What is margin lending?

Margin lending is a type of loan that allows you to borrow money to invest, by using your existing shares, managed funds, and/or cash as security.

Power up your portfolio

Multiply your investment potential with an award winning CommSec Margin Loan. Use this powerful investment tool to unlock the equity in your existing investments, and combine it with borrowed funds to expand your portfolio.

With the extra investment capital from a Margin Loan, you can build a larger portfolio that can allow you to diversify your investments over a wider range of assets. This means more than just increased potential returns - it also gives you greater exposure to price movements, dividends, franking credits and corporate actions.

How it works

Once you have established a CommSec Margin Loan, you transfer your existing shares, managed funds or cash into it as collateral. We calculate the lending value, which determines how much you can borrow. You can then use your available funds to make investments, which combine with your original collateral to form your overall portfolio.

You can buy, sell, transfer cash within your loan’s approved limits.
Your gearing level moves with the daily price movements of your portfolio and your transactions.
You must monitor your gearing level to ensure it stays below the approved limits.
Interest is calculated daily on your loan balance, and paid according to your loan arrangement.
Check which shares in your portfolio we lend against.

Benefits

Accelerate your wealth creation

Boost your potential capital growth and income by using your Margin Loan to buy more shares or managed funds for your portfolio.

Diversify

Diversification – across varied companies, industries and countries - can help to reduce investment risk. The extra purchasing power of a Margin Loan allows you to diversify as opportunities arise. Check which shares and managed funds in your portfolio we lend against.

Unlock equity

Don’t sell your shares to realise the equity in your portfolio - harness its borrowing power with a Margin Loan. Defer capital gain (and loss) events, and build a larger portfolio at the same time.

Invest tax effectively

Obtain potential tax deductions by claiming interest expenses. Bring forward interest expenses by prepaying interest. Potentially reduce your tax liability by buying more stocks that pay franked dividends.

Build wealth over time

A Regular Gearing Plan combines the power of gearing with the discipline of regular savings, helping you build wealth over the long term.

Flexible investing

Choose from a range of interest rate and repayment options - with no minimum loan balance requirements - to create the Margin Loan that suits you best.

Liquidity

If at any time you need to access the capital in your loan security, you can sell assets and transfer available funds online - effectively having cash on call when you need it.

Online tools

CommSec gives you all the tools you need to monitor your portfolio's performance, including online summaries, gearing ratios, loan statements, notifications and research.

Advanced strategies

Combine Exchange Traded Options¹ with your Margin Loan to access strategies that can generate additional income or protect the value of your shares.

Risks

Market movements

A drop in the lending value of your portfolio (if the value of your stocks and funds falls) may mean you need to reduce your gearing level at short notice - also known as a margin call.

Interest rate movements

If interest rates rise, the overall costs of your investment may increase, potentially reducing your profits. Fixing your interest rate can help you avoid this risk.

Increased losses

A geared strategy can multiply your investment returns, but it can also increase your losses if the market moves against you.

Reduced lending ratios

Lending ratios are reviewed regularly and may be reduced even for securities you have purchased in the past - this may trigger a margin call.

Rates and fees

Margin Lending Interest Rates

	Paid Yearly in Advance	Paid Monthly in Arrears
Variable Rate	N/A	5.75% p.a.
1 Year Fixed Rate	5.59% p.a	5.64% p.a.
2 Year Fixed Rate	6.49% p.a.	6.54% p.a.
3 Year Fixed Rate	6.79% p.a.	6.84% p.a.
5 Year Fixed Rate	7.14% p.a.	7.19% p.a.

Brokerage Fees

Trade Execution	Brokerage fee by transaction value¹	Above minimum by transaction value (flat)¹
Trade online	$10.00 (up to and including $1,000)	$19.95 (Over $1,000 up to $10,000 (inclusive)) $29.95 (Over $10,000 up to $25,000 (inclusive)) 0.12% (Over $25,000)
Trade over the phone	$59.95 (up to and including $10,000)	0.52% (Over $10,000 up to $25,000 (inclusive)) 0.49% (Over $25,000 up to $1,000,000 (inclusive)) 0.11% (Over $1,000,000)
¹ All of the above brokerage rates are on a per trade basis and include GST

Application Fees

Type of Application Fee	Fee Amount
Application fee for individual and company applicants	$0
Trust deed investigation fee	minimum $200
Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) Registration Fee (Government fee payable when the Security Interest is registered, or registration is amended)	Amount of government fee (if applicable)

Account Maintenance Fees

Account Maintenance Fee Type	Fee Amount
Account Keeping Fee	$0
Printing and postage of contract notes (Electronic contract notes are free of charge)	$1.95
Dishonour Fee	$30
Rebooking Fee	$25
Off Market Transfer Fee	$54
Additional Statement Fee. We may charge this fee if you request an additional statement or a reprint of a loan statement.	$10 per statement.
Government tax or duty	Amount of government tax or duty

Account Closure Fee

Account Closure Fee Type	Fee Amount
Early repayment adjustment and administrative fee on fixed rate loans	Depends on amount of loan and interest rate movements

Who can apply?

You can apply for a Margin Loan if you are:

18 years or older and an Australian permanent resident; or
An Australian registered or incorporated company; or
An Australian trust¹; and
Able to demonstrate the ability to meet existing commitments, including living and borrowing expenses; and
Applying for a minimum credit limit of $20,000; and
Earn a minimum gross income of $50,000 per annum.

What you’ll need if you’re new to CommSec:

ID (e.g. driver’s licence or passport)
Company details and Australian Company Number (ACN)
Certified copy of the Trust Deed (if applicable)
Supporting financial documents

Get started

Ready to boost your investment power? Open a CommSec Margin Lending Account

Trade and invest with borrowed funds from $10.00

Australians have been borrowing to invest into property and enjoying the profit potential of assets that would otherwise have been beyond their reach. A Margin Loan helps you put the same principle to work with investing in shares or managed funds.

Join now >

Case studies

The power of a CommSec Margin Loan

Michael and Katie both recently reviewed their portfolio and have decided to further diversify into Australian equities. Both have saved $10,000 to invest and their overall strategy is to create a diverse portfolio to hold for the next five years. Learn more

Regular Gearing Plan in action

Rachel and Ben have decided to further diversify their investment portfolio with the main goal to grow their wealth over time. Whilst they do not have a large amount to invest right now, they would both like to invest a portion of their monthly income over the next five years to achieve this goal. Learn more.

Writing a Covered Call with your Margin Loan

Susan and Jeff both use a CommSec Margin Loan to invest and are looking for ways to maximise their income. Learn more.

Using a CommSec Margin Loan to maximise Dividend Yield

Jenny and Lee are managing their own wealth creation and have diversified their investments into several areas including Property, Australian Equities, and Fixed Interest. Both have set aside $15,000 to invest into Australian Equities, and their strategy is to buy and sell shares that pay a reasonable dividend yield in order to take advantage of not only favourable share price movements, but also dividend income and franking credits. Learn more.

Trading with a CommSec Margin Loan

Jeff and Christine are familiar with trading Australian Equities and have recently subscribed to a new research package which provides them with regular recommendations. Both have set aside $30,000 to trade with, and their strategy is to regularly buy and sell based on both the recommendations provided, and their own research, to try and capitalise on short term price movements. Learn more.

Financial Services Guide

The Financial Services Guide ("FSG") provides information about Commonwealth Securities to help you decide whether to use the financial services we offer.

Download the Financial Services Guide

Product Disclosure Statement

This document outlines how the product operates; overview, benefits, risks and complete costs. It also provides details about the application process and next steps.

Download the Product Disclosure Statement

Other Forms & Brochures

For all other forms & brochures regarding other financial services we offer.

If you are looking for administrative forms, please login and proceed to Support > Forms & Downloads.

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CommSec Options

Exchange Traded Options²are a versatile investment that you can use to refine existing share strategies, limit risk or to take on risk for potential profit. They can be as simple or as complex as you want.

Important Information

¹Self Managed Super Funds are ineligible for a Margin Loan.

²The target market for this product can be found within the product’s Target Market Determination, available here.

While borrowing to invest can multiply your investment returns, it may also multiply your losses if the value of your investment falls. Margin Loans involve risk - see the CommSec Margin Loan Risk Disclosure, Disclaimer and Important Information.

Margin Loans and ETOs involve risk - see the Margin Loan and ETO Risk Disclosure, Disclaimer and Important Information.
CommSec Margin Lending facilities are provided by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL 234945 (the Bank) and administered by its wholly owned but non-guaranteed subsidiary Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814 (CommSec). Please consider the product disclosure statement (PDS), and terms and conditions, available from the Bank as the product issuer, at commsec.com.au before making any decision about the product. As this information has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs you should, before acting on this information, consider its appropriateness for your objectives, financial situation or needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice. Applications are subject to credit approval. Please consider the PDS for Exchange Traded Options issued by CommSec available from commsec.com.au before making any decision about the product. Fees and charges apply.

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