The MetaTrader 5 platform itself has no minimum deposit. MetaQuotes Software Corp does not collect or hold client funds; the platform is licensed to brokers, and each broker sets its own funding floor. In 2026, that floor ranges from $0 (cent accounts at some emerging-market venues) to $10,000 or more (institutional-grade ECN at tier-1 desks). The right number for a real retail trader sits in the middle, and the marketing-floor number is rarely the same as the operating-floor number. Here is the honest breakdown.
What brokers typically charge as a floor
Three account tiers that map across most regulated brokers offering MT5:
- Standard or starter: $0-100 minimum. Spread-only pricing. Lots from 0.01 (micro) up to several hundred. Suitable for learning and small live trial.
- Raw spread or ECN: $200-1,000 minimum. Tight spreads (0.0-0.3 pip on EUR/USD) plus per-lot commission ($3-7 round-turn). Suitable for active retail.
- Pro or VIP: $5,000-25,000 minimum. Better commission tier, dedicated support, occasionally lower spreads on size. Suitable for higher-volume retail and small professional accounts.
Why the floor is not the operating minimum
The marketing minimum buys you platform access, not a viable trading account. Three calculations that determine the real floor:
- Margin requirement on your smallest typical position. EUR/USD at 0.01 lots (a micro lot) at 1:30 leverage requires roughly $33 of margin per micro lot. Reasonable. The same trade on indices might require $50-100 margin.
- 1% risk-per-trade rule. If your stop is 30 pips on EUR/USD at 0.01 lots, the dollar risk is $3. To risk no more than 1% per trade, the account needs to be at least $300. To risk 0.5%, $600.
- Drawdown survival. Plan for a 20% drawdown on the way to a viable system. If $300 is your floor, $360 is the funding to survive a 20% adverse run without margin calls or liquidation.
So a broker that advertises $100 minimum is technically accurate. The amount that actually sustains a real trading process at micro-lot size is closer to $500-1,000.
What you can actually trade at each tier
| Account size | Realistic activity |
|---|---|
| $100-500 | Micro lots, learning the platform, 1-3 positions max |
| $500-2,000 | Mini lots on FX majors, micro on indices, full strategy practice |
| $2,000-10,000 | Standard lots on FX, mini on indices, multi-asset portfolios |
| $10,000+ | Full strategy with risk parity, professional account candidacy |
Funding methods and minimums
Most brokers segment minimums by funding method as well:
- Bank wire: minimums often $200-500 (wire fees make smaller deposits uneconomic).
- Card: minimums often $10-50.
- SEPA in EUR: minimums often EUR 10-100, free or cheap on the broker side.
- Crypto: minimums often $20-100 in BTC, ETH, or USDT, network fees on top.
The cost of the deposit itself
A broker may waive deposit fees and charge them back through wider spreads or non-trading fees. Three to verify before funding:
- Inactivity fees after 60-90 days of no trading.
- Withdrawal fees per request (some brokers refund the first per month).
- Currency conversion: depositing in USD to a EUR base account often incurs a 0.5-1% conversion at the broker side.
What to budget for a serious year of trading
If you want to learn properly without crashing the account in week one, the realistic floor is $1,000-2,000 in the live account, plus $1,000-2,000 in reserve that does not enter the live account until the strategy has 50+ trades of live data. Below that, the position sizing is too small for emotional realism, and the round-trip cost as a percentage of equity is too high.
MT5 minimum deposit at Volity
Volity provides MetaTrader 5 to clients of UBK Markets Ltd (CySEC 186/12). Funding minimums and supported rails (SEPA, card, crypto) are documented in the client area at sign-up. ESMA retail leverage caps apply (1:30 majors, 1:20 minors and major indices, 1:10 commodities, 1:5 equities, 1:2 crypto). Negative balance protection is contractual; eligible retail clients are covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund up to EUR 20,000 per client per firm.
About Volity
Volity is your all-in-one hub for money movement, market access, and financial clarity. Trading is executed by UBK Markets Ltd, a Cyprus Investment Firm authorised by CySEC under licence 186/12.
Risk disclosure
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 70% and 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.
