WikiFX

Sagot

In my time exploring and trading with Questrade, one of the first things I prioritized was understanding their leverage policies across asset classes. Questrade, regulated in Canada under CIRO as a Market Maker, must follow relatively conservative leverage guidelines due to Canadian regulation. For major forex pairs, the leverage offered is much lower than what’s common outside North America—typically around 33:1 for retail traders, but this can change based on regulatory updates or account classification. In my experience, this means I need to adjust my trade sizing and risk management more strictly compared to offshore brokers. For other asset types, leverage is even more restricted or simply unavailable. Stocks and ETFs at Questrade are generally purchased outright, with margin requirements set by Canadian authorities—often starting at 30% but varying by security. CFDs and options each come with their own margin rules, usually stricter than the leverage seen for forex, and no leverage is available for products like GICs, mutual funds, or bonds. This conservative approach explains why Questrade doesn’t offer highly leveraged or speculative trading environments. For me, the benefit is that risk is kept in check, but traders used to aggressive leverage will need to scale down expectations. While I appreciate the safety Canadian regulation provides, anyone seeking high leverage or products like cryptocurrencies won’t find those options here. This underscores why due diligence and a clear understanding of leverage policies is essential before committing significant capital.