Placing Your First Trade

TabTrade offers the MT5 platform, which you can use on your phone, in a web browser, or on your desktop. So no matter where you are, you’ve got access.

Placing a trade on MT5 might feel like a big step if you’ve never done it before. But once you get the hang of the basics, you’ll get used to it quickly. 

This guide covers the key things you need to know, from picking an account to executing your first order.

Trying a Demo or Straight to Real Trading

Before anything else, you’ll need to set up an account. We offer two environments: demo and live.

A demo account runs on virtual funds. It lets you explore MT5, practise strategies, and get familiar with the platform – without risking real money. You get 30 days per demo, and you can create a new one through the Secure Account Portal if it expires. Each client can have three active demo accounts at a time.

Once you’re ready to trade for real, there are a few live account options:

• Standard Account: no minimum deposit and no commission. You can start with any amount, which makes it a good entry point.
• Edge Account: starts at $250 USD minimum funding. You get tighter spreads and pay a separate commission per trade.
• VIP Account: requires $25,000 USD. Best for high-volume traders who want the lowest fees.

The key difference between demo and live is that live trading involves real money and real market conditions. That includes slippage, real spreads, and the emotional side of things. Demo results don’t always carry over to live performance.

Placing a Trade on MT5

Here’s what it looks like to open a market order:

• Open MT5 on your device (mobile, web, or desktop)
• Go to the Market Watch panel (on desktop and web), or the Quotes tab (on mobile) and find the instrument you want to trade
• Double-click or tap the instrument to open the order window
• Set your lot size. We support up to 100 lots per order on most instruments
• Decide whether you want to buy (go long) or sell (go short)
• Add a stop-loss or take-profit if you want to manage your risk automatically
• Click the buy or sell button to execute.

And that’s it, your position should now be open.

One thing to keep in mind: we allow up to 500 open positions at any given time. Lot size limits can vary by instrument and account type, so some symbols may have lower caps. If you regularly trade bigger sizes or run multiple strategies, you can reach out to support and ask about increased limits.

Understanding Spreads, Commissions and Fees

How much you pay per trade comes down to your account type and what instrument or size you’re trading:

• FX and Metals: On Standard and Swap-Free accounts, fees are included in the spread. On Edge and VIP accounts, you get raw spreads with a separate commission. During peak hours, major FX pairs often hit zero spread on commission accounts.
• Crypto: A percentage-based commission applies across all account types. Because crypto prices move so much, this method keeps fees proportional to the trade value.
• Shares: Typically a percentage of notional value, or a dollar-per-share commission. This varies depending on the exchange.
• Indices and other instruments: Fees are included in the spread. No extra commission on top.

If you hold a position through end of day rollover, you’ll be charged (or credited) a swap fee. This reflects interest rate differences and holding costs. Swap rates change often, so check the contract specifications inside MT5 to stay up to date.

For the latest on all fees, check our Account Overview page.

Leverage and Margin

Leverage lets you control a bigger position with less money upfront. TabTrade lets you choose up to 1:500 by default. If you’ve been trading for a while and want more, 1:1000 is available upon request, after a review.

However, higher leverage also means higher risk. Margin is the amount your account needs to hold in order to keep a position open. If your equity drops too low, you’ll get a margin call at 100% margin level. If it keeps falling, MT5 will start closing positions automatically once you hit 50%.

TabTrade does not offer negative balance protection. In fast or gapping markets, your losses can go beyond your deposit. So think carefully about your position sizing and always keep an eye on your margin level.

You can change your leverage at any time through the Secure Account Portal under Trading Accounts.

Tools That Help You Trade

MT5 isn’t just a place to open and close trades. It comes with tools that can make your trading easier:

• Expert Advisors (EAs): TabTrade supports automated strategies. You can run EAs freely, as long as they follow the terms and don’t try to exploit the platform.
• VPS Hosting: If your strategy needs to run around the clock, we offer VPS through providers like Beeks and NYC Servers. There’s also MT5’s built-in VPS option for something simpler. Both sit close to TabTrade’s servers in the Equinix London datacentre for lower latency.
• Alerts: MT5 has a full alert system built in. You can set notifications based on price levels or custom conditions without needing anything extra.

Keeping Track of Your Trades

After you start trading, you’ll want to keep tabs on your performance. MT5 does all the heavy lifting here.

Open the History tab in the Terminal window to view your closed trades, balance operations, and profit or loss over any date range.

For a proper statement, right-click inside the History tab and select “Save as Detailed Report.” This gives you a full breakdown of closed positions, commissions, swaps, and summary stats. You can print it or save it as a PDF for your records or your accountant.

If you’re not sure how to pull a particular report, our support team can walk you through the steps.

Ready to Get Started?

Placing a trade at TabTrade is simple. If you’d rather test the waters first, start with a demo – there’s no rush to go live until you feel ready. And if you get stuck at any point, our support team is available 24/7 to help.