CFD Crypto Day Trading: Guide & Top Brokers

Crypto CFDs are derivatives where the buyer and seller pay the difference between the opening and closing price of a token when the trade is closed. Day traders can go long and short with these crypto-backed instruments, meaning you can make profits whether digital asset prices rise or fall. They are usually traded using leverage (borrowed capital). This can supercharge profits, but it can also amplify losses when the crypto market moves quickly.

The guide will explain how crypto CFDs work, discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and list the steps to trade these short-term financial products. We’ve also vetted and listed the best brokers for trading crypto CFDs.

Top 6 Crypto CFD Brokers

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We've evaluated the range of crypto CFDs and trading conditions at each of these top-rated brokers:

Tested with a live trading account Accepts traders from Portugal Your capital is at risk. Trade only with funds you can afford to lose.

1. Our top pick in Portugal
   1

   Eightcap

   4.6/ 5

   Visit Eightcap Read review
   • FTSE Spread: 1.2
   • GBPUSD Spread: 0.1
   • Stocks Spread: 0.03 (Apple Inc)
   71.28% of retail traders lose money when trading CFDs
2. 2

   AvaTrade

   4.9/ 5

   Visit AvaTrade Read review
   • FTSE Spread: 0.5
   • GBPUSD Spread: 1.5
   • Stocks Spread: 0.13
3. 3

   Trade Nation

   4.4/ 5

   Visit Trade Nation Read review
   • FTSE Spread: From 0.4
   • GBPUSD Spread: From 0.6
   • Stocks Spread: Variable
4. 4

   Pepperstone

   4.8/ 5

   Visit Pepperstone Read review
   • FTSE Spread: 1.0
   • GBPUSD Spread: 0.4
   • Stocks Spread: 0.02
   73-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs
5. 5

   Fusion Markets

   4.6/ 5

   Visit Fusion Markets Read review
   • FTSE Spread: 1.0
   • GBPUSD Spread: 0.13
   • Stocks Spread: 0.01
6. 6

   BlackBull

   4.5/ 5

   Visit BlackBull Read review
   • FTSE Spread: 1.5
   • GBPUSD Spread: 0.5
   • Stocks Spread: No mark-up

Learn how we test brokers and why you can trust our ratings.

Here is a summary of why we recommend these brokers in October 2026:

1. Eightcap 4.6/5 Eightcap’s crypto offering is best-in-class with 120+ crypto derivatives, surpassing that of almost every alternative. Testing also reveals Bitcoin spreads of 12 pips, coming in lower than most competitors. Add in convenient deposits and withdrawals in digital currencies, and Eightcap offers the complete package for serious crypto traders.
2. AvaTrade 4.9/5 Regulated in five continents, AvaTrade offers a secure way to access crypto markets. There's a growing range of digital currencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple, plus more unusually, a crypto index for diversified exposure. You can also access competitive crypto spreads in the broker's three platforms as well as 1:2 leverage.
3. Trade Nation 4.4/5 Cryptocurrencies are available through the broker's Bahamas entity. Traders can access thousands of indicators to tailor their crypto trading strategies and there are no hidden charges.
4. Pepperstone 4.8/5 Pepperstone continues to prove itself as one of the most trusted crypto CFD brokers. Although its selection of digital tokens is average, you can trade popular cryptos like Bitcoin and altcoins like Ripple with up to 1:10 leverage, while its crypto indices provide a holistic view of the digital currency markets not found on most day trading platforms. It has also launched a dedicated crypto exchange in Australia - Pepperstone Crypto.
5. Fusion Markets 4.6/5 Fusion Markets offers the best-known crypto tokens paired with USD, and up to 1:10 leverage depending on your location. Bitcoin spreads are competitive starting from 0.04%, while it shines for its top-notch charting tools in MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView.
6. BlackBull 4.5/5 BlackBull excels for active traders interested in trading crypto. It has grown its selection of cryptocurrencies, now providing 27+ digital tokens, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Trump, with all cryptos paired with USD. But pricing is where it excels, with testing revealing average spreads of around 12 on BTC/USD - less than half that of competitors like Eightcap, plus there’s no commission, making it considerably cheaper than most crypto CFD brokers. BlackBull also offers separate well-presented crypto guides for beginner, intermediate and advanced traders. Up to 1:100 leverage is available on cryptos.

Compare Crypto CFD Trading Conditions

Compare Crypto CFD Trading Conditions

Broker	Coins	Crypto Spread
Eightcap	86	$12 (BTC)
AvaTrade	8	BTC <1%, ETH 2%
Trade Nation	3	Fixed
Pepperstone	15	30 (BTC)
Fusion Markets	14	From 0.04%
BlackBull	27	12 average (Bitcoin)

Community Sentiment

See how users rate these brokers based on the average customer ratings submitted on DayTrading.com, plus ratings from Trustpilot, the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Community Sentiment

Broker	Our Users' Rating	Trustpilot Score	Trustpilot Reviews	iOS App Rating	Android App Rating
Eightcap	4.0 / 5	4.1 / 5	3909	4.8 / 5	4.4 / 5
AvaTrade	4.3 / 5	4.8 / 5	13567	4.3 / 5	4.0 / 5
Trade Nation	4.0 / 5	4.4 / 5	2147	4.5 / 5	4.5 / 5
Pepperstone	4.0 / 5	4.2 / 5	3678	4.4 / 5	4.1 / 5
Fusion Markets	3.6 / 5	4.8 / 5	10051	4.8 / 5	4.4 / 5
BlackBull	4.0 / 5	4.7 / 5	3515	3.7 / 5	3.7 / 5

Eightcap

4.6/ 5

Visit Eightcap Eightcap review

Eightcap delivers in every area for day traders with a growing selection of charting platforms, education via Labs, and AI-powered tools. Now sporting 120+ crypto CFDs, it's also become a stand-out choice for crypto trading, winning our 'Best Crypto Broker' award two years in a row.

Eightcap quick facts

FTSE Spread

1.2

GBPUSD Spread

0.1

Stocks Spread

0.03 (Apple Inc)

Leverage

1:30

Regulator

FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSC, SCB, FSA

Platforms

MT4, MT5, TradingView, TradeLocker

Coins

BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, XRP, XMR, DSH, EOS, XLM, ADA, TRX, DOGE, BNB, DOT, MATIC, VET, AXS, NEO, SOL, UNI, AAVE, KSM, THETA, CAKE, SUSHI, ATOM, XTZ, SNX, COMP, FLOW, EGLD, PUNDIX, RAY, ZIL, QTUM, BAND, OMG, FIDA, BADGER, NEAR and many more

Crypto Mining

✘No

Auto Market Maker

✘No

Crypto Spread

$12 (BTC)

Crypto Lending

✘No

Crypto Staking

✘No

Minimum Deposit

$100

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, SGD

Pros

• With tight spreads from 0 pips, low commission fees, Eightcap provides cost-effective and flexible trading conditions that can accommodate an array of strategies, including day trading and scalping.
• After bolstering its roster in 2021, Eightcap offers one of the most extensive selections of cryptocurrency CFDs in the market, with crypto/fiat pairs, crypto/crypto pairs, plus crypto indices for broader exposure to the market.
• Eightcap Challenges, the broker's prop trading firm, is multi-regulated, removing the third-party risks we commonly see with white-label prop firms, and its tailoring its funded accounts to crypto traders with around 150 crypto pairs, plus it's integrated into the TradingView interface.

Cons

• Despite a useful library of educational guides and e-books in Labs, Eightcap still trails IG’s comprehensive toolkit for aspiring traders with its dedicated IG Academy app and 18 course categories.
• In spite of an increasing variety of tools, Eightcap doesn't offer industry favorites like Autochartist or Trading Central, which offer cutting-edge charting analytics, live news, and market insights for short-term traders.
• Eightcap needs to continue bolstering its suite of 800+ instruments to match category leaders like Blackbull Markets with its 26,000+ assets, featuring a particularly weak selection of commodities.

Visit Eightcap Eightcap review

AvaTrade

4.9/ 5

Visit AvaTrade AvaTrade review

AvaTrade offers active traders everything they need: an intuitive WebTrader, powerful AvaProtect risk management, a smooth 5-minute sign-up process, and dependable support you can rely on in fast-moving markets.

AvaTrade quick facts

FTSE Spread

0.5

GBPUSD Spread

1.5

Stocks Spread

0.13

Leverage

1:30 (Retail) 1:400 (Pro)

Regulator

ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, ISA, CBI, JFSA, BVI, FSRA/ADGM, AFM, CMA-Kenya, CIRO (via Friedberg Direct)

Platforms

WebTrader, AvaTradeGO, AvaOptions, AvaFutures, MT4, MT5, AlgoTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade

Coins

BCH, BTC, BTG, ETH, LTC, XRP, EOS, DASH

Crypto Mining

✘No

Auto Market Maker

✘No

Crypto Spread

BTC <1%, ETH 2%

Crypto Lending

✘No

Crypto Staking

✘No

Minimum Deposit

$100

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, ZAR

Pros

• The WebTrader excelled in our hands-on tests, sporting a user-friendly interface for beginners, complete with robust charting tools like 6 chart layouts and 60+ technical indicators.
• Years on, AvaTrade remains one of the few brokers offering a bespoke risk management tool, AvaProtect, that insures losses up to $1M for a fee and is easy to activate on the platform.
• Support at AvaTrade performed excellently during testing, with response times of 3 minutes and localized support in major trading jurisdictions, including the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

Cons

• While signing up is a breeze, AvaTrade lacks an ECN account like Pepperstone or IC Markets, which provides the raw spreads and ultra-fast execution many day traders are looking for.
• The AvaSocial app is good but not great – the look and feel, plus the navigation between finding strategy providers and account management needs upgrading to rival category leaders like eToro.
• AvaTrade’s WebTrader has improved, but work is still needed in terms of customizability – frustratingly widgets like market watch and watchlists can’t be hidden, moved, or resized.

Visit AvaTrade AvaTrade review

Trade Nation

4.4/ 5

Visit Trade Nation Trade Nation review

Trade Nation suits discretionary traders who want to speculate on major indices like the US 500 or liquid FX pairs, and want the predictable all-in costs of fixed spreads. In tests, we found the fixed-spread TN Trader environment particularly useful for trading around scheduled economic releases owing to its reliable charting environment and because published spreads stayed capped.

Trade Nation quick facts

FTSE Spread

From 0.4

GBPUSD Spread

From 0.6

Stocks Spread

Variable

Leverage

1:30

Regulator

FCA, ASIC, CMVM , FSCA, SCB, FSA

Platforms

TN Trader, MT4, TradingView

Coins

BTC, ETH, LTC

Crypto Mining

✘No

Auto Market Maker

✘No

Crypto Spread

Fixed

Crypto Lending

✘No

Crypto Staking

✘No

Minimum Deposit

$0

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, ZAR, SEK, NOK, DKK

Pros

• The demo comes with a $5,000 practice account and you can request a one-on-one platform walkthrough by callback - this level of personal help is rare.
• Trade Nation's 2026 partnership with Volt has sped up payments for Australian traders, who can now make instant deposits and withdrawals using PayID, with the faster payout capabilities planned for clients in the UK and EU.
• In testing of the TN Trader account under normal market conditions, fixed spreads held while fills were prompt on major forex pairs, with a slight drift in the entry level as price ticked between click and fill.

Cons

• There is no raw or ECN pricing tier, which are often prefered by day traders. No matter how much you deposit or trade, you use the same fixed (or variable on MT4) pricing as beginners, making it unsuitable for scalpers especially.
• The 2–20% rebate scheme is closed to FCA, CMVM, and ASIC clients, meaning active day traders in these regions who would benefit from transaction rebates cannot claim them.
• Withdrawals can take up to five business days, which is around the industry average but slower than the 1-3 days we’re increasingly seeing brokers offer in an attempt to quash withdrawal complaints from retail investors.

Visit Trade Nation Trade Nation review

Pepperstone

4.8/ 5

Visit Pepperstone Pepperstone review

Pepperstone stands out as a top choice for day trading, offering razor-sharp spreads, ultra-fast execution, and advanced charting platforms for experienced traders. New traders are also welcomed with no minimum deposit, extensive educational resources, and exceptional 24/5 support (18h a day on weekends).

Pepperstone quick facts

FTSE Spread

1.0

GBPUSD Spread

0.4

Stocks Spread

0.02

Leverage

1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)

Regulator

FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin, DFSA, SCA, SCB, CMA-Kenya

Platforms

Pepperstone Trading Platform, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView

Coins

BCH, BTC, ETH, LTC, DASH, ADA, LINK, DOGE, EOS, DOT, XRP, XLM, XTZ, UNI, BNB

Crypto Mining

✘No

Auto Market Maker

✘No

Crypto Spread

30 (BTC)

Crypto Lending

✘No

Crypto Staking

✘No

Minimum Deposit

$0

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD

Pros

• Pepperstone has greatly improved the deposit and withdrawal experience in recent years, adding Apple Pay and Google Pay in 2025, as well as PIX and SPEI for clients in Brazil and Mexico in 2024.
• Award-winning customer support is available via telephone, email or live chat with response times of <5 minutes during testing and friendly agents knowledgeable about its products and trading tools.
• Offers a dedicated CopyTrading app for traders who want a less active approach to trading, available in some countries.

Cons

• Overnight holding fees are higher than that found with some Market Maker brokers (usually Benchmark + 2.5%). This makes pepperstone an ideal broker for day traders and forex scalpers but less suitable for swing traders who often keep position open overnight.
• Pepperstone has removed support for several tools that elevated the trading experience for active retail traders, notably Autochartist, Capitalise.ai and a free VPS for qualifying traders (now only pro traders in some countries).
• Despite improvements to its range of markets, crypto CFD offerings are still fairly limited compared to other brokers who focus on this area, such as Eightcap, and there's no option to invest in real coins.

Visit Pepperstone Pepperstone review

Fusion Markets

4.6/ 5

Visit Fusion Markets Fusion Markets review

Fusion Markets is a standout option for forex traders looking for excellent pricing with spreads near zero, industry-low commissions and recently TradingView integration. It’s a particularly good broker for Australian traders where the company is headquartered and regulated by the ASIC.

Fusion Markets quick facts

FTSE Spread

1.0

GBPUSD Spread

0.13

Stocks Spread

0.01

Leverage

1:500 (Exceeds ESMA limits; high risk)

Regulator

ASIC, VFSC, FSA

Platforms

MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, DupliTrade

Coins

BTC, BCH, ADA, ETH, LTC, EOS, XLM, DOT, LNK, AVAX, SOL, MATIC, DOGE, BNB

Crypto Mining

✘No

Auto Market Maker

✘No

Crypto Spread

From 0.04%

Crypto Lending

✘No

Crypto Staking

✘No

Minimum Deposit

$0

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD

Pros

• The range of charting platforms and social trading features is excellent, with MT4, MT5, cTrader and more recently TradingView, catering to a wide range of trader preferences.
• Withdrawal processing times have been slashed to under an hour and can be processed 24/7, making it faster and easier for active traders to withdraw any gains.
• Fusion Markets is set up to support algo traders with a sponsored VPS solution and a 25% discount if you opt for the NYC Servers VPS for MT4 or cTrader.

Cons

• There is no proprietary trading platform or app built with beginners in mind, a notable drawback compared to AvaTrade.
• While the selection of currency pairs trumps most rivals, the broker's alternative investment offering is average with no stock CFDs beyond the US.
• The demo account expires after 30 days, limiting its potential as a useful trading tool alongside a real-money account.

Visit Fusion Markets Fusion Markets review

BlackBull

4.5/ 5

Visit BlackBull BlackBull review

After improving its trading infrastructure with Equinix servers in London, reducing latency for traders, BlackBull is an obvious choice if you want to day trade stock CFDs with ECN pricing. With competitive spreads and no commission on a growing roster of digital tokens paired with USD, BlackBull also works for active crypto traders.

BlackBull quick facts

FTSE Spread

1.5

GBPUSD Spread

0.5

Stocks Spread

No mark-up

Leverage

1:500

Regulator

FMA, FSA

Platforms

BlackBull Invest, BlackBull CopyTrader, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist

Coins

BTC, ETH, SOL, XLM, XRP, BCH, ADA, SUI, TRUMP, LNK, DOT, DOGE, AAVE, AXS, HED, LTC, TRX, UNI, PYTH, ARB, BNB, AVAX, NEAR, ILV, ATM, INJ, POLY

Crypto Mining

✘No

Auto Market Maker

✘No

Crypto Spread

12 average (Bitcoin)

Crypto Lending

✘No

Crypto Staking

✘No

Minimum Deposit

$0

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, ZAR, SGD

Pros

• With two ECN-powered accounts (Standard and Prime), plus Prime+ - an active trader rewards program offering trading rebates - BlackBull accommodates beginners through to high-volume active traders.
• BlackBull is a much greater fit for aspiring traders following the overhaul of its ECN Prime account, now featuring improved spreads averaging 0.16 on EUR/USD and a more accessible minimum deposit of $0 compared to the old $2,000.
• After partnering with ZuluTrade and Myfxbook, alongside improvements to its own CopyTrader, and finally enabling cTrader Copy, BlackBull offers one of the most comprehensive copy trading experiences we've seen.

Cons

• Unlike most top brokers, BlackBull charges an irritating $5 withdrawal fee, which can detract from the overall cost-effectiveness, especially for active traders who frequently move funds.
• Despite a growing selection of 2,180+ assets, including additions to its Asia Pacific indices, they are mainly stocks with an average selection of currency pairs and indices.
• Although the Education Hub now features improvements like webinars and tutorials, the courses we’ve explored need more focus on explaining the wider economic factors influencing prices.

Visit BlackBull BlackBull review

What Are Crypto CFDs?

Crypto CFDs are financial instruments that track price movements in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin.

They enable speculators to bet on whether crypto prices will rise or fall without having to own the underlying asset itself, a characteristic of all CFDs.

You can bet on crypto prices rising by taking a ‘long’ position, or speculate that values will drop by going ‘short’.

Like many derivatives, crypto-backed CFDs are popular with short-term traders who wish to use leverage. These are funds that you can borrow from a brokerage to control a larger position.

You will put down a deposit (known as margin) that allows you to open and hold a position in a cryptocurrency. Your broker will specify the minimum balance you must maintain in your account relative to the total value of the leveraged position.

Based on our many years in the industry, the level of leverage available on crypto CFDs typically ranges from 1:2 to over 1:20. A $100 outlay with 1:2 leverage would give you $200 (2 x $100) in buying power, while 1:20 leverage would give you $2,000 (20 x $100).

Due to their volatile nature, crypto CFDs are normally available with less leverage than other financial instruments, such as fiat currencies, protecting against significant losses in fast-moving markets.

Importantly, if you fall short of the margin requirements, the brokerage will demand that you deposit more cash. This is known as a margin call. If you fail to do this you may find your cryptocurrency CFD position liquidated by your broker – an extremely frustrating situation.

A Crypto CFD Trade In Action

To help you understand how a crypto CFD trade works in reality, let’s look at an example…

Initial Scenario

• Current Bitcoin Price: $60,000
• My Deposit (Margin): $1,000

Objective

I anticipate that the price of Bitcoin will increase following an announcement from an established public company that it’s bought a large amount of the digital currency, so I decide to enter a long position (buy) using a Bitcoin CFD with 10x leverage.

The 10x leverage means that my $1,000 deposit allows me to control a position worth 10 times my deposit, so $1000 x 10 = $10,000.

Trade Execution

• Price Movement: The price of Bitcoin rises over the next 6 hours
• New Bitcoin Price: $62,500

Importantly, Bitcoin CFDs are only settled when I choose (or the broker closes it because I have failed to meet margin requirements).

Calculating My Profit

• Determine the price movement: The price moved from $60,000 to $62,500, which is a $2,500 increase.
• Calculate the percentage increase: The increase is $2,500 on the original $60,000, which is a 4.17% increase.
• Apply the percentage to my controlled amount: Since I control $10,000 worth of Bitcoin, a 4.17% increase on my position is $10,000 x 4.17% = $417. My profit excludes trading fees.

If I had not used leverage and simply invested my $1,000 directly into Bitcoin, my profit from the price increase from $60,000 to $62,500 would have been approximately $41.67 ($1,000 x 4.17%), excluding any fees, demonstrating the huge impact of leverage.

If The Price Had Fallen

If, instead, the price of Bitcoin had fallen to $58,000, I would calculate my loss in a similar manner. The price movement would be a $2,000 decrease, equating to a 3.33% decrease. On my $10,000 position, a 3.33% decrease would result in a $330 loss.

Should I Trade Crypto CFDs Instead Of Crypto Directly?

You can trade cryptocurrency directly on a specialist crypto exchange like Coinbase. However, trading a crypto-based CFD can have advantages over buying and selling digital currencies themselves. These include:

How To Trade Cryptocurrency CFDs

If allowed in your jurisdiction, day trading crypto CFDs requires 3 steps:

1. Choose a CFD crypto broker
2. Develop a strategy
3. Place a trade

Choose A Crypto Broker

The first step is to choose a broker with cryptocurrency CFDs. I always start by checking that the company is trusted; there are vast numbers of unregulated crypto CFD brokers doing business across the globe with scams prevalent.

Next, consider the levels of leverage that you’re able to take advantage of. After all, the ability to use borrowed funds from a broker is one of the major selling points of day trading crypto CFDs.

Also look for brokers with negative balance protection. This will ensure that you cannot lose more than the funds that are already in your account when trading with leverage.

Once you’re happy with these points, check the pricing – low spreads will help maximize profits, especially for active day traders.

Finally, make sure the trading platform is easy to use with the charting tools you need to analyze and forecast cryptocurrency price movements. This is really important – an intuitive platform can really enhance the trading environment in my experience.

Develop A Strategy

Successful CFD crypto trading requires a well-thought-out strategy, typically entailing technical analysis if you’re short-term trading, though it could also include fundamental analysis.

Determine in advance your entry and exit points, stop-loss orders, and take-profit levels. Backtest your strategy where possible, making use of a demo account if needed, and remain adaptable to changing market conditions – crypto prices are notoriously volatile.

Two popular strategies for short-term crypto CFD trading include:

Breakout Trading – This strategy involves identifying a channel of resistance and support levels that the asset is consistently oscillating between. A breakout trader would wait until the price breaks through either level and then open a position for the breakout to be consolidated and become a new trend.

Contrarian Trading – This strategy is similar to swing trading, entailing betting against a consolidated trend as you are anticipating its reversal. This can be indicated in several ways, for example, a declining trading volume.

Place A Trade

You should be able to execute a cryptocurrency CFD trade directly in the broker’s platform or mobile trading app in a few clicks, inputting long/short, position size and any risk management parameters.

Importantly, begin day trading crypto CFDs with an amount of capital you can afford to lose. Start small to test your strategy under real market conditions.

Always stay informed about market news and events that could affect crypto prices, and be prepared to adjust your strategy as needed.

A Restricted Asset Class

Their high-risk nature means that trading crypto CFDs is closely regulated in many countries and even outlawed in others.

For example, in January 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK banned retail traders from speculating on cryptocurrencies through derivatives like CFDs. Retail clients in the UK can only trade crypto CFDs with offshore, weakly regulated brokers with limited legal protections.

That said, the FCA has left the door open for professional traders to continue dealing in crypto derivatives.

The high-risk nature of CFDs means many territories have prohibited them regardless of which underlying asset they are linked to. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), for instance, has prohibited any US citizens from dealing in these contracts.

Certain regions like the European Union and Australia have strict rules on the trading of CFDs, including crypto CFDs, while some like Hong Kong prevent their citizens from trading them unless they use an overseas broker.

Bottom Line

Since the creation of Bitcoin in 2009, hundreds of other cryptocurrencies have been created and now form a massive part of the day trading landscape. CFDs are extremely popular ways to capitalize on these new-age assets, although the wide-scale availability of leverage adds extra danger to these trades.

Investors who decide to deal in these financial instruments should be fully aware of these risks, and must have a detailed understanding of cryptocurrency markets before taking the plunge.

To get started, see our ranking of the best brokers with crypto CFDs. Alternatively, trading cryptocurrency-backed CFDs via a demo account is a lowe-risk first step for newer traders.

FAQ

How Does CFD Crypto Trading Work?

Two parties will enter a contract that states that the difference between the opening and closing values of the digital asset will be paid by either the broker or trader (depending on the type taken out and the direction of price movement).

Importantly, CFDs are derivatives, so you do not take ownership of the underlying digital asset, you simply make or lose money based on the change in its value.

Do I Need A Digital Wallet For CFD Crypto Trading?

No, you do not need a digital wallet. Digital wallets are used when you own digital currencies, which is not the case for CFD crypto trading, and is part of their appeal to short-term speculators.

What Cryptocurrencies Can I Trade CFDs With?

It is primarily the cryptos with the biggest market capitalization that brokers will offer CFDs for. These include Bitcoin, Ripple, Ethereum and Litecoin.

Having said that, we’re seeing brokers expand their suite of cryptocurrency CFDs, with Eightcap standing out for its around 100 crypto derivatives.

How Much Money Do I Need To Trade Crypto CFDs?

CFD crypto trading is much akin to betting in that you can put as much or as little money as you wish (to a point) on the trade.

The use of leverage can also increase market exposure by allowing you to front only a portion of a trade’s stake, for example, less than $100.

Importantly, given the derivative nature of CFDs, you do not need to be able to purchase one whole Bitcoin, for example, to begin trading.

What Time Does Crypto CFD Trading Cease?

As cryptocurrencies are not traded on one specific regulated exchange, they are open for CFD trading 24/7, all year round.

That said, there are times of higher and lower market activity that will often follow the peak trading hours of popular physical exchanges, which can affect profits through slippage and volatility.