A CFD is a contract between you and your broker to exchange the difference in an asset's price from when you open the trade to when you close it. You never own the underlying asset. That single distinction shapes everything about how CFDs work, what they cost, and why regulators treat them differently from traditional investing.
Leverage lets you control a larger position than your account balance would normally allow. A $10,000 account with 10:1 leverage can open a $100,000 position. That sounds powerful, and it is — in both directions.
Stock options give you the right to buy or sell shares at a specific price before a specific date. They are contracts, not shares. That distinction changes everything about how they work, how they are priced, and how they can lose you money.