eToro Trading Account

Written by Nick Zelver

Reviewed by Mike Druttman

Getting started with an eToro trading account is simpler than most newcomers expect. You can open an account with as little as $50 (depends on your country of residence), trade thousands of assets, practice first with a $100 000 virtual portfolio, and even mirror the moves of seasoned investors through CopyTrader, all on a platform that is regulated in several major jurisdictions and protected by two-factor authentication.

Here, you will learn exactly how this account works and all relevant information that you need to know, so you can decide whether eToro fits your first steps into the markets.

What an eToro Trading Account Is

A Single Log-in for Multi-Asset Trading

An eToro trading account is a brokerage profile that lets you (availability of activities will depend on your country of residence) buy stocks, exchange-traded funds, crypto, commodities, currencies, and contracts for difference (CFDs) from the same dashboard.

Retail and Professional Profiles

Most new users open a retail account, which provides negative-balance protection and access to the full suite of social features. Traders who meet certain experience and capital thresholds can request a Professional Client upgrade that relaxes leverage caps.

Opening Your Trading Account

Eligibility and Compliance

eToro operates in more than 100 countries under licenses from the UK FCA, CySEC in Europe, ASIC in Australia, and several other regulators. 

During registration ,you must supply proof of identity and address to satisfy “know-your-customer” rules. Residents of a few US states and territories are still excluded from crypto trading, so check local availability first.

Step-by-Step Sign-Up

1. Create your profile. Sign up with an email address, Google or Apple ID, and choose a strong password.
2. Complete the questionnaire. eToro asks about your trading knowledge to match products to your experience.
3. Verify your identity. Upload a government ID plus a recent utility bill or bank statement.
4. Turn on two-factor authentication. Adding 2FA means a one-time code is required at each log-in, which blocks most phishing attempts.
5. Deposit funds. The minimum first deposit is often $50 (depends in your region or country); subsequent deposits can be the same size or higher.

Personal Tips for First-Time Users

If this is your first time to open an online trading account, here are some of my recommendations for you:

• Set learning goals. Spend a week in the virtual portfolio testing basic orders before wiring larger sums.
• Start with one asset class. Forbeginners, I suggest focusing on familiar stocks first, then branch into ETFs or crypto once you get a grasp of their price fluctuations.
• Use CopyTrader selectively. Review a trader’s risk score, drawdown history, and the number of months they have been profitable before copying. Invest small amounts across several profiles instead of going all-in on one.
• Keep an eye on fees. If your home currency is not USD, consider a low-cost FX service to top up your account and avoid the conversion spread.
• Stay compliant with tax rules. Download the yearly account statement from the Settings → Account section and hand it to your accountant or local tax authority.

eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.

Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

This communication is intended for information and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or investment recommendation. Past performance is not an indication of future results.

Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice.  The value of your investments may go up or down.  Your capital is at risk.

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

Cryptoasset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.

eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which hasbeen prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.