Discover a better way to trade CFDs

Trade on price movements with some of the most competitive spreads in the market, exceptional support and advanced technology – all within a secure, client-focused trading environment.

Try demo

Join now

Why trade CFDs with us?

Ride the market waves with a leading CFD broker that understands what you need.

Tight spreads

Trade margin FX from 0.0pts, and CFDs on gold from just 0.05pts.¹

Elite tech

Connect to MT5, MT4, TradingView and cTrader, or our native platform and app.

24-hr US share CFDs²

Act on key news as it happens. Trade CFDs on top US shares 24/5.

Dedicated support

Get 24-hr, multilingual support, Monday to Friday, and 18 hours at weekends.

Choose an award-winning CFD broker

We’ve been consistently recognised by leading awarding bodies.

Best Overall Broker

DayTrading Broker of the Year Awards 2025

Best Overall Broker

Best MT4 Forex Broker

Best Broker for Forex

Compare Forex Brokers 2025

What is CFD trading?

CFD trading, or contracts for difference trading, enables you to speculate on an asset’s price movements without having to own the asset. Instead, you enter into a contract with a broker to exchange the difference in the asset’s price from the time the trade is opened to when it’s closed. You go long (buy) when you expect prices to rise or go short (sell) when you expect them to fall.

CFD trading is a form of derivative, meaning the value of the CFD is derived from the price of the underlying asset. One of its key features is leverage, which lets you open larger positions with a smaller amount of capital, amplifying both your potential gains and losses.

Learn more about CFD trading here.

Why choose CFD trading?

CFD trading is your gateway to global markets while enjoying:

Leverage:

Increase your market exposure with lower initial capital. Access up to 200:1 leverage on FX and gold CFDs.²

Flexibility to go both directions:

Trade both rising and falling markets by opening long or short positions.

Hedging potential:

Open an opposing position to protect your existing portfolio from adverse price moves.

Start trading today

Trade CFDs on thousands of global markets

A world of trading opportunities, all from one platform.

Forex CFDs

Choose from 90+ currency pairs and trade with no commission on our Standard account.

Share CFDs

Access 1,100+ global share CFDs, including 24-hr US share CFDs with low commissions.

Index CFDs

Trade on 20+ major stock index CFDs, such as the US30, UK100 and GER40.

Commodity CFDs

Speculate on global commodity trends with 40+ markets, including Gold, Crude Oil, and Natural Gas.

Cryptocurrency CFDs

Trade CFDs on Bitcoin, Ethereum and more 24/7, with up to 2:1 leverage.

ETF CFDs

Take a position on a range of themes and sectors by trading on 90+ ETF CFDs.

Transparent fees

When trading on a Standard CFD account with Pepperstone, you’ll pay a tight spread (the difference between the buy and the sell price) on margin FX, commodity and index markets – and absolutely no commission. Share CFDs have a small commission instead of a spread, starting from just US$0.02 per share on US shares.⁴

Our Razor CFD account is designed for high-volume FX traders, offering raw spreads from 0.0 points with a fixed commission of $3,50 per lot, per side.⁴

If you keep a position open overnight, you will be charged a swap (or rollover) fee.

To learn more about our fees and charges, click here.

How to start trading CFDs

1. Open a CFD Standard or Razor account following our four-step application process.

2. Find an opportunity and choose your market.

3. Open a position on your selected platform and set your risk management orders.

4. Monitor your CFD trades.

CFD forwards

Unlike spot CFDs that are based on current market prices, CFD forwards let you take positions on the future price of an asset. They are a more flexible alternative to traditional futures contracts, allowing you to tailor your trades to specific timeframes and market expectations.

Why trade CFD forwards

No fixed expiry:

You can hold positions without worrying about expiry dates, as long as you have enough margin in your account.

Automatic rollover:

Your position is automatically rolled into next month's contract before the current one expires. This means:

➝ You stay in the trade without interruption.

➝ No need to manually close and reopen the position.

➝ Pricing adjusts to reflect the new contract month.

Leverage:

Trade larger positions with less capital but be aware that leverage can amplify both potential profits and losses.

Flexibility:

You can open positions in sizes that suit your strategy, not limited to standard lot sizes like in futures contracts.

Trade CFD forwards with Pepperstone

Choose from CFD forwards on popular indices and commodities, including AUS200, GER40, US500, NAS100, gold and crude oil.

Find them on MT5 and cTrader platforms.

Do not pay any overnight charges - these are factored into the price of the forward contract.

Ready to start trading CFDs?

Switch to Pepperstone now and join our global community of over 830,000 traders. Apply in minutes with our simple application process.

1 Register

2 Answer some questions

We’ll check your suitability for our products.

3 Verify your identity

Your safety is our top priority.

4 Add some funds

That’s it! You’re ready to trade.

Apply now

CFD trading FAQs

A CFD (contract for difference) lets you speculate on the price movements of an asset like forex, shares, indices, or commodities without owning the actual assets. Your profit or loss is determined by the difference between the opening and closing prices of the CFD.

When trading CFDs, the main costs are the spreads (the difference between the buy and sell price), commission (depending on the asset traded and the account type), and possible overnight/swap fees which are industry-standard fees that reflect the cost of keeping your position open after the trading day ends.

To find out more about the costs of trading with us, visit our pricing page.

To start trading CFDs with us, you can apply online to open a live trading account. We’ll ask you a few questions about your financial background and trading experience and require you to share some documentation to verify your identity.

Once your account is approved, you can log into ‘my account’ to get started. Select your preferred trading platform and choose the market you want to trade. Then go to ‘add funds’ to fund your account. You can deposit as little as $10 or account currency equivalent using our secure payment methods. Before placing your trade, make sure to review the relevant fees and charges and set your risk management orders. Once everything is in place, you’re ready to start trading.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money quickly due to leverage, which can increase both potential gains and losses. In accordance with regulatory rules, Pepperstone provides negative balance protection to retail clients, ensuring you cannot lose more than your account balance. We also offer a range of risk-management tools, such as stop orders, which can close your position automatically if the market turns against you.

CFDs can be suitable if you understand the risks involved and have a clear trading plan. We offer demo accounts, educational resources, expert insights and dedicated customer support to help you throughout your trading journey.