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How to trade gold (XAU/USD)

A plain, practical guide for traders in Nigeria — lots, leverage, margin, costs and the risk rules that keep beginners in the game.

xau/usd · one bar, one hourTARGETENTRYSTOP
A plan is three prices decided before the entry, not after.

Gold (XAU/USD) is traded as a CFD — you speculate on the price, you don't own the metal or coin. One standard lot is 100 oz.

Lots, leverage and margin

Margin is what your broker locks to open a position: (lots × 100 × price) ÷ leverage. At 1:200 a 0.10 lot needs $213.75. Use the margin calculator.

Size to a fixed risk

Decide the money you'll lose at your stop first, then let the position-size calculator pick the lot. Never size by how much margin you have.

A first gold trade, in the order the steps actually happen.A first gold trade, in the order the steps actually happen.01Decide the loss youacceptIn money, before thechart. Everything elsefollows.02Find where the ideais wrongThat price is the stop— not a round number.03Let the size becalculatedRisk divided by stopdistance, in lots.04Check what it locksMargin at Up to 1:200via offshore entity;one review cited1:30/1:20 caps —conflicting, notverified at review.,which is a maximum andvaries.05Count the costSpread on entry, swapfor every night held.
A first gold trade, in the order the steps actually happen.

Costs

You pay the spread on entry and an overnight swap if you hold. Factor both into every trade.

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FAQ

Common questions

What are the actual steps to place my first gold trade?

Pick a lot size first, calculate margin and pip value, set your stop level, then enter. On gold, one pip is 0.01 and one standard lot is 100 oz, so a 0.10 lot means each pip is worth a tenth of a full lot. Decide your exit before your entry, then place the order with the stop attached rather than adding it afterwards.

How do I calculate my margin on a gold position?

Margin equals position value divided by leverage, and position value is ounces times price. At a reference price of about 4275.0, a 0.10-lot position is 10 oz, so value is roughly $42,750. At 1:200 via the offshore entity that needs about $85.50 margin. Use our margin calculator rather than doing this in your head under pressure.

Where should I put my stop loss on XAU/USD?

Place the stop where your trade idea is proven wrong, then size the position so that distance is affordable, not the other way round. Because one pip is 0.01, a 10-dollar stop is 1,000 pips, which makes lot size the deciding factor. Use the position size calculator to fit the stop to your account instead of squeezing the stop.

How do I fund a gold trading account from Nigeria?

Local funding typically runs through naira bank transfers, Visa or Mastercard debit cards, e-payments and crypto, depending on what the platform supports. Fund with an amount you can afford to lose entirely, and keep records of each transfer. Check the platform's entity and regulator status before sending money, since that is the part you cannot undo.

What is a realistic first trade size on a small naira account?

Start smaller than feels exciting, because gold's pip exposure punishes optimism. A 0.10-lot position already moves in meaningful dollar amounts per pip, so many beginners should begin below that. Run the profit and pip value calculators to see what a 20-dollar gold move does to your balance before you commit real capital.