eToro Practice Account

Practice before you pay with eToro's demo account. Here's how to open a $100,000 virtual account today.

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How to create an eToro virtual account

• Step 1: create an account on eToro.com, or login to your account.
• Step 2: click the "Virtual Portfolio" link in the menu under your eToro username.
• Step 3: trade the markets through your eToro practice account with virtual money. Your account will automatically be credited with a $100,000 balance.

Reasons to use eToro's practice account

If you're new to trading, eToro.com's practice account will allow you build confidence in your abilities. Learn about the financial markets and hone your skills in your own time, before putting capital at risk. We suggest opening and closing your first trade in your virtual account, before experimenting with leverage. You'll also want to familiarise yourself with the ways in which you can manage risk, through "take profit" and "stop loss" orders for example.

eToro's practice account is also an opportunity to explore eToro's platform in depth, because it replicates its live trading environment. Specifically, you'll be able to access CFDs on over 3,000 financial instruments spanning currencies, stocks, ETFs, commodities and even crypto-currencies (if this is allowed in your country). You could also use your practice account to invest in one of eToro's thematic portfolios, copy other traders or simply connect with others through its social network.

Importantly, you can switch between your real and virtual accounts, at any time. This makes it possible to test new trading ideas or strategies in your demo account, even if you are an experienced trader, before putting them to work in your real-money account.

Reasons not to use a practice account

However, we'd also like to draw your attention to 3 limitations of practice accounts. First, a practice account could remove emotions of fear and greed because capital is never at risk. However, it's important that you learn to control these emotions, as they can often prompt you to make rash decisions. This is why we'd encourage you to learn with a real-money account, even if this means you only trade small position sizes initially.

eToro's large $100,000 virtual balance could encourage you to trade larger position sizes that you otherwise would. If you'd prefer a more realistic account size, contact eToro's customer service team to request a reduction in your virtual balance, down to a $2,000 minimum.

Finally, as eToro charges no fees in its demo account, you'll find it harder to see how trading fees affect your overall profit and loss. This is another reason to switch to a real-money account early on.

FAQs

What is eToro's practice account like?

eToro.com's practice account replicates the platform's live trading environment, with real-time prices available across thousands of instruments. Place buy and sell orders, or copy others, in the same way you'd otherwise trade. It's a good way to hone your skills and explore eToro's platform, because its free of charge and your capital is never at risk.

What are the differences between eToro's demo account and real-money account?

eToro's practice account comes with a virtual $100,000 balance, which means that you'll never need to deposit money to trade. This also means that any gains or losses are virtual. In addition, it's entirely free to trade through eToro's demo account and no fees will ever be deducted from your virtual balance.

How do I switch between real and virtual accounts?

First, login to your eToro account or create an account online. Then, click on the "Real/Virtual" button under your username in the upper left corner of your account's dashboard. A menu will appear, where you can toggle between your "Virtual Portfolio" and your "Real Portfolio".

How do I add funds to my eToro virtual account?

No action is required on your behalf, as eToro will automatically credit your virtual account with a $100,000 balance. If you run low on funds, contact eToro customer support to request an increase in your account's balance. eToro customer support can also adjust your virtual balance down to a minimum of $2,000, should you ever wish to.

How long is eToro's practice account available for?

eToro's practice account has no expiration date. It's always available for you, for as long as you need it. Visit eToro.com to get started.