Why does Pepperstone's leverage change from one country to another?
Each Pepperstone company follows its own regulator's rules. ASIC, the FCA, CySEC and BaFin cap leverage for retail clients at 1:30 on major currency pairs. The Bahamas company, which serves the international site and issues UAE retail products, allows up to 1:200. Professional status lifts the cap at every entity, but it also removes protections.
So the first step is to find out which entity will hold your account. If the limits below suit your plan, you can open a Pepperstone account and see the leverage applied to each symbol in the platform.
Maximum leverage on major forex pairs, by Pepperstone entity
| Entity (regulator) | Retail | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone Group Limited (ASIC, Australia) | 1:30 | 1:500 |
| Pepperstone Limited (FCA, UK) | 1:30 | 1:500 |
| Pepperstone GmbH (BaFin, Germany) | 1:30 | 1:500 |
| Pepperstone EU Limited (CySEC) | 1:30 | Up to 1:500 |
| Pepperstone Markets Limited (SCB, Bahamas) | 1:200 | 1:500 |
| UAE site (products issued by the Bahamas entity) | 1:200 | 1:500 |
What leverage does Pepperstone offer in Australia?
For retail clients of Pepperstone Group Limited (AFSL 414530), the cap is 1:30 on major forex pairs and lower on everything else, down to 1:2 on crypto. Wholesale or professional clients get far more on most markets, but not all: energy, metals and other crypto stay tight even for pros.
Pepperstone's own pages do not fully agree. The costs table caps pro major indices at 1:400, while the accounts page says 'Pro 500:1', and the crypto spreads page shows a pro-only dynamic tier of 400:1 on the first $50,000. Treat the leverage shown in your platform as the figure that applies.
Pepperstone Australia: maximum leverage by market
| Market | Retail | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Major forex pairs | 1:30 | 1:500 |
| Minor forex pairs | 1:20 | 1:500 |
| Major stock indices | 1:20 | 1:400 |
| Gold | 1:20 | 1:500 |
| Energy | 1:10 | 1:20 |
| Bitcoin and Ether | 1:2 | 1:10 |
| Shares and ETFs | 1:5 | 1:20 |
What leverage does Pepperstone offer in the UAE?
Up to 1:200 for retail clients on major and minor forex pairs, gold and major indices, according to Pepperstone's UAE costs page. Energies, shares and ETFs, and Bitcoin and Ether are capped at 1:20, and other crypto at 1:2. Professional clients can reach 1:500 on forex, gold, major indices, and Bitcoin and Ether.
These limits come from the Bahamas company, Pepperstone Markets Limited, which issues UAE retail products. They are almost seven times the Australian and UK caps on forex. That is not a reason to use them: at 1:200, a move of half a percent against you wipes out the margin on that position.
What leverage can UK retail clients get on CFDs?
1:30 on major currency pairs, and less on everything else. Pepperstone's UK costs page sets retail limits of 1:20 on major indices and gold, 1:10 on other commodities and 1:5 on shares. The same caps apply to spread bets, which are also leveraged products.
Crypto is not on the list at all. The FCA bans the sale of crypto derivatives to retail clients, and Pepperstone's UK site shows crypto only on its professional pages. Professional clients in the UK can reach 1:500 on forex, gold and indices, but they lose negative-balance protection.
Which brokers offer professional accounts with higher leverage in the UAE?
Pepperstone publishes professional leverage of up to 1:500 on its UAE site. Its UAE pro criteria repeat the Australian test: a sophisticated-investor route with a knowledge quiz, or a wholesale route backed by a qualified accountant's certificate under Australia's Corporations Act. Pepperstone publishes no UAE-specific criteria, so ask how it applies them to you.
We have not verified the UAE professional terms of Capital.com or XS, so we do not quote them. Ask each broker for its written criteria and leverage table. Whoever you choose, a pro account on Pepperstone's UAE site brings only a one-time, discretionary negative-balance cover of up to USD 100,000.