eToro is an outstanding mobile trading app that was established in 2006 by two brothers whose aim was to provide traders from various jurisdictions with a safe and fair trading experience. Over the years, the Israel-based trading app has grown in popularity thanks to its multiple trading instruments and customer-centered approach. eToro is a place where people from different places can enjoy trading stocks, commodities, Forex, CFDs, social trading, indices, and cryptocurrencies.
The brokerage received a stamp of approval by several regulatory bodies, and more precisely the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Cyprus Securities and the Exchange Commission (CySEC). Following that stream of thoughts, it is not surprising that the brokerage has one of the most extensive customer bases. Currently, over 10 million traders are using eToro.
The mobile trading app features an intuitive interface that works like a breeze on various portable devices. What is more, mobile players from international markets can choose from several language options, including English, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, French, Dutch, Polish, and others. Traders can reach the trading site directly from the browser of their hand-held devices or download the apps designed specially for iOS and Android users. Unfortunately, we must note that the broker does not utilize MetaTrader4, but rather Proprietary Web.
Account Types
Prior to signing up with eToro, you should be familiar with the fact that it offers four types of trading accounts, including a demo account, a retail-client account, a professional-client account, and a zero-commission account for stock traders. Choosing the right account is of essential importance to traders.
Once you decide to open an account via eToro’s mobile trading app, you will see that the registration procedure is as easy as pie. In the upper left corner of your touchscreen device, you will find the Main Menu that will lead you to the Sign-Up button. It will take you just a few minutes to register at eToro mobile trading app.
Demo Account
If you are an inexperienced trader, you can start your trading career by setting up a demo account. The idea behind this type of account is to allow novice traders to improve their skills in a risk-free manner. In addition to that, demo account holders will still have access to the latest trading insights from experts. Apart from being able to put your knowledge in practice, you will have the opportunity to familiarise yourself with eToro’s mobile trading platform and find the best trading strategy that suits your goals.
Retail-Client Account
In case you open a retail-client account, you can start trading for real money. Once your demo mode expires, we recommend you to go for this type of account in case you are still not completely comfortable with your knowledge. Retail clients will receive access to all of the trading assets offered at eToro mobile trading app.
We must note that retail clients are offered a tighter leverage. In addition to that, they are provided with negative balance protection and closeout restrictions. Providing that your skills are not that versed, we strongly recommend you to go for the retail-client account as it offers a plethora of tools to protect traders from significant losses.
Professional-Client Account
To be eligible to have a professional-client account, you need to pass a test that will determine your knowledge and skills. In case you successfully pass the test, you can have your status elevated. But keep in mind that even if you have the needed knowledge, you should not forget that the market can be extremely volatile and you can still lose bulky amounts. Even though the leverage is not limited, you should know that it varies for the different countries due to specific regulations.
Zero Commission Stock Account
The broker rolls out the red carpet to its stock traders, providing them with the opportunity to set up a 0% account. This means that no fee will be charged when opening or closing the position. However, it is important to mention that other charges might apply. To stand out from the pack, eToro’s mobile trading app even saves its customers Stamp Duty and Financial Transaction Tax whenever possible. But the 0% commission is not the only reason to buy stocks on eToro. The brokerage also offers no limits on trading volume, the possibility to buy fractional shares, and free access to expert stock analysis.
Trading Instruments
When trading on eToro mobile app, you will be treated with a fantastic number of instruments. Enthusiasts can trade soft commodities such as sugar, cotton, cocoa, and wheat or hard commodities such as platinum, silver, gold, oil, etc. The other options at eToro mobile trading app include index and stock trading, Forex trading, trading with CDFs, social trading, cryptocurrency trading, and ETFs trading.The minimum trade size varies between countries. For registered traders that do not reside in Russia, China, India, or Asia, the minimum trade size for indices and commodities is set at $2,000. If you are wondering what is the minimum trade size for the residents of the aforementioned countries when trading indices and commodities, it is said to be $1,000. Cryptocurrencies come with a minimum trade size of $25, while commission-free stocks have a $50 minimum trade size. Trading stocks and ETFs feature a minimum trade size of $500 and trading currencies comes with a minimum trade size of $4,000. We need also to mention that the minimum amount required to copy another trader is $200.Index and Stock Trading
eToro mobile trading app offers the opportunity to trade stocks of leading companies such as Bank of America Corp., Alibaba, CSX Corp., CubeSmart, and others. The trading platform allows fans to speculate on a company’s performance without the need to own the specific assets thanks to the CFDs. It is important to explain that eToro does not allow traders to move open positions out of their accounts to another broker or person. Enthusiasts can only buy and sell stocks within the eToro trading platform.
This mobile trading app also offers its fans the possibility to trade indices. Some of the most appealing of them include AUS200, China50, DJ30, ESP35, FRA40, etc. It is important to mention that the leverage for major indices is set at 20:1.
Soft and Hard Commodities
Soft and hard commodities are also included in the brokerage’s list of offerings. Some of the soft commodities you will come across include cotton, cocoa, wheat, and others. When it comes to hard commodities, enthusiasts have the opportunity to trade various metal ores, oil reserves, etc. The leverage for commodities with the exception of gold is 10:1.
We should inform our readers that trading commodities is regarded as a risky activity as the market is impacted by various factors. What determines the commodities market is the supply and demand principle. So, traders should be vigilant when embarking on commodities trading.
Forex Trading
Forex traders who open an account via eToro’s mobile app will be fascinated with the abundant variety of currency pairs they will find. Some of the major currency pairs include EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, etc. As for minor currency pairs, you will find NZD/JPY, GBP/NZD, etc. If you enthuse over exotic currency pairs, you can trade NOK/SEK, ZAR/JPY, CAD/CHF, NZD/CAD, and others.
The leverage that is associated with trading foreign currencies on eToro is 20:1 for non-major currency pairs, while the leverage for major currency pairs is 30:1. It is interesting to mention that the foreign exchange market provides great flexibility as there is no restriction regarding how much currency to be used for trading. In addition to that, the foreign exchange market has the largest customer base and thus, it is described as highly liquid.
Social Trading
Social trading is a recent development that allows traders to follow the trading behavior of experts and copy their trades. This saves you time in analyzing the market as you can just adopt the trades of a more experienced trader. Enthusiasts are presented with this social trading opportunity at eToro mobile trading platform.
You can see exactly how many people copied the trades of a certain trader. The platform also provides a risk assessment for each trade, so even if you are a newbie, you can trade with the help of pro traders. In that way, you can learn from others. However, you should keep in mind that social trading might make you lazy in the sense that you only rely on other people’s strategies.
Cryptocurrency Trading
Trading cryptocurrency is among the most popular activities nowadays. Hence, eToro did not miss the chance to include this trading instrument. You will find a rich selection of cryptocurrencies that you can trade if you sign up with eToro. Some of the offerings include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and others. The leverage that is tied to this trading instrument is 2:1.
ETFs Trading
eToro offers its fans the opportunity to trade over 140 exchange-traded funds (ETFs). ETFs are formed by an institutional investor. The reason why these exploded in popularity is due to the better tax advantages ETFs offer. It is important to explain that buying or selling of the share does not change the ownership of the underlying assets. Trading ETFs resembles trading stocks. ETFs can be described as a basket of securities that can be comprised of stocks, commodities, or bonds.
Fees and Spreads
Traders should be informed that spreads which eToro offers vary for the different instruments. Generally speaking, spreads that are more volatile are prone to wider spread variations. However, traders should be informed that eToro collaborates with reputable liquidity providers to ensure the best rates possible.
In case you wish to trade cryptocurrencies, you should know that the spreads start from just 1% for Bitcoin and go up to 4.5% for IOTA. Since Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency, we would like to explain that eToro does not charge overnight fees and the initial investment for trading BTC is set at $1,000.
As for the spreads when trading currencies, the situation is quite similar. The major currency pairs such as EUR/USD, USD/JPY, and others come with an average spread of 1 pip, while exotic currency pairs such as USD/TRY come with 50 pips. The spreads for minor currency pairs ranges from 20 to 30 pips.
The spreads for commodities start from 2 pips for trading copper and the upper ceiling is 20,000 pips for trading palladium. Trading indices on eToro has a minimum spread of just 4 pips for the US Dollar Index and swells up to 1,200 pips for the China A50 Index. Enthusiasts who prefer trading stocks and ETFs should keep in mind that the average spread is estimated to be 0.09%.
Talking about spreads and fees, we need to mention that a small fee is imposed on CFD positions that stay open overnight for covering the cost of the leverage that you use. Furthermore, the brokerage does not impose management fees even when you copy other traders and invest in portfolios.
Banking
When trading on eToro, you might be interested in the available banking options. As we already hinted above, this mobile trading app is among the most reputable ones on the market. Consequently, you should not be surprised to find a good-enough number of trustworthy payment solutions. It is important to note that USD is the only account base currency and in case you deposit in another currency, the conversion fee is 50 pips.
Brand | Minimum | Fees | Processing Time |
$200 | No Fees | Instantly | |
$200 | No Fees | Instantly | |
$200 | No Fees | Instantly | |
$200 | No Fees | Instantly | |
$200 | No Fees | Instantly | |
$200 | No Fees | Instantly | |
$500 | No Fees | 7 business days | |
$200 | No Fees | Instantly |
Brand | Minimum | Fees | Processing Time |
$30 | $5 | 1 - 8 business days | |
$30 | $5 | 1 - 8 business days | |
$30 | $5 | 1 - 2 business days | |
$30 | $5 | 1 - 2 business days | |
$30 | $5 | 1 - 2 business days | |
$30 | $5 | 1 - 8 business days | |
$30 | $5 | 1 - 8 business days |
Deposits
In case you join eToro, you should know that you can fund your account via Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, and Wire Transfer. Giropay and Revolut are also available for deposits, but these do not support USD. The minimum first deposit amount required to start trading is pegged at $200. Assuming that you make your first deposit via wire transfer, you should know that the minimum amount you need to fund is $500.
It is important to mention that for Australian residents the minimum first-time deposit is $50. Mobile traders from Algeria, Lebanon, the Maldives, and Venezuela need to make a first payment of no less than $5,000, while the minimum first deposit for Israeli traders is $10,000. Traders that did not verify their accounts cannot make a total deposit amount exceeding $2,250.
Deposits are processed instantly, except for the ones made via a wire transfer that might take up to 7 business days. If you make a deposit in USD, you should know that you do not need to pay additional fees. As far as safety is concerned, you have nothing to worry about as the brokerage employs reliable and proven methods.
To make a deposit, you need to set up an account and log into your account. Then tap on the “Deposit Funds” button, enter the amount you wish to deposit and the currency, and select the payment method you like to use. Depending on the payment solution you choose, you will be required to provide certain information. In case you hit a snag, you can always get in touch with the customer support department.
Withdrawals
The question that certainly provokes the interest of traders is how to withdraw their profits. Traders need to withdraw their funds via the same method they use for making a deposit. In case you selected a deposit-only method, the brokerage will ask you to provide an alternative method to pay out your earnings. The methods that support withdrawals credit cards by Visa, Mastercard, or Maestro, digital wallets by Neteller, PayPal, and Skrill, and Wire Transfer.
The minimum amount that traders can withdraw is set at $30. It is important to mention that the withdrawal fee is $5 and the brokerage will inform you via email when your withdrawal request has been processed. You can also cancel the withdrawal request as long as it is still “Under Review”. To do so, you need to reach your Portfolio, tap on the History button, and then tap on the Reverse icon.
Depending on the payment method you selected, you will need to wait between 1 and 8 business days to receive your earnings. Digital wallets clear payments within 1-2 business days, while withdrawals via bank-dependent methods such as credit cards and wire transfers might take up to 8 business days.
Regulation
It is easy to trade with complete confidence on eToro. The brokerage is licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Cyprus Securities and the Exchange Commission (CySEC). Choosing a legal mobile trading app is the easiest way to ensure a remarkable trading experience. Knowing that your money is safe, you can focus on more important things such as crafting your strategy and analyzing the market.
Whether you are signing up, depositing, trading, or withdrawing, you can count on an advanced SSL encryption system that keeps your data safe. What is more, the brokerage has been around since 2006 and it managed to cement its strong positions on the market. Traders should keep in mind that 76% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this broker.
FAQ
1. How do I verify my account?
2. Do you offer some educational tools and guides?
3. Do I need to add extra funds to open my position and how do I close them?
4. Why should I choose eToro for my trading experience?
5. Who can trade on eToro?
Conclusion
To sum up, eToro is an outstanding brokerage that is fully licensed to provide its services to traders from various jurisdictions. In case you wish to trade via your mobile device, you will be fascinated with the site’s intuitive interface. Traders are also provided with the opportunity to download the brokerage’s dedicated apps that are specially designed for Android and iOS users. Another Ace up the broker’s sleeve is the fantastic assortment of trading instruments it offers.
Are you ready to trade?
eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks, cryptocurrencies as well as trading CFDs.
Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
This communication is intended for information and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or investment recommendation. Past performance is not an indication of future results.
Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.
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eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.