Definition

Margin call

A margin call is the warning level at which a broker stops you opening new positions and expects you to add funds or reduce risk.

It is a warning, not the hard limit — that is the lower stop-out level. The exact percentage differs by broker and instrument.

Related terms

Margin level — Margin level is the percentage (equity ÷ used margin × 100) a broker uses to decide when an account is too stretched to keep its positions open.
Stop-out — A stop-out is the level at which a broker begins force-closing an account's positions — typically the largest losing one first — to protect the account.

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