Margin call
A margin call is the broker's warning that the account's margin level — equity divided by used margin — has fallen to the threshold set in the agreement. Below it comes the stop out, where the broker force-closes positions to contain the loss. Run this calculation now: margin and leverage calculator
The two thresholds
The margin call threshold is usually 100%: equity has matched the locked margin. The stop-out threshold sits between 20% and 50% at most retail brokers. Between the two, the account cannot open new orders, only close or deposit.
At stop out, the broker first closes the position with the largest floating loss and repeats until the level is back above the threshold. The trader has no say and there is no extra warning: it is automatic and happens on the tick.
How to get there without noticing
Margin level = equity ÷ used margin × 100. A 5,000 account with 4 lots of EURUSD at 1:100 uses 4,400 of margin and starts at 114%. A 15-pip drop (600 of floating loss) takes equity to 4,400 and the level to 100% — a margin call before any stop is hit.
The pattern is always the same: several positions open at once, each one 'small', adding up to too much margin. TCC shows each account's margin level next to drawdown, so that silent limit shows up before it is crossed.
FAQ
Are margin call and stop out the same thing?
No. Margin call is the warning, at the higher level; stop out is forced liquidation, at the lower level. Both values are in your broker's agreement.