under the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (reference number: 120/10).

XM is one of the more experienced brokers in the world of online forex trading today. Since its founding, the broker has experienced a lot of changes, including the addition of the Ultra-Low Account and Webinar feature that is accommodated in 19 different languages with 35 native instructors for each language.

In terms of trading instruments, XM is a well-known diverse class assets provider, varying from Forex, Commodities, Equity Indices in CFDs, Precious Metals, Energies, to Shares. XM prides itself to be the ideal broker in trading execution, offering a stat of 99.35% orders to be executed in less than 1 second. Trading in XM would be also provided with a strict no requotes policy, no virtual dealer plug-in, no rejection of orders, real-time market execution, and the choice for traders to place orders online or by phone.

Spreads on all majors can reach as low as 0.6 pips in Ultra-Low Account, while spreads on other accounts usually start from 1 pip. Instead of providing maximum leverage on the scale of 1:500 or 1:1000 (round numbers), XM chooses to limit their leverage on a 1:888 scale, a unique number that is now widely recognized as XM's trademark.

To protect the client's fund in the event of extreme volatility, XM presents each account type with Negative Balance Protection. The deposit starts from $5 in Micro and Standard Account, while Ultra-Low Account requires a minimum deposit of $50. Traders who open accounts in XM are enabled a condition similar to a Cent Account environment in the Micro Account, in which the Contract Size for every lot is only 1,000 units. If it is applied with the smallest lot size in the MetaTrader platform which amounts to 0.01, it means that traders can go as small as 10 units per trade.

For the deposit, XM applies zero-fee deposits in most of its available payment methods. Traders can choose to fund or withdraw their accounts via wire transfer, credit card, as well as the most favorable e-payment choices like Skrill, Neteller, and FasaPay.

XM also provides an Islamic Account for Muslim Traders obligated to Sharia Law that prohibits the use of interest generated by overnight swaps for each currency pairs. To give their clients the best experiment in trading, XM has given access to both MT4 and MT5 platforms, each is available for more than 6 display formats (PC, Mac, Multiterminal, WebTrader, iPad, iPhone, Android, and Android Tablet).

All in all, there is no doubt that XM has gone global with its deep commitment to providing trading services in more than 15 languages around the world. Aside from easing traders' experience with mainstream trading platforms and high-quality trading execution, XM is open to various types of traders, from small capital traders to the more experienced ones with big deposits at the ready. Traders are even provided with a Cent Trading environment should they choose to register under Micro Account.

For their global approach, XM has ensured that traders from various countries could access their service easily. This results in the provision of different domains specified for traders in certain jurisdictions. For example, traders from Indonesia could access XM via this link.

 

7. FP Market

Established in 2005, this high leverage forex broker offers up to 1:500. You can start trading with them with deposits as low as AUD100. FP Market is regulated by ASIC and CySEC. The Australian-based company has been imposed by leverage limitations, but the SVG subsidiary is not.

When it comes to trading instruments, FP Markets offers different ions which include currencies, indices, metals, energies, soft, stocks, and ETFs. As for the platform, this broker uses MT4 and MT5, as well as web and desktop versions of the Metaquotes products.

FP Markets Specifications

🌐 Website
www.fpmarkets.com
Leverage
1:500
💼 Regulation
💲 Min Deposit
$100
Year Established
2005

Bonus offers
Free education
Personal manager
Trading by telephone
PAMM accounts
MAM accounts
Segregated accounts
Affiliate program
Islamic accounts available
FasaPay
Neteller
Skrill
Wire transfer

 

Risk of High Leverage

While using high leverage might be very tempting and increase your buying power, it also comes with risks. Remember, this feature might backfire and magnify your potential loss. It can be very dangerous for beginners as they tend to take risk of loss for granted due to the big amount of trading capacity provided by the high leverage. A new trader might also enter many positions which resulted in overtrading.

Another risk from using high leverage is a margin call. A margin call is a warning system from the broker when your balance equity is at the same amount as your used margin. When a trader gets a margin call, their position will be all closed automatically. High leverage is a double-edged sword; it can help you, but it can be your enemy as well. 

 

How to Safely Trade With High Leverage

Some experienced traders might advise you to avoid using high leverage. While this is true for novice traders, that doesn't mean there is no safer way to use this feature. Besides choosing the best high leverage forex broker, you can also follow these tips to safely use high leverage:

 

1. Use Smaller Lots

When you use high leverage, it's important to choose a smaller lot to minimize the risk. As you know, profit and loss calculations are based on how much the price moves from entry-level. The higher the price from your buying position, the bigger your profit will be. On the other hand, your loss will be bigger when the price moves further down from your buy position. So, it is important to find a high leverage forex broker that allows you to trade with small lots.

 

2. Choose Your Instruments Carefully

Due to the risk of high leverage trading, it's best to choose major pairs with high liquidity. Fortunately, most high leverage forex brokers allow you to trade with major pairs. The price movement in these types of markets is easier to predict compared to the price movement in exotic forex pairs.

See also: List of Forex Brokers with the Lowest Spreads for Major Pairs

 

3. Be Careful With News Release

Always be mindful of news releases. For example, USD traders always pay attention to the NFP release since this always affects the price. Another news that you need to be careful with is the Central Bank announcements, especially when it's different than what the market predicts. If you are using a high leverage forex broker, it might be a better idea to avoid news trading.

 

4. Take Advantage of Day Trading

While long-term trading can be safer, a lot of traders prefer short-term strategies like day trading. When a trader holds an open position for a long time, they need a large capital to make sure their equity is strong enough to hold it. However, for a trader who uses high leverage, day trading with 30 to 50 pips for profit targets is considered more beneficial. Make sure your high leverage forex broker allows you to use this method.

 

So, Should You Trade With High Leverage?

Trading with high leverage does have its own advantage and disadvantage. At the end of the day, you should consider how much do you want to 'borrow' from your broker. First, understand how to use it safely. Second, choose the best high leverage forex broker. Always control your emotion and use good risk management so that you won't suffer a huge loss. 

 

Trading with high leverage is not recommended for new traders. However, if you are a beginner and wish to learn more about it, you can start by reading the pros and cons of using high leverage.