With its vast array of trading options, including commodities, forex, and reserves, it's easy to see why eToro is such a popular platform.
Knowing the eToro minimum deposit amount is essential when using this financial services company. It impacts almost every aspect of your planning and using your eToro account.
This article will look at the eToro minimum deposit required and other aspects that affect your deposit transactions.
What Is the eToro Minimum Deposit Amount?
There are two sets of eToro minimum deposit amounts: one for initial deposits, and one for subsequent deposits. These are further affected by whether you have a retail account or a corporate one. Let's take a look:
Personal Retail Investor Accounts
The deposit values vary significantly for both retail CFD accounts and corporate accounts, depending on the user's location.
The minimum deposit (on the first transaction) for Israeli people using the eToro trading platform is $10,000. By comparison, South Africans get a great deal, with a minimum first investment of only $200 (around R3,700).
After you first deposit funds, the eToro minimum deposit requirement in South Africa is $50, or around R800 (depending on the current exchange rates).
This deposit benchmark is valid in most parts of the world, excluding the United States and United Kingdom. The minimum deposit amount in the US and UK is a mere $10.
It's worth noting that how you transact also affects the minimum deposits. For instance, when using a bank transfer or wire transfer, payments must have a value of at least $500.
Corporate Accounts
The eToro minimum deposit is much higher on a corporate trading account. Using the eToro platform corporately in South Africa requires you to deposit funds with a value of at least $50,000 ( around R920,000).
In the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Estonia, Denmark, and Australia, the minimum deposit is only $10,000.
Italy has a stand-alone eToro minimum deposit of $25,000. All other eligible countries have the same minimum deposit requirement as SA.
How to Access Your eToro Account to Deposit Money
Whether you have a live account or a demo account, you can access it in the same way. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Navigate to the eToro website.
- Click on the log in button in the upper right corner.
- Fill in your username and password, then click sign in.
How to Deposit Money
Once you've logged into your account, the deposit process is relatively simple:
- In the sidebar on the left side of the screen, click on the ‘deposit funds' button.
- When the deposit tab opens, you can choose a currency using the dropdown above the deposit amount. If you want to avoid a conversion fee, selecting the same currency as your bank account base currency is best.
- Insert the amount you'd like to deposit into the ‘deposit amount' field.
- Choose the payment method you'd like to use from the dropdown, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the transaction.
Will You Need To Pay Deposit Fees At eToro?
Not at all. There are no eToro deposit fees, but you may still have to pay bank account fees. Depending on your account base currency, your financial institution may also require a conversion fee.
It's worth noting that, if your account is dormant for more than a year, you'll have to pay a $10 inactivity fee every month after that.
It's only fair to point out that, although the fees are nearly non-existent, retail investor accounts lose money all the time. Even successful traders and highly experienced traders lose money when trading CFDs.
So, you should only participate in online trading, or use the social trading feature, if you're at peace that you may start losing money rapidly if the markets change. If you want to learn more first, eToro offers a risk-free demo account so you can gain experience.
When you start using a live trading account, consider using the social trading feature to copy other traders, particularly more experienced traders. This approach will allow you to learn from them, without losing as much money.
Ways to Deposit Funds Into Your eToro Account
Now that you know the eToro minimum deposit amount, you're ready to make your first investment. Fortunately, there are many eToro deposit methods to choose from. We'll look at the options in a moment.
First, we'd like to point out that not all methods listed here are available to unverified accounts. It's worth verifying your identity to access the full array of options.
Wire Transfer
Wire transfer, or bank transfer, is one of the most universal deposit methods. If you're trading CFDs with this provider, it's also the most expensive payment method.
Especially for retail investor accounts, bank transfers are considerably more expensive thanks to the high minimum deposit. You can't deposit less than $500 using this method.
Wire transfers and bank transfers are also the slowest way to make a deposit, with transactions taking up to seven days to clear.
However, it also has a distinct advantage in that there's no deposit cap.
Credit Cards and Debit Cards
Credit and debit cards are a popular modern payment method. Whether you're Forex trading, trading CFDs, or buying groceries, cards are a great way to spend and deposit money.
eToro offers payment platforms for most major credit and debit cards, specifically:
- Visa
- Maestro
- MasterCard
- Visa Electron
Credit card payments usually clear within minutes, but may take up to two days in particular circumstances.
eWallets
eWallets are diverse, easy to use, and often have a low deposit fee. You can also make payments from your bank account (via your eWallet), without making the sizable deposits that bank transfers require.
eToro users around the world have access to three different eWallets, specifically:
- PayPal
- Neteller
- Skrill
It's worth noting that certain countries may also have access to Payoneer, but it's not a standard option in most places.
eWallets should always be an instant way to transact, though there may be delays in certain situations.
Other eToro Deposit Methods
While the options for South African users are limited to the deposit methods listed above, you may find additional payment options in other parts of the world. Specifically:
- Polish users can use Przelewy 24 to instantly deposit up to $11,500.
- Australian users can use POLi to deposit up to $70,000 instantly.
- Most European users can use Trustly to deposit up to $40,000 instantly.
- Users in the EEA can use Rapid Transfer to deposit up to $5,500 instantly.
- Netherlands clients can use Klarna to deposit up to $30,000 instantly.
eToro Base Currency
Irrespective of where you live, the eToro account base currency is always USD. Whether you have a brokerage account, or a trading account, eToro money works with dollars.
The base currency is something to consider when you withdraw money, since you may have to pay conversion and withdrawal fees.
If you have the option, opening a local bank account that operates in USD might be worthwhile. Not only will it cut down on currency conversion fees, but you'll also be able to transact more efficiently.
Final Thoughts
Depending on where you live, eToro may have a low minimum deposit, or it can seem relatively high. It also depends on whether you want a personal or corporate account.
If you live in the UK, where eToro is based, or the United States, you can look forward to a much lower minimum deposit than residents of South Africa or Germany.
While corporate accounts have a reasonably low minimum deposit for US businesses that operate in dollars, South African business owners may need help to raise the nearly R1,000,000 that eToro requires.
Larger businesses, and businesses based in countries with a strong currency, should be OK with obtaining the minimum first time deposit. Fortunately, the deposit fees decrease significantly after the first investment.
Individuals from countries with weak currencies will find it much easier to start trading than companies do. For instance, a relatively low minimum deposit of around R3,700 means that most South African individuals can start trading with little effort.
eToro has many pros and cons, which we discuss in detail in our eToro review.
Bear in mind that many factors affect the minimum deposit amount. However, as an individual, most people should be able to reach this benchmark.
