Research & data
Retail CFD trading statistics
A sourced reference on losses, leverage and trading costs in retail contracts for difference. Updated November 3, 2026.
This page is educational and general. It is not financial advice, a trading recommendation or a promise of any outcome.
Key statistics at a glance
The data, in context.
~80%
of customers lose money investing in CFDs
The Financial Conduct Authority reported this estimate in its December 2022 warning about the sector.
FCA, 202270%–90%
loss rates reported across many active firms
A 2023 European Securities and Markets Authority opinion said loss rates exceeded 70% at most active firms in its review, and in some cases approached 90%.
ESMA, 2023€70m
aggregate retail-client losses in one 2021 review
The same ESMA opinion reported this aggregate figure from eight high-volume firms reporting to Spain’s CNMV.
ESMA, 2023€1,649–€7,269
average loss per client across reviewed firms
Reported average 2021 losses ranged across the firms included in the CNMV analysis. This is not a forecast of an individual trader’s result.
ESMA, 202330:1 to 2:1
retail leverage limits under FCA rules
The permitted limit depends on the underlying asset. Higher leverage increases how quickly gains and losses can move.
FCA, updated 202550%
of required margin triggers a close-out rule
FCA rules require firms to close one or more retail CFD positions when account funds fall to 50% of the minimum margin required to maintain them.
FCA, updated 202512%
of surveyed firms said they changed charges
In its May 2026 follow-up, the FCA said only 12% of respondent CFD firms had changed or planned to change any charges.
FCA, 2026€155bn
in CFD trading reported in Spain in 2021
This represented the largest share of the €192 billion in retail unlisted derivatives trading reported to the CNMV for that year.
ESMA, 2023Important context
How to read these figures
These statistics describe regulatory findings and market data, not a universal outcome. They focus on retail CFDs, a leveraged derivative product, and should not be applied to every investment product or every trader. The practical lesson is simpler: understand the product, total exposure, charges and exit mechanics before risking capital.
Transparency
Methodology & sources
We selected primary regulatory publications that state their reporting period and scope. Numbers remain tied to their original jurisdiction, firm sample and date. This page does not combine them into a single global loss rate or use them to predict individual results.
- Financial Conduct Authority, Contracts for difference Updated June 13, 2025
- Financial Conduct Authority, continuing concerns in the CFD sector Published December 1, 2022
- Financial Conduct Authority, CFD firms: good and poor practice Published 2026
- European Securities and Markets Authority, opinion on CFDs and other high-risk products Published July 2023
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