Independent forex education Free professional tools Unbiased broker reviews
Economic Calendar
Support
EUR/USD 1.14314 ▼ 0.10%
GBP/USD 1.34348 ▼ 0.33%
USD/JPY 162.409 ▲ +0.02%
XAU/USD 3967.71 ▼ 0.22%
USD/CHF 0.80776 ▼ 0.12%
AUD/USD 0.69706 ▼ 0.39%
USD/CAD 1.40206 ▼ 0.15%
EUR/GBP 0.85090 ▲ +0.23%
EUR/USD 1.14314 ▼ 0.10%
GBP/USD 1.34348 ▼ 0.33%
USD/JPY 162.409 ▲ +0.02%
XAU/USD 3967.71 ▼ 0.22%
USD/CHF 0.80776 ▼ 0.12%
AUD/USD 0.69706 ▼ 0.39%
USD/CAD 1.40206 ▼ 0.15%
EUR/GBP 0.85090 ▲ +0.23%
ESC

CFD Statistics 2026

Contract-for-difference product statistics: definitions, cost lines, EU retail leverage caps and the loss-rate disclosures that belong next to every CFD sales page.

Updated July 2026
Key takeaways

A CFD lets you speculate on price without owning the asset. Under ESMA rules, retail leverage is typically 1:30 for major FX, 1:20 for gold and 1:2 for crypto CFDs — and disclosures still show most retail CFD accounts lose money.

What a CFD is
Derivative contract
Product class
Profit/loss tracks price difference between open and close
ForexTradeLab data, 2026
Usually none
Asset ownership
No share certificate or physical metal in a standard retail CFD
ForexTradeLab data, 2026
Spread · commission · swap
Main cost lines
Plus possible inactivity or conversion fees — check your entity
ForexTradeLab data, 2026
74–89%
Retail CFD loss rate
Typical regulator-disclosure range across brokers
Regulator (ESMA) disclosures
EU retail product intervention (typical caps)
1:30
Major FX leverage cap
ESMA retail product intervention
Regulator (ESMA) disclosures
1:20
Gold CFD leverage cap
ESMA retail product intervention
Regulator (ESMA) disclosures
1:2
Crypto CFD leverage cap
ESMA retail product intervention
Regulator (ESMA) disclosures
Required in EU retail
Negative-balance protection
Confirm whether your entity provides equivalent protection
Regulator (ESMA) disclosures
Related statistics
Forex Statistics Global FX turnover, USD share, top pairs, hubs and session timing. Gold Statistics XAU/USD CFD context: sessions, costs, EU leverage caps and volatility. Broker Statistics ForexTradeLab aggregates: deposits, spreads, licenses and platforms. Retail Traders Statistics Loss-rate disclosures, risk-per-trade rules and process benchmarks.
Sources & methodology

Market-level figures come from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Triennial Central Bank Survey (April 2025). Retail-loss and leverage-cap figures come from regulator product-intervention disclosures (ESMA). Broker-level figures are ForexTradeLab's own aggregates from public Terms of Business and regulator license registers, re-verified quarterly.

Forex Statistics Hub 2026 Read our review methodology Forex Broker Comparison Live Forex Spread & Price Tracker
Frequently asked questions

A contract for difference is a derivative that pays the difference between entry and exit price of an underlying market. You usually do not own the underlying asset.

Typical retail caps include 1:30 for major FX pairs, 1:20 for gold CFDs and 1:2 for crypto CFDs. Non-EU entities can differ — verify your account entity.

Regulators require brokers to disclose the percentage of retail investor accounts that lose money when offering CFDs.

Retail platforms often present FX as CFDs or similar leveraged products. Read the product specification: costs, ownership and overnight financing can differ from institutional spot FX.