Types of Forex promotions are the marketing products brokers use to attract, activate and retain clients: trading credits, contests, cashback and loyalty perks. The type tells you the mechanical deal – whether you must deposit, whether funds are simulated, and whether anything can become cash. Live dollar figures change with campaigns and jurisdictions. This page is a hub for the types. Current offers belong on listing pages. Read each type for the binding clause: turnover, verification, banned strategies, expiry and what happens on withdrawal. Amounts below are worked examples of those clauses, not live bonuses.
Updated: October 2026
Why Brokers Run Promotions
A promotion is a customer-acquisition or retention cost. The broker hopes a share of users will deposit, trade, or stay. You hope to test a platform or reduce trading cost. Those aims overlap only in part. Volume requirements, time limits and strategy bans exist because unrestricted credits are abused with multiple accounts, hedging games and one-way lottery trades.
That is also why a large advertised credit can be a worse deal than a small one. The binding constraint is usually lots to trade, maximum withdrawable profit, or a rule that removes the credit when equity falls to the bonus line. Compare types first, then open the matching live list.
| Type | Your money in first? | What you might receive | Typical binding clause | Live listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No-deposit bonus | Often no deposit to start; sometimes a deposit before any payout | Trading credit; sometimes capped profit | Lots, KYC, expiry, strategy bans | No-deposit bonuses |
| Deposit bonus | Yes – a funded account | Credit or match on a deposit | Turnover; bonus removed or cut on withdrawal | Deposit bonuses |
| Demo contest | No – simulated funds | Published prize if you place | Ranking formula; prize may be credit not cash | Demo contests |
| Live contest | Yes – real account and usually real risk | Cash, credit or goods for rank | Minimum lots or days; live loss is real | Live contests |
| Cashback / rebate | Yes – you already trade | Money or credit per lot | Which instruments count; payout lag | Broker or rebate terms |
| Loyalty / rewards | Usually an active funded account | Points, status, occasional credit | Point expiry; what points can actually buy | Broker programme pages |
Refer-a-friend schemes and webinars sit beside these types. A referral credit is still a promotion with eligibility rules. A webinar is education and marketing, not a bonus you can withdraw.
No-Deposit Bonuses
A no-deposit bonus is trading credit granted without a (or before a) personal deposit, so a new client can place live-market orders on the broker’s platform. The credit is usually the broker’s money. Losing it does not take cash from your bank. It can still waste time, trigger a KYC file, and produce a habit of oversized trades because the balance feels free.
Withdrawals, when they exist at all, almost always apply to eligible profit, not to the original credit. Volume, verification, time limits, profit caps and strategy restrictions are the real product. Some offers also require a first deposit before any payout. That still meets a narrow definition of “no deposit to start” and fails the everyday meaning of “free cash”. The detailed clause list is in Forex no-deposit bonus withdrawal rules.
Do not treat a range such as “$5 to $500” as a current market quote. Campaigns move. Open the live no-deposit list in the table above and read that broker’s terms page. One account per person, household or device is standard. Hidden extras – scalping bans, news bans, hedge bans – are how “eligible profit” becomes zero.
A no-deposit credit is not a demo account. Fills, slippage and stop-outs can be more realistic than a demo, which is the educational case for using one as a tiny live test. It is not a case for expecting a withdrawable income stream.
Deposit Bonuses
A deposit bonus adds credit when you fund a live account, sometimes as a percentage match, sometimes as a fixed extra, sometimes only on the first deposit or only on a named account type. Existing clients may see reload variants. Internal transfers often do not qualify. The credit may or may not count as margin when the account is in drawdown – that single line decides whether the bonus cushions a losing position or sits as decoration until equity meets it and the bonus is cancelled.
Older marketing copy sometimes said profits from a deposit bonus could be withdrawn at any time and that the bonus itself was only reduced proportionally. That is not a universal rule. Many brokers void or claw back bonus (and sometimes linked profit) if you withdraw before turnover is complete, or they reduce credit one-for-one with a withdrawal. Some require a lot-turnover formula tied to the credit size. None of those sentences replaces the actual terms.
Deposit bonuses are for people who were going to fund that broker anyway and who can complete turnover without changing their size into a gamble. They are a poor reason to choose an otherwise unsuitable firm. Licence, execution model and withdrawal process still dominate; see how to choose a Forex broker and types of Forex brokers.
Demo Contests
Demo contests rank simulated accounts. You do not deposit contest funds. You may win a prize. Virtual equity is not the prize. Scoring is often percentage return, which pushes participants toward high leverage. Prize payment may be cash or live credit with its own turnover. Practical checks – terms, ranking, leverage, KYC – are expanded in 10 tips to win a demo contest.
Demo contests are useful as a structured way to learn a platform only if you keep size honest. They are a weak measure of live skill when the winner is the last 1:1000 account standing. Current events sit on the demo contest list in the table above. A prize paid as live credit is still a promotion: read its turnover and withdrawal clauses before you treat the contest as cash.
Registration is usually required. Country bans apply. Expert Advisor rules apply. None of that is optional fine print.
Live Contests
Live contests rank real accounts. Losses are real. That changes behaviour: fewer all-in lots, more attention to stops, and a different relationship to the leaderboard. Prizes may be cash, credit or goods. Some events add the prize on top of whatever you made or lost in the market; the market result is still yours.
Participation typically means a verified live account, sometimes a minimum deposit, sometimes a minimum traded volume to remain eligible, and a ranking window. “No registration needed” still leaves you bound by the published rules. Read lot limits, instrument lists and whether hedging resets score. Live contest pages are linked in the table above.
Compared with demo contests: the money is real; rank may still reward aggressive return; a cash prize does not refund a blown deposit. If the educational goal is process, a live contest is a harsh classroom. If the goal is a prize, size the account so a full loss of the contest slice is acceptable. That is the same logic as any other live risk cap.
Do not assume live-contest profit is freely withdrawable the next morning if the prize itself is bonus credit. Two pots can sit on one account with two rulebooks.
Cashback, Rebates and Loyalty
Cashback (rebate) pays a fraction of spread or a fixed amount per lot traded, from the broker or from an introducing rebate site. For a high-turnover style such as scalping, a stable rebate can matter more than a one-off credit. For a low-turnover position trader, it may be rounding error next to swap. Payout can be cash or credit, monthly or weekly. Instruments may be excluded. Rebates do not make a losing process profitable; they slightly reduce the cost of a process you already had.
Loyalty programmes award points, status tiers, occasional credits, or shop items for deposits, lots or time on the books. Point inflation and expiry are the clauses to read. An “11% loyalty bonus after years of deposits” in old copy was a specific historical mechanic, not a current industry standard. Check the broker’s programme page. Rewards catalogues (courses, gadgets, gift cards) are loyalty by another name: you trade or deposit, you receive points, you redeem under a conversion rate the broker sets.
Refer-a-friend pays you (and sometimes the new client) if the referred person opens, verifies, deposits and trades. Self-referral, same-household accounts and fake identities are the usual void conditions. The referred client still has to live with that broker’s execution and withdrawals. A referral fee is not due diligence on the firm.
Webinars and seminars are promotions in the marketing sense. They can be useful for platform walkthroughs. They are not a cash category and they are not research reports. Treat strategy content in a sales webinar as advertising.
Worked Example: Turnover Versus Headline Credit
Illustrative only – not a live offer. Suppose a deposit bonus adds $200 of credit, and the terms require 1.00 standard lot of qualifying Forex for each $1 of credit before the credit (or linked profit) can be withdrawn. Required volume = 200 standard lots. One standard lot of EUR/USD is 100,000 units; at about $10 per pip, 200 lots is a large commercial throughput for a small retail account.
If you trade 0.10 lot (a mini) per round-turn, you need 2,000 such round-turns. At two round-turns a day, that is 1,000 trading days. If you instead trade 1.00 lot to finish faster, each pip is about $10. A 20-pip loser is about -$200 – the size of the entire credit – on one ticket. The bonus did not reduce that loss. It may even be removed if equity touches the bonus line.
| Illustrative path | Lot size | Round-turns to 200 lots | Approx. 20-pip P/L each | Practical reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow, small size | 0.10 | 2,000 | About ±$20 | Turnover may outlast the expiry window |
| Fast, large size | 1.00 | 200 | About ±$200 | One average loser can equal the headline credit |
Replace $200 and “1 lot per $1” with whatever the live PDF says. The identity stays: required lots × pip value × a realistic stop = the cash risk you take to chase the credit. If that cash risk is larger than the credit, the promotion is not a gift. It is a volume target with a sticker on it. The same arithmetic applies to some contest credits and to some no-deposit profit caps.
Conditions That Matter More Than the Headline
Before you join any type, extract:
- Whether the extra funds are cash, credit, points or simulated
- Turnover formula, qualifying symbols, and whether both sides of a hedge count
- What happens to bonus and profit on a withdrawal request
- KYC, country list, one-account rule
- Expiry and inactivity
- Banned styles: scalping, EAs, news, arbitrage
- Maximum withdrawable profit, if any
- Whether the credit is usable as margin
Then open only the live hub that matches the type. Do not collect expired banners. Do not stack three credits on one person through three emails; that is how accounts get closed. A promotion never outranks the decision of whether the broker is a firm you would use with no bonus at all.
If you need a platform test with no credit attached, use a demo. If you need cost reduction on a method you already trade, look at rebate terms and at spread on your trading style. If you need a ranked game, choose demo versus live contest knowing which one can empty a real wallet.
Summary
Forex promotions cluster into no-deposit credits, deposit matches, demo contests, live contests, cashback and loyalty (plus referrals). Each type has a different answer to “is my cash in?” and “can this become a withdrawal?”. Headline amounts in old articles are not current offers. Convert turnover clauses into lots and into money. Check live lists for what exists now, and read withdrawal rules before you register.
Trading CFDs and Forex with leverage can result in losses that exceed your deposit. This page is educational, not investment advice. No bonus amount in the examples is a live offer. Verify figures, eligibility and payout rules with the broker and on the current listing pages.
Frequently Asked Questions About Types of Forex Promotions
What are the main types of Forex promotions?
The main types are no-deposit bonuses, deposit bonuses, demo contests, live contests, cashback or rebates, and loyalty or rewards programmes. Refer-a-friend offers are a related category.
Is a no-deposit bonus free cash?
Usually not. The credit is typically the broker’s funds. Eligible profit may be withdrawable only after volume, KYC and other conditions. The original bonus is often non-withdrawable.
Can I withdraw a deposit bonus whenever I want?
Often no. Many brokers reduce or remove credit when you withdraw, or they require a lot-turnover target first. Read that broker’s current terms rather than a general article.
What is the difference between a demo contest and a live contest?
Demo contests use simulated funds; live contests use real accounts. Demo losses are virtual. Live losses are cash. Prizes in both cases follow the published rules and may be credit rather than cash.
Where do I find current Forex bonuses and contests?
Use live listing pages for no-deposit bonuses, deposit bonuses, demo contests and live contests. Do not treat amounts in old guides as open offers.
What is Forex cashback?
Cashback or rebate is a payment per lot or a share of spread, paid by a broker or a rebate intermediary. It reduces cost slightly. It does not turn a losing strategy into a winning one.
Why do promotions have lot requirements?
Turnover clauses make it harder to take credit, trade once and withdraw. They also push some clients to trade more than they otherwise would, which is a risk. Convert required lots into money using pip value and your stop before you join.
Should I pick a broker because of a bonus?
No. Regulation, execution, costs and withdrawals come first. A promotion is a secondary terms comparison after the firm is already acceptable without it.
