Short answer: Usually not. Bonuses are banned for retail clients in the UK, EU and Australia, so they only come from offshore entities. They’re normally credit you can’t withdraw until you’ve traded a large volume, and the strings often cost more than the bonus is worth.
Why regulated brokers don’t offer them
UK, EU and Australian regulators banned bonuses for retail clients because they encouraged people to trade more, and bigger, than they would otherwise. If a broker offers you a bonus, you’re almost certainly being onboarded by an offshore entity.
How bonus terms usually work
- The bonus is credit: it adds to your margin but isn’t your money.
- To withdraw it, you must trade a set volume, often many lots per $1 of bonus.
- Withdrawing your own money before you hit the target can cancel the bonus, and sometimes any profits made with it.
- Some bonus credit disappears when your equity falls, so it doesn’t protect you from a stop-out.
Questions to ask before accepting
- How many lots do I need to trade to withdraw it?
- What happens to the bonus if I withdraw some of my own money?
- Which company, and which regulator, holds my account?
On BrokersNest, brokers lose a few points in our scoring if they run bonuses. See how we rank.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
