By Tim Morris · Updated · 15 verified offers
A forex deposit bonus adds extra trading credit to your account when you fund it — a 100% match doubles your effective capital. Below is every verified deposit and welcome bonus available in 2026, with the actual match percentages, volume requirements, and withdrawal rules pulled from our Broker & Bonus Matrix.
Every broker below offers a deposit or first-deposit welcome bonus. Each match percentage, volume requirement, and time limit comes from our Broker & Bonus Matrix. Sorted by broker vetting score.
50% up to $500 on first deposit + 20% up to $4,500 on subsequent deposits (total max $5,000)
100% on first deposit; subsequent deposits: 10% ($100-250), 20% ($250-500), 30% ($500-1000), 40% ($1000-2500), 50% ($2500-5000), 60% ($5000+)
30% of each deposit (Welcome Bonus 30%)
Tiered: 100% of deposit up to $2,000; 50% on the $2,000–5,000 portion; 30% above $5,000 (same campaign)
Tiered by Loyalty Tier: Silver 20% (Total Bonus Capacity $10,000), Gold 50% ($20,000), Platinum 100% ($40,000), Diamond 100% ($60,000); maximum $10,000 ACTIVE bonus at any time across all trading accounts (cl. 18). Page headline: 'up to $60,000 DEPOSIT BONUS'
300% for each deposit of $100+, up to $5,000 max active bonus
101% for each deposit from $101, up to $2,500 max active bonus per account
30% of eligible deposit, up to $600 in trading credit (as rendered for SG; caps may vary by region)
60% up to $10,000 (promo code: LIKE)
150% on first deposit (up to $1,500) + 25% on subsequent deposits, capped at $50,000 total bonus credit
20% up to $5,000 (Top-Up Bonus)
50% bonus on each deposit
15% of first deposit, up to $500 max bonus
$30 USD (or 3,000 cents for cent accounts)
Up to $500 loss protection
A deposit bonus is the most common type of forex promotion. The mechanics are straightforward: you fund your trading account, and the broker adds a percentage of your deposit as bonus credit on top of your own money. This bonus credit increases your available margin, allowing you to open larger positions or absorb more drawdown.
The catch: bonus credit is not a no-strings gift. It comes with conditions — primarily a volume requirement (a minimum number of lots you must trade) and a time limit. If you meet those conditions, the bonus converts to real, withdrawable cash. If you do not, the bonus is removed, typically along with any profits generated using the bonus margin.
Brokers offer deposit bonuses for the same reason any business offers promotions: to acquire and retain clients. The bonus credit costs the broker nothing upfront (it is accounting credit, not real money), and the volume requirement ensures the broker earns enough in spreads and commissions to cover the bonus if the trader qualifies. A trader who completes, say, 30 lots at an average spread cost of $10 per lot has generated $300 in revenue for the broker — easily covering a $100 bonus payout.
This is a mutually beneficial arrangement when the terms are fair. The trader gets extra margin; the broker gets trading volume. Problems arise only when terms are designed to be practically impossible to meet — which is why reading the conditions carefully matters so much.
Understanding how deposit bonuses are funded and structured helps you evaluate whether a specific offer is genuinely valuable or designed to look better than it is. Here is what happens behind the scenes.
Deposit bonuses are funded from the broker's spread and commission revenue. When you trade, the broker earns the spread (the difference between the bid and ask price) on every position you open. On a standard lot of EUR/USD with a 1.2-pip spread, the broker earns roughly $12. Over dozens or hundreds of trades, this revenue accumulates quickly. The bonus is the broker's bet that your trading activity will generate enough revenue to cover the credit — and then some. This is why the volume requirement exists: it ensures the broker breaks even before the bonus converts to cash.
A deposit bonus is not cash sitting in your account — it is margin credit. This is a crucial distinction. Margin credit increases your available margin (the amount you can use to open and maintain positions), but it cannot be directly withdrawn. It functions like a temporary loan against future trading activity. When you meet the volume requirement, the credit converts to real cash. If you withdraw your deposit before meeting the requirement, the credit is removed, and in some cases, profits generated using that extra margin are also clawed back.
If brokers gave cash instead of credit, every trader would deposit, collect the bonus, and withdraw immediately — the broker would lose money on every client. The credit model solves this by tying the bonus payout to trading activity that generates revenue for the broker. This is not a trick; it is the only model that makes free bonus capital economically sustainable for both sides. The traders who benefit most from deposit bonuses are active traders whose normal volume would meet the requirement anyway — the bonus is simply extra margin they were not paying for.
Beyond the headline match percentage, deposit bonuses carry several conditions that determine whether the offer is realistically achievable. Here is how to read and evaluate each one.
The volume requirement is always stated in standard lots (100,000 units of the base currency). The key formula is: bonus amount multiplied by the broker's lots-per-dollar rate equals required volume. For example, if a broker requires 1 lot per $5 of bonus and your bonus is $500, you need to trade 100 standard lots. At an average of 2 lots per trading day, that takes 50 trading days. Before claiming any deposit bonus, run this calculation to confirm you can realistically hit the target within the time limit at your normal trading pace. Our turnover calculator automates this.
Time limits for deposit bonuses typically range from 30 days to 180 days. A few brokers offer open-ended bonuses with no deadline at all. The time limit is the second most important term after the volume requirement, because it determines how aggressively you need to trade. A 100-lot requirement is easy over 180 days (less than 1 lot per day) but demanding over 30 days (more than 3 lots per day). Open-ended bonuses are the most trader-friendly because they let you trade at your natural pace without artificial pressure.
Withdrawal locks dictate what happens to your deposit if you want your money back before completing the volume requirement. There are three types: no-lock (withdraw freely, bonus is removed proportionally — the safest option), partial lock (you can withdraw your deposit but you forfeit the entire bonus and sometimes bonus-derived profits), and full lock (you cannot withdraw any funds, including your own deposit, until the volume requirement is met — the riskiest option). Full-lock bonuses effectively hold your capital hostage. We flag withdrawal lock types in our Broker & Bonus Matrix for every offer.
Some deposit bonuses cap the maximum profit you can derive from the bonus portion of your margin, though this is less common than with no deposit bonuses. More frequently, brokers restrict which instruments count toward the volume requirement. Major forex pairs almost always count. Metals, indices, and crypto may be excluded or count at reduced rates (e.g., 1 lot of gold counts as 0.1 forex lots). If you primarily trade gold or indices, confirm that your preferred instruments qualify before claiming.
The match percentage determines how much bonus credit you receive relative to your deposit:
| Match % | You Deposit | Bonus Credit | Total Capital | Typical Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50% | $500 | $250 | $750 | Lower |
| 100% | $500 | $500 | $1,000 | Moderate |
| 200% | $500 | $1,000 | $1,500 | Higher |
A 200% bonus looks attractive on the surface — triple your capital. But the volume requirement scales with the bonus amount, not the deposit. A 200% bonus on a $500 deposit ($1,000 bonus) will require roughly 2-4x the volume of a 50% bonus on the same deposit ($250 bonus). If you cannot realistically trade that volume in the given time, the higher match percentage is a trap, not an advantage.
Rule of thumb: Choose the match percentage that gives you useful extra margin while keeping the volume requirement achievable for your normal trading pace. For most retail traders, 50-100% is the sweet spot. Use our bonus calculator to run the numbers.
Compare the offers on this page by match percentage, volume requirement, time limit, and broker quality. Do not chase the highest match — look at the volume-to-bonus ratio. A 50% bonus with a 3-lot-per-$10 requirement is easier to clear than a 200% bonus with a 10-lot-per-$10 requirement.
Register with the broker, complete KYC verification, and make your deposit. Some brokers require you to opt in to the bonus before depositing (via a promo code, promotions dashboard, or support request). Others apply it automatically. Check the specific instructions — depositing without opting in may disqualify you.
After your deposit clears, verify that the bonus credit appears in your account. Some brokers credit instantly; others take 24-48 hours or require manual approval. If the bonus does not appear, contact support before you start trading.
Trade normally, keeping the volume target in mind. Every lot you trade counts toward the requirement. Use the broker's reporting dashboard or your MT4/MT5 account history to track your progress. Important: not all instrument types may count — check whether the broker restricts eligible pairs or excludes metals, indices, or crypto from the bonus calculation.
Once you reach the required volume within the time limit, the bonus credit converts to real cash in your account. You can then withdraw it or continue trading. Some brokers convert automatically; others require you to contact support to trigger the conversion.
All data from the Broker & Bonus Matrix.
| Broker | Match % | Max Bonus | Volume (Lots) | Time Limit | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XM | 50% up to $500 on first deposit + 20% up to $4,500 on subsequent deposits (total max $5,000) | — | No explicit volume requirement — bonus is non-withdrawable credit used as margin. Withdrawing deposited funds causes proportional bonus removal. | Ongoing (available to new and existing clients) | 8.5 |
| FBS | 100% on first deposit; subsequent deposits: 10% ($100-250), 20% ($250-500), 30% ($500-1000), 40% ($1000-2500), 50% ($2500-5000), 60% ($5000+) | — | Not specified in T&Cs as a withdrawal requirement. Bonus is non-withdrawable credit; profits can be withdrawn freely. However, withdrawing funds causes bonus to be deducted in equivalent amount. | Bonus expires 28 days after last deposit or trading activity (opening new positions). Promo started 14 July 2025, no stated end date. | 7.5 |
| InstaForex | 30% of each deposit (Welcome Bonus 30%) | — | X*3 InstaForex lots (where X = total bonus amount) | No time limit — bonus remains active as long as the account is active | 6.5 |
| InstaForex | Tiered: 100% of deposit up to $2,000; 50% on the $2,000–5,000 portion; 30% above $5,000 (same campaign) | — | None — no lot-volume requirement in the official agreement; the bonus is non-withdrawable and is cancelled upon ANY withdrawal from the account (Clause 2). (Former 'X*3 InstaForex lots' claim is not in the agreement — removed.) | Bonus annulled if no opened/closed trades within 30 days (Clause 8); also annulled automatically if equity falls below 120% of the bonus amount (Clause 7) | 6.5 |
| Windsor Brokers | Tiered by Loyalty Tier: Silver 20% (Total Bonus Capacity $10,000), Gold 50% ($20,000), Platinum 100% ($40,000), Diamond 100% ($60,000); maximum $10,000 ACTIVE bonus at any time across all trading accounts (cl. 18). Page headline: 'up to $60,000 DEPOSIT BONUS' | — | None — no lot-conversion mechanic exists; bonus is pure trading credit ('Bonus credits cannot be withdrawn, transferred, exchanged for cash', cl. 15). (Former '1 standard lot per $5 bonus' conversion is GONE.) | Ongoing; bonus cancelled on: withdrawal, internal transfer, Stop Out, 60 days inactivity, or equity consisting of credit only (cl. 22) | 7.5 |
| FreshForex | 300% for each deposit of $100+, up to $5,000 max active bonus | — | 35% of bonus amount = required closed lots (e.g. $1,000 bonus = 350 lots) | No deadline to complete the 35% volume requirement (official terms state none). Promotion period May 10, 2020 – December 28, 2026. (The 180-day rule applies only to crediting: bonus not credited if net deposits over the last 180 days are negative, rule 4.2.) | 6.5 |
| FreshForex | 101% for each deposit from $101, up to $2,500 max active bonus per account | — | None — no conversion-to-cash mechanic in current official terms; pure drawdown-support credit. (Former '1 standard lot per $2 bonus' claim removed.) | Promotion period June 26, 2024 – November 30, 2026. Bonus fully written off 30 calendar days after the last account deposit (fund the account with any amount to extend). | 6.5 |
| FXGT | 30% of eligible deposit, up to $600 in trading credit (as rendered for SG; caps may vary by region) | — | Credited once per client upon completion of 3 qualified GTLots (QGTLots = trades held 5 minutes or more) | Ongoing while Milestone/Loyalty bonus program is active | 7 |
| LiteFinance | 60% up to $10,000 (promo code: LIKE) | — | At least 50 trades with total volume of 30% of bonus amount in lots | 6 months from bonus payment date | 7 |
| Vantage | 150% on first deposit (up to $1,500) + 25% on subsequent deposits, capped at $50,000 total bonus credit | — | None — the official T&C contains NO volume requirement; mechanism is pro-rata credit deduction on any withdrawal/internal transfer. (Former '10 standard lots per $100 of bonus credit' claim unsupported — removed.) | June 9, 2025 to December 31, 2026 | 8 |
| HFM (HotForex) | 20% up to $5,000 (Top-Up Bonus) | — | None stated in official T&C (v2026/03); profits withdrawable with no restrictions (clause 3.13). (Former 'bonus amount / 2 in standard lots' is NOT in the official T&C — removed.) | Until cancellation; forfeited after 60 days inactivity | 8.5 |
| OctaFX (Octa) | 50% bonus on each deposit | — | Bonus amount / 2 standard lots (e.g. $50 bonus = 25 lots). Gold and Platinum status users need fewer lots. | No explicit time limit stated | 7.5 |
| FreshForex | 15% of first deposit, up to $500 max bonus | — | No trading volume requirements stated — described as 'no hidden conditions' | Promotion period April 1, 2025 – November 30, 2026 | 6.5 |
| RoboForex | $30 USD (or 3,000 cents for cent accounts) | — | No trading volume requirement stated in current official rules (the word 'lot' does not appear in the rules or overview pages) | Bonus activation code valid for 30 days | 7 |
| HFM (HotForex) | Up to $500 loss protection | — | None — no trading-volume requirement stated in official T&C (v2026/03) | 25-day protection window from date of deposit; bonus calculated and credited only at midnight on day 25; no time limit for completing bonus requirements. (Former 'must deposit within 10 days of registration' clause is NOT in v2026/03.) | 8.5 |
The number of standard lots you must trade for the bonus to become withdrawable cash. Deposit bonus volumes are typically measured in lots per dollar of bonus. Example: a $500 bonus with a 25-lot requirement means 1 lot per $20 of bonus. Lower ratios are better. Anything below 1 lot per $10 is reasonable. Above 1 lot per $5 is aggressive.
How long you have to meet the volume requirement. Deposit bonus time limits are usually longer than NDB limits — typically 30 to 180 days. Some premium offers have no time limit at all, letting you trade at your own pace. A no-deadline bonus is significantly more valuable than the same bonus with a 30-day window.
The maximum bonus credit the broker will grant regardless of how much you deposit. A 100% bonus with a $5,000 cap means depositing $10,000 still only gives you $5,000 in bonus. If you are a large depositor, pay attention to this cap.
This is the most important term after volume. A full lock means you cannot withdraw any funds (including your own deposit) until you meet the volume requirement — withdrawal forfeits everything. A partial lock means you can withdraw your deposit but lose the bonus. A no lock means you can withdraw freely and the bonus is deducted proportionally.
Full-lock bonuses are the riskiest for your capital. If something goes wrong — you need the money back, the broker turns out to be poor quality, or you simply change your mind — your own deposit is held hostage. Prefer partial-lock or no-lock offers unless you are fully committed.
Some brokers restrict which instruments count toward the volume requirement. Common exclusions: metals (gold, silver), indices, crypto, and sometimes minor/exotic forex pairs. If you primarily trade gold or indices, a bonus limited to major forex pairs may be impractical for you.
| Factor | Deposit Bonus | No Deposit Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Your capital at risk | Your deposit | $0 |
| Typical bonus amount | $100 to $5,000+ | $5 to $100 |
| Volume requirement | Higher (10-300+ lots) | Lower (0.5-10 lots) |
| Time limit | 30 to 180 days | 7 to 30 days |
| Profit potential | Higher (larger capital) | Lower (capped) |
| Best for | Active traders scaling up | Testing a broker without depositing your own funds |
Recommended approach: Use a no deposit bonus first to test the broker's platform, execution, and withdrawal process without risking your own money. If the broker passes the test, then deposit and claim a deposit bonus to scale your trading capital. The NDB is your free trial; the deposit bonus is your growth tool.
If a broker does not let you withdraw your own deposit until you meet the volume requirement, proceed with extreme caution. Legitimate brokers allow you to withdraw your own funds — they may remove the bonus, but they should not hold your deposit hostage.
A 100% bonus sounds great until you see a 500-lot requirement on a $200 bonus. That is 2.5 lots per dollar — practically impossible to clear without excessive risk. If the math does not work, the bonus is designed to never be paid out.
If the bonus terms are not clearly published on the broker's website before you deposit, do not send your money. Terms that only appear after you have deposited are a scam setup.
Some unscrupulous brokers modify bonus terms retroactively — increasing volume requirements, shortening time limits, or adding new conditions after you have already deposited. Screenshot the terms before depositing. If terms change after, you have evidence for a dispute.
Same as with NDBs: never deposit real money with an unregulated broker. The deposit bonus is worthless if the broker disappears with your deposit. Verify the broker's license on the regulator's official website. Read our scam protection guide for more.
Deposit bonus availability depends on your country. They are banned in the EU, UK, Australia, and the US. Available across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Select your country:
The deposit bonus changes your account dynamics. Here is how to use it effectively:
The bonus increases your available margin. The temptation is to open larger positions. Resist this. Instead, trade your normal position sizes and use the extra margin as a drawdown buffer. This gives you more room to ride out temporary dips instead of getting stopped out prematurely.
Divide the total volume requirement by the number of trading days in your time limit. If you need 30 lots in 90 days, that is roughly 0.33 lots per day — very achievable with a few trades. If you need 100 lots in 30 days, that is 3.33 lots per day — feasible for active traders, challenging for part-timers. Use our turnover calculator to map out your plan.
Trading more than your strategy warrants just to hit the volume target will cost you more in losses than the bonus is worth. If your normal pace will not meet the requirement, it is better to forfeit the bonus than to blow your account chasing it. The bonus should fit your trading — your trading should not contort to fit the bonus.
Use a spreadsheet or the broker's reporting tools to track lots traded versus the requirement. Knowing where you stand prevents last-minute panic trading near the deadline.
ASIC, FCA · Min $50 · 150% on first deposit (up to $1,500) + 25% on subsequent deposits, capped at $50,000 total bonus credit deposit
CySEC, FSC Belize · Min $5 · 100% on first deposit; subsequent deposits: 10% ($100-250), 20% ($250-500), 30% ($500-1000), 40% ($1000-2500), 50% ($2500-5000), 60% ($5000+) deposit
FSA Seychelles, JSC Jordan · Min $1 · $30 free trading credit no deposit
FSA Seychelles, CySEC Cyprus · Min $5 · 30% of eligible deposit, up to $600 in trading credit (as rendered for SG; caps may vary by region) deposit
A forex deposit bonus is extra trading credit a broker adds to your account when you fund it. For example, a 100% deposit bonus on a $500 deposit gives you an extra $500 in trading credit — doubling your effective capital to $1,000. The bonus credit is not directly withdrawable; you must trade a required volume first.
A welcome bonus is a type of deposit bonus reserved exclusively for first-time clients. It typically offers a higher match percentage or better terms than standard deposit bonuses. Standard deposit bonuses may be available on subsequent deposits as well, not just the first one.
Deposit bonus credit is not directly withdrawable. You must complete the broker's volume requirement (trading a specified number of lots) before the bonus converts to real cash. However, you can usually withdraw your own deposited funds at any time — though doing so may forfeit the bonus. Read the broker's specific terms carefully.
A 100% deposit bonus means the broker matches your deposit dollar-for-dollar as bonus credit. If you deposit $200, you get $200 in bonus credit, giving you $400 total trading capital. The match percentage varies: 50% adds half your deposit, 100% doubles it, and 200% triples it.
The volume requirement is the number of standard lots you must trade before the bonus credit becomes withdrawable cash. A standard lot is 100,000 units of the base currency. Volume requirements for deposit bonuses are typically higher than for no deposit bonuses — ranging from 5 to 300+ lots depending on the bonus amount and broker.
No. Forex deposit bonuses are banned in the EU (ESMA), UK (FCA), Australia (ASIC), and the US. They are available in most of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The specific offers on this page are verified for those eligible markets.
This depends on the broker. Most brokers forfeit the entire bonus (and sometimes bonus-derived profits) if you withdraw your deposit before meeting the volume requirement. Some brokers deduct the bonus proportionally. A few allow partial withdrawal without penalty. Always check the withdrawal lock policy before claiming.
It depends on your trading volume and timeline. If you trade actively and can realistically meet the volume requirement within the time limit, a deposit bonus gives you extra margin and effectively reduces your trading costs. If you trade infrequently or plan to withdraw soon, the conditions may not be achievable and the bonus adds unnecessary complexity.
It depends on the broker. Some brokers allow you to stack a deposit bonus with their cashback or IB rebate program, meaning you earn rebates on every lot traded while also working toward the bonus volume requirement. Others explicitly exclude bonus accounts from cashback. Check the broker's terms or contact support before assuming you can combine offers. When stacking is allowed, it significantly improves the economics of the bonus because the rebates offset your spread costs while you clear the volume target.
Yes. Many brokers offer reload bonuses — deposit bonuses available on deposits beyond your first. Reload bonuses often carry lower match percentages than first-deposit welcome bonuses (e.g., 20-50% versus 100%) but can be claimed repeatedly. Some brokers run reload promotions periodically, while others have a standing reload offer. Check our Broker & Bonus Matrix for current reload availability.
This depends entirely on the broker's withdrawal lock policy. With a no-lock policy, the bonus is removed proportionally but your profits remain yours. With a partial lock, the full bonus is forfeited and some brokers also claw back profits earned using the bonus margin. With a full lock, you cannot withdraw at all until the volume requirement is met — any withdrawal attempt either fails or forfeits everything. Always confirm the lock type before depositing.
Every deposit bonus on this page follows the same verification process: we check the broker's live promotions page, confirm the match percentage and maximum bonus from published terms, verify the volume requirement, time limit, and withdrawal lock policy, and record the data in our Broker & Bonus Matrix. If any figure cannot be confirmed, we mark it as [NEEDS-VERIFICATION]. We re-verify all offers monthly.
Forex Trader, Broker & Bonus Analyst