For retail trader 4:1 intraday and 2:1 overnight, that is an SEC rule. Prop traders can get 20:1+ depending on capital needs and risk profile of their strategies. If you have enough capital (around $125K) you will be eligible for portfolio margin, the leverage is dependent on the make-up of the portfolio, but you can get up to ~6:1.
Why Should We Invest? Hi Everyone, Every one of us has a number in our hearts when we talk about retirement. So what is yours? How many percent have you achieved? None of every one of us is going to like being strapped for cash when we are past our peak earning years. Let's talk numbers, by going through the below simply numbers calculation, you would probably agree that why should we invest. Suppose we are now 35 years old and aim to retire at age 55, and with a monthly income of $5,000 for 25 years. How much money would we need to accumulate by the time we retired at age 55? Assuming that the sum of money that we need are invested at a modest rate of return of 2.5% annually, we would need to accumulate $1,114,537 between now (at age 35) and retirement (at age 55). That will be a huge sum of money for just 20 years of savings!
Proptrader23 is correct for a day trading margin account. Some brokers require more for PM. We require $175,000 to start with a maintenance level of $150,000. We also have requirements to receive 4X for Day trading and PM. Some do not qualify and need to start with a cash account 1X or a margin account at 2X. We base the approval on your financials and what you say your investment outlook and risk levels are.