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Direct answer: what the XM Zero account really costs per lot
On the XM Zero account you pay a fixed commission — as of the time of writing, 3.50 USD per lot per side, or 7 USD round turn per standard lot — on top of a raw spread that often starts near 0.0–0.3 pips on major pairs (verify on XM’s official site). On the Standard account you pay no commission, but the spread itself is wider, typically around 1.6 pips on EUR/USD in normal conditions.
Converted into the same unit, 7 USD per standard lot equals roughly 0.7 pips on EUR/USD. So the all-in cost on Zero is often around 0.7–1.0 pips versus roughly 1.6 pips on Standard — cheaper per trade, but with trade-offs covered below: no bonus eligibility, fewer base currencies, and a lower maximum leverage cap on some entities.
Zero vs Standard: the per-lot maths, side by side
The confusion around the Zero account comes from mixing two cost types. Standard hides its cost inside the spread. Zero shows a near-raw spread but bills a separate commission that appears as a line item on your account.
To compare them fairly, convert everything into pips (or dollars) per standard lot. On EUR/USD, 1 pip on 1.0 standard lot is worth 10 USD. A 7 USD round-turn commission therefore equals 0.7 pips.
| Item (as of the time of writing — verify on XM’s official site) | Standard account | XM Zero account |
|---|---|---|
| Typical EUR/USD spread (normal hours) | ~1.6 pips | ~0.0–0.3 pips |
| Commission per standard lot (round turn) | 0 USD | 7 USD (3.50 USD per side) |
| Approx. all-in cost, 1.0 lot EUR/USD | ~16 USD (~1.6 pips) | ~8–10 USD (~0.8–1.0 pips) |
| Approx. all-in cost, 0.10 lot EUR/USD | ~1.60 USD | ~0.80–1.00 USD |
| Minimum trade size | 0.01 lot | 0.01 lot |
| Minimum deposit | 5 USD | 5 USD (entity-dependent) |
| Deposit bonuses / loyalty points | Usually eligible (entity-dependent) | Usually not eligible |
| Maximum leverage | Entity-dependent (higher caps on some entities) | Entity-dependent, often capped lower (e.g. 500:1 on some entities) |
All of these figures move. Spreads are variable on both account types, commissions can be revised, and conditions differ between the Trading Point entities. Treat the table as a snapshot, not a contract.
When Zero works out cheaper — and when it does not
The commission scales exactly with volume: 0.01 lot costs 0.07 USD round turn, 1.0 lot costs 7 USD. The raw spread, however, is not always near zero. During news releases, rollover time (around 22:00 GMT in summer) and thin Asian hours, Zero spreads can widen to several pips — at which point you are paying a wide spread plus commission, and Standard can briefly be the cheaper account.
Also note that the commission is charged in USD per lot regardless of the pair. On pairs where a pip is worth less than 10 USD per lot, or on exotic pairs where even the Zero raw spread is wide, the advantage shrinks. Always do the pip-value conversion for the specific instrument you trade.
What if: “my Zero trade closed in profit on the chart but the account shows less”
This is the most common surprise. As of the time of writing, XM books the full round-turn commission when the position is opened, so a brand-new trade can show a small negative figure immediately, and a trade that gained a few points on the chart can still net slightly negative after commission. Check the commission column (steps below) before assuming an error. If the numbers still do not reconcile, contact XM support with the ticket number of the trade.
What if: “my bonus disappeared after an internal transfer to Zero”
On entities that offer bonuses, Zero accounts are generally excluded from bonus programmes. If you move funds from a bonus-eligible Standard account to a Zero account via Internal Transfer, a proportional amount of bonus credit is typically removed from the source account — and it is usually not restored if you transfer the money back. Before transferring, read the bonus terms in the Members Area, and consider funding the Zero account with a fresh deposit instead if you want to preserve credit on the Standard account. Bonus availability itself differs by regulatory entity and may not apply to you at all.
How to open a Zero account and see exactly what you pay
If you already have an XM profile, you do not need to re-verify. You can hold several account types in parallel and compare real costs on your own trades.
- Log in to the XM Members Area.
- Open the My Accounts menu and click Open an Additional Account.
- Choose the platform (MT4 or MT5) and select XM Zero as the account type. Note that platform and type availability depends on your entity.
- Select the base currency and leverage from the dropdowns, then click Continue and confirm. Your new login ID arrives by email.
- Fund it via Deposit, or move money from another XM account using Internal Transfer — but read the bonus warning above first.
To see the commission you actually paid on each trade:
- In MT4: open the Terminal window (Ctrl+T), go to the Account History tab, right-click and tick Commissions so the column is visible.
- In MT5: open the Toolbox (Ctrl+T), select the History tab, right-click a column header and enable Commission.
- Compare the commission column plus the entry/exit spread against what the same trade would have cost on Standard. A few weeks of your own data beats any review table.
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Limitations, fees and risks
- No bonuses or loyalty points on Zero. If XM’s promotions are part of why you chose the broker, the Zero account usually excludes them. For small, infrequent traders, the bonus value on a Standard account can outweigh the spread saving on Zero.
- Variable spreads mean “zero” is a minimum, not a promise. Around news and illiquid hours, the raw spread widens and the commission still applies. Scalping around events can cost more than the headline numbers suggest.
- Entity differences matter. XM operates through several entities within the Trading Point group — regulated by CySEC, ASIC and the Belize FSC among others — and each serves different regions with different leverage caps, bonus rules and available account types. The Zero account’s leverage is often capped below the Standard account’s maximum. Verify which entity serves you and its exact terms on XM’s official website before opening an account.
- Eligibility is restricted. XM does not accept residents of certain jurisdictions, including the United States, Canada, Israel and Iran. It is your responsibility to check whether you are eligible and what your local regulations say.
- Other costs still apply. Swap/rollover charges on positions held overnight, possible inactivity fees on dormant accounts, and currency-conversion costs on deposits or withdrawals exist on both account types (as of the time of writing — verify on XM’s official site).
- Lower cost does not mean lower risk. A tighter all-in spread changes your transaction cost, not the market risk of leveraged trading. Losses come from price movement far more than from fees.
FAQ
Q. How much is the XM Zero commission per 0.01 lot?
A. As of the time of writing, the commission is 3.50 USD per lot per side, which scales linearly: 0.01 lot costs 0.035 USD per side, or 0.07 USD round turn. Verify the current rate on XM’s official site, as it can change.
Q. Is the Zero account always cheaper than Standard?
A. No. In normal liquid hours on major pairs it usually is, because roughly 0.7–1.0 pips all-in beats roughly 1.6 pips. During news spikes, rollover and thin sessions, Zero spreads widen while the commission stays, and the gap can close or reverse. On some exotic pairs the difference is small either way.
Q. Why did my open position show a loss the moment I opened it?
A. On Zero, the full round-turn commission is typically booked at trade open, and you also start on the wrong side of the spread. A new trade showing a small negative balance is normal, not a platform error.
Q. Can I keep both a Standard and a Zero account at the same time?
A. Generally yes — XM allows multiple accounts under one verified profile, up to a limit set by your entity. Use “Open an Additional Account” in the Members Area. Be careful with internal transfers if you hold bonus credit, as transfers to Zero can remove it proportionally.
Q. Does the Zero account exist on every XM entity?
A. Not necessarily. Account types, platforms (MT4/MT5), leverage caps and bonus rules differ between the CySEC-, ASIC- and Belize FSC-regulated entities. Check which account types are offered to your region on XM’s official website before planning around the Zero account.
Summary
The XM Zero account swaps a wide, commission-free spread for a near-raw spread plus a fixed commission — as of the time of writing, 7 USD round turn per standard lot, roughly 0.7 pips on EUR/USD. For active traders on major pairs in liquid hours, the all-in cost is usually lower than Standard. The price of that saving is losing bonus eligibility, accepting entity-dependent leverage caps, and watching out for spread widening at volatile times. Open both account types, run your own trades through the commission column in MT4/MT5, and let your real numbers — not headline spreads — decide. All figures here are snapshots and must be verified on XM’s official website.
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Risk warning: CFDs and forex are leveraged products; losses can exceed your deposits and a high percentage of retail investor accounts lose money. Only trade with money you can afford to lose.