Paul D. from Santa Fe, NM asks: Hi Mitch, I saw a headline saying margin debt just hit a record $1 trillion. Some seem to think that means investors are getting too bullish and taking on too much risk. Do you see margin debt as a warning sign for the market? Thank you.
Mitch’s Response:
Seeing record levels of margin debt certainly raises the concerns you mention. If some investors are borrowing heavily to buy stocks, it’s possible that many are getting overextended. And if the market dips, forced selling could accelerate the decline.
There’s some truth to that logic, but it’s worth remembering how margin debt actually works. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) tracks outstanding margin balances, which topped $1 trillion this summer for the first time, as you mention. While that figure sounds dramatic, a large part of this increase is mechanical. When stock prices rise, short-sellers are required to post more collateral, which is often financed through margin loans. In other words, as the market climbs, reported margin debt tends to climb, too. That makes it less of a predictive signal and more of a reflection of where prices already are.1
It’s also difficult to know who is doing the borrowing or for what purpose. FINRA doesn’t break margin debt down by type of investor or strategy, so we can’t easily separate retail speculation from institutional hedging. Without that context, it’s tough to argue that rising margin debt by itself means investors are euphoric or that a correction is imminent.
That said, margin borrowing is by no means risk-free. Like any form of debt, it comes with interest payments and reduces flexibility for future income. There are two risks investors need to keep front-of-mind: leverage risk and margin call risk.
Margin amplifies outcomes—gains and losses alike. A stock purchased with borrowed money can decline just as quickly as it rises, and when losses are magnified, it can rapidly erode account equity. This is leveraging risk.
Regarding margin call risk, brokerages require a minimum equity level to be maintained in accounts. If falling asset values push equity below that threshold, the investor faces a margin call, meaning they must add cash or securities immediately. If they don’t, the firm has the right to liquidate positions without notice, often at unfavorable prices.
There are strategies to help manage margin account risk, such as keeping a cash cushion, preparing for volatility, or setting personal trigger points to add funds. But the bigger takeaway, in my view, is that margin borrowing should never be treated casually. It can be a useful tool for some investors, but it carries hazards that are easy to underestimate in a rising market.
In short, and to answer your question directly, I don’t view margin debt as a warning sign for the market as a whole. But I do see it as a reminder that borrowed money can be a double-edged sword for investors. It’s a development worth monitoring, but not one I’d treat as a flashing red light for the broader bull market.
Disclosure
1 Wall Street Journal. August 25, 2025. https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/what-record-margin-debt-tells-us-about-todays-stock-market-dcfba819?mod=investing_lead_pos1
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