What Leveraged Equities does

Leveraged Equities Limited is an Australian margin lending specialist founded in 1991 and operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited. The company holds Australian Financial Services Licence 360118 and is the issuer of three core margin loan products — the Margin Loan (the comprehensive revolving credit product with full feature set), the Investment Funds Multiplier (a margin loan with a built-in progressive repayment plan), and the Direct Investment Loan (a lower-rate product capped at AUD 500,000 credit limit for self-directed investors). Add-on modules include Rewards Plus (Qantas Frequent Flyer Points on loan balances), Exchange Options Plus (integration with Exchange Traded Options strategies), and Instalment Plus (regular contribution combined with loan drawdowns). The underlying technology stack is a web-based account management platform branded Leverage Online, providing 24/7 loan and portfolio access, the Financial Goals Simulator, and the Buffer Alert System that warns customers when facility utilisation exceeds 50% of the buffer amount. Connectivity extends to major online platforms, selected brokers (including Bendigo Invest Direct, operated by CMC Markets Stockbroking), and international acceptable investment lists.

The business model is primarily usage-based, generating revenue through variable interest rates of 8.34%-10.70% p.a. on drawn balances, fixed-rate interest of 8.54%-9.99% p.a. on 1-5 year terms, and supplementary transaction and service fees. Revenue is supplemented by tiered pricing on optional features (Rewards Plus adds 1% to variable rates) and tailored wholesale rates for facilities over AUD 500,000. The customer base spans three segments: self-directed individual investors borrowing to invest in shares, ETFs, and managed funds; wholesale clients meeting Corporations Act 2001 thresholds (gross income above AUD 250,000 p.a. or net assets exceeding AUD 2.5 million); and licensed financial advisers and stock brokers who recommend Leveraged products to clients as part of broader wealth strategies.

Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer online application and telephone sales, a national Business Development Management team of six covering every Australian state and territory, and a dedicated adviser-only distribution channel supported by relationship managers and educational content. The company is Australia-only and does not disclose standalone revenue or loan book figures, with financial results consolidated within Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited's reporting.

Name

Leveraged Equities

Legal name

Leveraged Equities Limited

Website

https://leveraged.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Leveraged Equities is an Australian margin lending specialist, founded 1991 and wholly owned by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. It offers three margin loan products plus add-ons to self-directed investors, wholesale clients, and financial advisers across Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Margin Lending

NAICS

Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Margin Lending & Equity Financing (FSACAFAC)

Keywords

• Margin lending
• Investment loans
• Borrowing to invest
• Geared investing
• Margin loan products

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Margin Loan Interest: The primary revenue stream is interest charged on margin loans. Variable rates range from 8.34% to 10.70% p.a. depending on product type. Fixed rates range from 8.54% to 9.99% p.a. Interest is calculated on the borrowed amount and forms the main cost for customers using gearing.
2. Transaction and Service Fees: Various fees including dishonour fees ($9-$35), break costs (minimum $250), company/executive options fees ($200-$250), off-market transfer fees ($25 per security), late settlement fees ($30 per contract note), and retrieval fees ($50). Most basic services like credit/debit funds have no fees.
3. Wholesale Rate Premium: Wholesale customers with loans over $500,000 receive tailored interest rates, potentially generating different margin profiles for larger facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Leveraged Equities is a margin lending specialist that provides revolving credit facilities enabling Australian investors to borrow against investment portfolios to increase purchasing power. The company offers three core loan products — Margin Loan, Investment Funds Multiplier, and Direct Investment Loan — supported by 24/7 online account management, variable and fixed interest rate options, and add-on features such as Qantas Points rewards, Exchange Traded Options strategies, and instalment investing. Products are issued by Leveraged Equities Limited (ABN 26 051 629 282, AFSL 360118) as Lender.

Product overview

Leveraged Equities is a margin lending specialist operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank since 1991. The company offers three core margin loan products: the Margin Loan (most comprehensive with full feature set including Exchange Options Plus, Instalment Plus, and Rewards Plus add-ons), the Investment Funds Multiplier (exclusive product with built-in repayment plan feature), and the Direct Investment Loan (lowest variable rate solution for self-directed investors with $500,000 maximum credit limit). All products are designed for borrowing to invest strategies, enabling customers to increase their investment capacity through gearing. The company connects with major online platforms and selected brokers, and offers wholesale services for eligible high-value investors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rewards Plus: A feature enabling customers to earn Qantas Points on their loan balance, with up to 60,000 points per $100,000 borrowed per annum.
• Instalment Plus
• Exchange Options Plus

Products and services

• Margin Loan A revolving line of credit that allows investors to borrow against their investment portfolio to increase investment capacity. Supports connectivity to major online platforms, diverse acceptable investment lists including domestic and international securities and managed funds, variable and fixed interest rate options, and add-on features such as Exchange Options Plus, Instalment Plus, and Rewards Plus. Issued by Leveraged Equities Limited (ABN 26 051 629 282, AFSL 360118).
• Investment Funds Multiplier A margin loan exclusive to Leveraged Equities that includes a repayment plan feature. In the event of a significant and sustained fall in portfolio value, the IFM facility may be subject to a repayment plan where borrowers progressively reduce the loan by repaying 1% of the total amount owing each month until the gearing level is restored to an acceptable level, providing greater certainty compared to a single margin call.
• Direct Investment Loan The lowest variable rate margin lending solution offered by Leveraged Equities, specifically designed for self-directed investors. It offers integration with selected online brokers including Bendigo Invest Direct (CMC Markets Stockbroking), an online application process, a maximum credit limit of $500,000, and supports borrowing against ASX listed securities and ETFs. Does not support managed funds or international shares.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 60,000 Qantas Points per $100,000 borrowed annually for loan balances of $1,000,000 or greater
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• QantasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRewards Plus feature enables customers to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer Points based on their loan balance. Points are calculated daily and paid monthly. Customers must be Qantas Frequent Flyer members to participate. This partnership adds a rewards dimension to the margin lending products.
• CMC Markets Stockbroking (Bendigo Invest Direct)coreTechnology or IntegrationOnline broking partner providing share trading services that can settle transactions via Leveraged for the Direct Investment Loan. Bendigo Invest Direct is a service provided by CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited ABN 69 081 002 851 AFSL No. 246381, a Participant of the ASX Group.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ANZ Margin Loan: ANZ's share-investor margin lending product, directly competing for self-directed and wholesale clients with similar gearing mechanics and an Australian-only footprint.
• CommSec Margin Lending: Commonwealth Bank's retail trading and margin lending arm; offers a directly comparable margin loan product to the same self-directed Australian investor base, with similar variable/fixed rate structure and integration with a major broking platform.
• NAB Margin Lending: National Australia Bank's margin lending solution, offering a directly comparable gearing product to Leveraged's Australian investor base with similar credit criteria and adviser-channel availability.
• HSBC Margin Trading: HSBC Australia's margin trading product for retail and wholesale investors, comparable on product mechanics, regulatory environment, and target customer segment to Leveraged's offering.
• Suncorp Margin Lending: Suncorp Bank's margin loan offering for Australian investors; competes in the same niche with similar product mechanics, adviser-channel support, and variable/fixed rate options.
• Westpac Margin Lending (BT Margin Loan): Westpac/BT's margin lending offering for self-directed and advised investors, sharing the same geared-investing value proposition, similar rate range, and adviser-channel distribution as Leveraged.

Emerging players

• SelfWealth: Australian challenger brokerage with a self-directed investor focus; while not a direct margin-lending product peer, it overlaps significantly on target customer (DIY Australian share investors) and on low-cost trading positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Interactive Brokers: Global broker with margin lending capabilities accessible to Australian self-directed and wholesale clients; competes for the same active investor cohort with broader geographic reach and asset-class coverage.
• CMC Markets Stockbroking: Australian online broker that is both a Leveraged partner (via Bendigo Invest Direct) and a competitor in the broader share-trading/margin ecosystem; offers margin capabilities adjacent to but not identical to Leveraged's specialist gearing focus.
• Saxo Markets: Global multi-asset broker offering margin/lending capabilities to Australian retail and wholesale investors; comparable on leveraged investing functionality but with a much broader international product portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leveraged-equities

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leveraged Equities