Gold (XAU/USD) is one of the most traded instruments in the world — a safe-haven asset, inflation hedge, and highly liquid market that trades 23 hours a day. Here's how to access it through NextTrade on MetaTrader 5.
Gold Trading Basics
XAU is the ISO code for gold, USD is the US dollar. The XAU/USD price tells you how many US dollars it costs to buy one troy ounce of gold. One standard lot of XAUUSD equals 100 troy ounces — so at a gold price of $2,000/oz, one lot represents a $200,000 position. This is why smaller lot sizes (0.01 or 0.1) are common for gold trading.
Gold at NextTrade — Key Facts
| Symbol | XAUUSD |
| Contract size | 100 oz |
| Standard spread | ~18 pts |
| Raw spread | 0.0 pts |
| Commission (Raw) | $7/lot |
| Max leverage | 1:500 |
| Trading hours | 23h/day Mon–Fri |
Step-by-Step: Open a Gold Trade on MT5
Understanding Gold Lot Sizes & Margin
| Lot Size | Ounces | Approx. Margin |
|---|---|---|
| 0.01 lot | 1 oz | ~$4 at 1:500 |
| 0.10 lot | 10 oz | ~$40 at 1:500 |
| 1.00 lot | 100 oz | ~$400 at 1:500 |
Gold Trading Hours
XAUUSD trades nearly 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday, with a brief daily pause. The most liquid and active period is during the London/New York session overlap — approximately 2pm to 6pm GMT. This is when bid/ask spreads are tightest and price movements are most significant.
Risk Management for Gold Trading
Gold is volatile. It can move $20–$50 in a single trading session during major economic events. At 0.1 lots (10 oz), a $30 move equals $300 profit or loss. Always set a stop loss before entering. As a rule, risk no more than 1–2% of your account on any single trade.
Ready to trade XAU/USD with tight spreads?
Trade XAU/USD at NextTrade from $50 →