VT Markets introduced a gold contract for difference that operates 24 hours a day, including weekends. The broker announced the product, named XAUUSD247, on Wednesday. It uses a one-ounce contract size and is accessible to eligible clients through MetaTrader 5 and the VT Markets app.
One-ounce contract targets smaller trades
The minimum contract size is one ounce, smaller than the 100-ounce standard for VT Markets’ regular XAUUSD contract. Leverage begins at 100:1 and decreases as position size increases.
Spreads start at 15 points on weekdays. Weekend spreads begin at 40 points, roughly 2.67 times higher. The broker’s product page shows a separate 20-point spread, though the announcement does not clarify the difference. No commission applies, but overnight swaps remain in effect.
Margin calculations use the larger side of hedged positions. If a client holds both long and short positions, the broker charges margin only on the larger exposure.
“Gold doesn’t stop moving just because the market is closed,” said Dandelyn Koh, VT Markets’ head of global marketing.
The company sets tiered leverage and exposure limits. Net exposure is capped at 1,000 lots, while gross exposure cannot exceed 2,000 lots. Accounts reaching either limit enter close-only mode.
Weekend gold products spread across the market
Several brokers now offer 24/7 gold trading. Vantage launched a product with the same XAUUSD247 symbol in early July. LMAX Group added gold to its perpetual futures platform in February, focusing on institutional clients. Scope Prime introduced DIGIXAU in March, an institutional CFD with a continuous order book.
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CMC Markets rolled out Gold Weekend in April for CFD and spread betting clients but did not disclose its pricing details. Match-Prime expanded the wholesale market in June with continuous CFDs on gold, silver, oil, and two U.S. equity indices. Their offering limits leverage to 5:1 and caps net open positions at $1 million.
The VT Markets product differs by targeting retail clients. Its one-ounce contract and leverage up to 100:1 allow smaller positions than most wholesale options.
The move toward continuous trading meets demand from clients who want to respond to events outside standard market hours. However, pricing challenges arise when underlying markets are closed. Weekend pricing varies between providers, and liquidity tends to be lower.
Pricing conditions differ outside market hours
Spot and futures markets do not operate continuously over weekends. Weekend CFD prices rely on brokers or liquidity providers rather than an open market.
Match-Prime switches to an internal price discovery mechanism when primary venues close. It uses price bands and a decay function during those periods.
VT Markets did not explain how it generates XAUUSD247 prices when main gold markets are closed. The wider weekend spreads indicate thinner liquidity, a common issue outside regular trading hours.
The broker stated that availability, spreads, leverage, and exposure limits may change based on region and market conditions. XAUUSD247 is currently available through MT5 and the VT Markets app, with WebTrader also listed on the product page.