Some offshore forex accounts have no minimum deposit, so you can start with a few dollars. Of the seven forex brokers listed on FX Textbook, XS and HFM offer accounts with no minimum, DecodeFX's CENT account starts at USD 1, Monaxa's Standard and Cent accounts at USD 15, and Vantage Trading at JPY 5,000 (USD 50).
A minimum deposit is not the same as the money you need to keep trading. This article lists minimum deposits by account type, explains how to think about funding a small account, and shows which small-deposit bonuses can be combined.
Forex minimum deposit comparison table (seven listed brokers, by account type)
| Broker | Lowest-minimum account | Other accounts | Spread (lowest-minimum account) |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | Standard and Cent: no minimum | Pro and Elite: USD 500; VIP: USD 100,000 | 1.1 pips average (Standard, EURUSD) |
| HFM | Premium, Cent, Zero and Top-Up Bonus: USD 0 | Pro: USD 100 / JPY 13,000; KATANA: USD 500 / JPY 80,000 | From 1.4 pips (Premium) |
| DecodeFX | CENT: USD 1 | STD and PRO: USD 100 | From 1.7 pips (CENT); from 0.34 pips (STD via FX Textbook) |
| Monaxa | Standard and Cent: USD 15 | Pro: USD 50; Zero: USD 200 | From 1.8 pips (Standard, Cent) |
| Vantage Trading | Standard and ECN: JPY 5,000 / USD 50 | Premium: USD 3,000 initial lump sum | From 1.5 pips (Standard) |
| Axi | Standard: no set first-deposit amount (payment-method minimums only, e.g. USD 30 in crypto) | Premium: USD 500 first deposit (no minimum afterwards); Elite: USD 25,000 first deposit (contact Axi support about later deposits) | From 0.7 pips (Standard, EUR/USD) |
| Exness | Varies by region and payment method (official help centre) | Same for all account types | From 0.2 pips (Standard) |
※ Values from each broker's official account-type pages. Payment methods may carry their own minimums and fees.
Accounts with low minimums tend to have wider spreads. XS Standard (1.1 pips average), HFM Premium (from 1.4 pips) and Monaxa Standard (from 1.8 pips) start from nothing to USD 15, while the same brokers' Pro and Zero accounts (from 0.0–0.9 pips) require USD 100–500.
Minimum deposit and the funds you need to trade are different
The minimum deposit is the smallest amount you can pay in, not the amount that keeps a position open. Trading 0.01 lot (1,000 units) of USD/JPY at 150 yen with 1:1000 leverage needs JPY 150 of margin, but a one-yen adverse move creates JPY 1,000 of unrealised loss, so a balance of a few hundred yen is stopped out after a few tens of pips.
Decide the loss you can accept first and size positions from it. If you keep the loss on any one trade within a few percent of the balance, a balance of several thousand to ten thousand yen is a reasonable starting point even for 0.01 lot. A zero minimum deposit does not change this.
Check funding fees and minimum withdrawal amounts as well. With small deposits, payment fees and currency conversion can take a large share of the funds.
Cent accounts as an option for small balances
A cent account trades in units one hundredth the size of a standard account, so the same lot number produces much smaller swings. XS (Cent, no minimum), HFM (Cent, USD 0), DecodeFX (CENT, USD 1), Monaxa (Cent, USD 15) and Exness (Standard Cent) offer one.
Cent accounts suit testing live markets with small money, but leverage and platforms can differ from regular accounts: XS Cent is MT5 only, and Monaxa Cent is capped at 1:1000 (Standard is 1:2000).
Combine small deposits with bonuses
Bonuses can add margin to a small deposit. As of 4 September 2026 the listed small-deposit offers are:
- XS: JPY 5,000 welcome bonus on identity verification (no deposit); JPY 10,000 deposit bonus on a first deposit of JPY 20,000 or more
- Monaxa: USD 50 bonus on a USD 25 first deposit into a Welcome Bonus account (USD 75 of trading margin in total)
- Vantage Trading: up to USD 100 registration bonus on KYC (no deposit); 120% on the first deposit (within 7 days of approval, up to USD 500)
- HFM: Bonus Hunter with JPY 45,000 in trading funds (no deposit); 100% on the first deposit (up to JPY 45,000) until 17 September
The bonus itself cannot be withdrawn and is usually removed or cancelled on withdrawal. Dedicated bonus accounts can have different conditions from regular accounts (Monaxa's bonus accounts use a 30% stop-out and 1:500 maximum leverage). Larger positions funded by bonus also mean larger losses.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is the minimum amount to start forex trading with an offshore broker?
A. Among the seven listed brokers, XS's Standard and Cent accounts and HFM's Premium, Cent, Zero and Top-Up Bonus accounts have no minimum deposit; DecodeFX's CENT account starts at USD 1 and Monaxa's Standard and Cent at USD 15. To keep trading, though, you need a balance sized from the loss you can accept.
Q. Is there a downside to accounts with a low minimum deposit?
A. Spreads tend to be wider. XS Standard averages 1.1 pips and Monaxa Standard starts from 1.8 pips, wider than the same brokers' Pro and Zero accounts (from 0.0–0.9 pips), which require USD 100–500 minimums.
Q. Which account type suits a small balance?
A. A cent account, which trades in units one hundredth the size of a standard account, keeps swings small and suits testing live markets with little money. XS, HFM, DecodeFX, Monaxa and Exness offer one.
Q. Can I get a bonus with a small deposit?
A. XS pays JPY 5,000 on verification alone, Monaxa pays USD 50 on a USD 25 deposit, and Vantage Trading pays up to USD 100 on KYC. None of these bonuses can be withdrawn, and dedicated accounts and withdrawal rules apply.
Sources and conditions
FX Textbook is an independent information site, not a broker or provider of personal investment advice. Forex and CFDs involve risk. You may lose some or all of your invested capital. No trading result is guaranteed.
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