How do you choose how much leverage to use, and who sets the limit?

Leverage lets a trader control a larger position with a smaller deposit. It increases gains and losses in the same way. Brokers offer different maximum leverage, and regulators in some countries set limits for retail clients. How to use leverage responsibly and leverage and margin explained set out the basics, and both are worth reading before you pick a number.

The maximum a broker offers is a ceiling, not a target. A trader who chooses leverage based on the size of position they want is working backwards. Members who size from the risk they accept usually end up using far less leverage than the broker allows, and the account lasts longer as a result. The leverage figure matters less than the amount you can lose on a single trade without changing your plan.

We would like to hear how you choose:

• Do you choose your leverage, or simply accept the maximum your broker offers?
• How does the leverage you use change the size you can take on a trade?
• Did you change your leverage after a loss? What did you change?
• Which regulator's limit do you think is most sensible, and why?

Please share your own approach and reasoning, not calls for others to copy. Posts that promise a direction or sell signals will be removed.