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Can you trade gold on FOREX.com?

It depends on where you live. Outside the US, yes. In the US, FOREX.com says it doesn’t offer gold. Here’s why, and what US traders use instead.

LemonTrades·Guides
A gold price quote with a map pin, split between available and not available.

TL;DR

  • In the US, no: FOREX.com US doesn’t offer gold, because US rules bar retail leveraged spot metals.
  • Outside the US, usually yes, as XAU/USD, depending on the FOREX.com entity for your country.
  • US traders use micro gold futures or gold ETFs instead.
  • Follow gold on LemonTrades and the desk tells you what moved it, and why, within seconds: breaking news, sharp moves with the likely cause, and a morning brief.

FOREX.com is one of the best-known forex brokers, so it’s a natural place to look for gold. Whether you can trade gold there comes down to one thing: which country your account is in.

The short answer

  • In the US: no. FOREX.com’s US site says gold is not offered through FOREX.com US, though other FOREX.com entities may offer it.
  • Outside the US: usually yes. FOREX.com’s entities in places like the UK and Australia list gold against the dollar (XAU/USD), traded as a CFD or spot metal with leverage.

Product lists change, so check FOREX.com’s site for your country before you open an account. We’re not affiliated with FOREX.com.

Why US accounts can’t trade gold there

Since 2011, US rules that followed the Dodd-Frank Act have stopped retail forex dealers from offering leveraged spot precious metals, like gold and silver against the dollar, to ordinary traders. Leveraged gold for US retail traders has to trade as futures on a regulated exchange instead. That’s why US forex brokers offer currency pairs but not XAU/USD, and why offshore brokers that take US clients for gold are breaking the rules.

How US traders trade gold instead

Way to trade goldPrice nowA 1% move is worth
Micro gold futures (MGC)10 oz, on COMEX, through a US futures broker $–$–
Gold futures (GC)100 oz, on COMEX $–$–
A gold ETF share (GLD)about 1/11 oz, through any stock broker $–$–
Spot gold (XAU/USD)the market price, for reference $––

Live, updated every minute. Futures prices are delayed about 10 minutes.

  • Gold futures through a US futures broker. Micro gold futures (10 ounces) are the closest thing to trading XAU/USD: leverage, nearly 24-hour trading and tight spreads.
  • Gold ETFs like GLD and IAU through any stock broker, with no leverage unless you add margin or options.
  • Physical gold from a dealer, if you want to hold the metal.

We cover each in detail in how to trade XAU/USD in the USA.

Trading gold on FOREX.com outside the US

  1. Open an account with the FOREX.com entity for your country, and complete its identity checks.
  2. Find gold in the platform as XAU/USD (gold priced in dollars). Some entities also list gold against other currencies.
  3. Check the costs on FOREX.com’s own pages: the spread, any commission, and the overnight financing charged on positions held past the daily rollover.
  4. Check the leverage and margin, which depend on your country’s rules. In the UK, EU and Australia, retail leverage on gold is capped at 20:1.
  5. Practice first on a demo account or in our free trade simulator.

Before you trade gold anywhere

  • Know what moves it: interest rates, the dollar, the Fed and fear. See why gold goes up.
  • Know the calendar: gold can jump in seconds on CPI and the jobs report. See the economic calendar.
  • Choose a broker carefully: here’s how.

Sources

Education, not financial advice. We’re not affiliated with FOREX.com, and its products can change; check its site for your country. Trading gold with leverage is risky. See our disclaimer.

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