ThePriceChart
Gold (XAUUSD) Contract Specifications: Full Comparison Across All Platforms
When trading gold on different platforms, the contract specifications determine your actual cost and risk exposure. Maximum leverage, tick size, funding rate intervals, and minimum trade sizes vary significantly between exchanges. This page compiles the verified contract specs from each platform's official API and documentation.
Source: each platform's official API and public documentation, as of May 2026.
Quick Reference — Key Specs at a Glance
| Platform | Type | Max Leverage | Contract Unit | Tick Size | Min Trade | Funding Interval | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bybit | Perp | 100x | 0.001 XAU | $0.01 | 0.001 XAU | Every 4h | USDT |
| Binance | Perp | 20x | 0.001 XAU | $0.01 | 0.001 XAU | Every 8h | USDT |
| OKX | Perp | 50x | 0.001 XAU / contract | $0.10 | 1 contract | Every 8h | USD |
| Bitget | Perp | 100x | 0.01 XAU | $0.01 | 0.01 XAU | Every 4h | USDT |
| Exness | CFD | Up to unlimited* | 100 oz / lot | $0.01 | 0.01 lot | N/A (swap) | Fiat |
| IG | CFD | Up to 20:1 | 100 oz / lot | Varies | Varies | N/A (swap) | Fiat |
| FXCM | CFD | Up to 400:1 | 100 oz / lot | Varies | Varies | N/A (swap) | Fiat |
* Exness "unlimited" leverage applies to qualifying account types and equity tiers; retail leverage caps may apply depending on jurisdiction.
Bybit XAUUSDT — Contract Specifications
| Contract Type | Linear Perpetual (USDT-margined) |
| Max Leverage | 100x |
| Contract Unit | 1 unit = 1 troy oz XAU; minimum order 0.001 XAU |
| Tick Size | $0.01 |
| Minimum Notional | $5 |
| Funding Rate Interval | Every 4 hours (240 minutes) |
| Funding Rate Cap/Floor | ±0.5% |
| Settlement Currency | USDT |
| Maker / Taker Fee | 0.02% / 0.055% (standard tier) |
| Listing Date | March 2026 (new listing) |
Bybit launched its XAUUSDT linear perpetual in March 2026, making it one of the newer gold perp listings among major exchanges. The maximum leverage of 100x is the highest available on crypto exchanges for gold, though the practical leverage you choose should reflect your own risk tolerance — at 100x, a 1% adverse move liquidates the position.
One distinguishing feature is the 4-hour funding rate interval (240 minutes), as opposed to the standard 8-hour cycle used on Binance and OKX. The shorter cycle is designed to keep the perpetual price tightly anchored to spot gold, which can move sharply on macroeconomic data releases.
View live Bybit XAUUSDT spread →
OKX XAUUSD — Contract Specifications
| Contract Type | Perpetual |
| Max Leverage | 50x |
| Contract Face Value | 0.001 XAU per contract |
| Tick Size | $0.10 |
| Minimum Order | 1 contract (= 0.001 XAU) |
| Max Market Order | 240 contracts |
| Funding Rate Interval | Every 8 hours (00:00 / 08:00 / 16:00 UTC); switches to hourly when capped |
| Base Interest Rate | 0.01% per 8-hour period |
| Settlement Currency | USD |
| Maker / Taker Fee | 0.02% / 0.05% |
OKX's XAUUSD perpetual is notably different from competing products in two ways. First, the contract is settled in USD rather than USDT — useful for traders who want to avoid stablecoin conversion exposure. Second, the tick size is $0.10, ten times coarser than the $0.01 tick on Bybit, Binance, and Bitget. That means the smallest possible price move on OKX represents a larger jump in P&L per contract.
The funding rate is settled every 8 hours under normal conditions, but OKX has an automatic switch: if the funding rate reaches its cap or floor, the exchange shifts to hourly funding until the rate normalizes. This dampens prolonged price deviations from spot.
Bitget XAUUSDT — Contract Specifications
| Contract Type | USDT-margined Perpetual |
| Max Leverage | 100x |
| Contract Unit | Minimum 0.01 XAU; step size 0.01 (sizeMultiplier = 0.01) |
| Tick Size | $0.01 (pricePlace = 2) |
| Minimum Notional | $5 |
| Funding Rate Interval | Every 4 hours |
| Settlement Currency | USDT |
| Maker / Taker Fee | 0.02% / 0.06% |
Bitget's XAUUSDT perpetual contract matches Bybit's 100x max leverage ceiling and adopts the same 4-hour funding cycle. The key difference is granularity: Bitget's minimum trade size is 0.01 XAU, which is ten times larger than Bybit and Binance's 0.001 XAU minimum. At current gold prices, this represents roughly $30 of notional exposure as the smallest unit.
Taker fees on Bitget (0.06%) are marginally higher than Bybit (0.055%) and OKX (0.05%). Maker fees are identical across the three at 0.02%.
View live Bitget XAUUSDT spread →
Binance XAUUSDT — Contract Specifications
| Contract Type | TRADIFI_PERPETUAL (Binance-specific contract type) |
| Max Leverage | 20x (initial margin 5%, maintenance margin 2.5%) |
| Contract Unit | Minimum 0.001 XAU; step size 0.001 |
| Tick Size | $0.01 |
| Minimum Notional | $5 |
| Liquidation Fee | 1.5% |
| Funding Rate Interval | Every 8 hours |
| Settlement Currency | USDT |
| Maker / Taker Fee | 0.02% / 0.05% |
Binance treats XAUUSDT as a distinct contract class — TRADIFI_PERPETUAL — designed specifically for traditional finance assets. The most consequential difference: maximum leverage is capped at 20x, far below the 100x available on Bybit and Bitget. This reflects a more conservative margin framework for gold.
The liquidation fee of 1.5% is comparatively high and should factor into position sizing on this venue. Funding settles every 8 hours, consistent with Binance's perp standard.
View live Binance XAUUSDT spread →
Exness XAUUSD — Contract Specifications
| Contract Type | CFD (Contract for Difference) |
| Contract Size (1 lot) | 100 troy ounces |
| Minimum Trade | 0.01 lot (= 1 troy oz) |
| Tick Size | $0.01 (0.01 USD = 1 pip) |
| Tick Value | Per standard lot, per pip = $10 (so each $0.01 price move = $10 P&L per lot) |
| Max Leverage | Up to unlimited (Professional accounts; subject to equity and jurisdiction) |
| Trading Hours | Monday to Friday, 24/5 |
| Settlement | Account base currency (USD / EUR / etc.) |
| Overnight Cost | Swap charge / credit, varies by account type |
Exness uses traditional Forex lot conventions: 1 standard lot = 100 troy ounces, and the minimum 0.01 lot represents 1 oz of gold exposure. A 0.01 price move (1 tick) on 1 standard lot equals 100 oz × $0.01 = $1. A full $1 price move (100 ticks) on 1 standard lot equals $100 in P&L.
Because Exness is a CFD broker rather than a perpetual exchange, holding costs come from overnight swap rather than funding rate payments. Swap is charged or credited daily depending on position direction and prevailing interest-rate differentials, with Wednesday or Friday rollover sometimes carrying a triple charge.
View live Exness XAUUSD spread →
Understanding Funding Rates for Gold Perpetuals
A funding rate is the periodic payment exchanged between long and short holders of a perpetual contract to keep the contract price aligned with the underlying spot price. For gold:
- Bybit and Bitget use a 4-hour interval — six settlements per day.
- Binance and OKX use the standard 8-hour interval — three settlements per day.
- OKX additionally switches to a 1-hour interval when the funding rate hits its cap or floor.
The shorter intervals on Bybit and Bitget reflect that gold can move sharply on macro data and is more volatile than typical crypto pairs the 8-hour cycle was designed for. As a rough comparison: an 8-hour cycle of 0.01% accumulates to 0.03% per day, while six 4-hour cycles at the same per-cycle rate accumulate to 0.06% per day — so longer holding periods on Bybit/Bitget can compound differently. In practice, per-cycle rates on 4-hour markets tend to be smaller to offset the higher frequency.
For live current funding rates and spreads, see the platform table below.
Comparing Forex CFD Swaps vs Crypto Funding Rates
| Mechanism | CFD (Forex broker) | Perpetual (Crypto) |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Overnight swap | Funding rate |
| Frequency | Daily (sometimes triple on Wednesday or Friday) | Every 4 or 8 hours |
| Predictability | Relatively stable; depends on interest-rate differential | Dynamic; depends on long/short imbalance |
| Direction | Typically a cost for longs holding gold | Long/short imbalance determines direction; may be received |
| Display | Listed in trading platform (points / USD) | Shown live on exchange (%) |
Live Spread and Fee Comparison
Compare 10 Gold (XAU/USD) Platforms
| Platform | Category | Type | Fee / Spread | Trading Hours | Min Deposit | Regulation | Source | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bybit | Crypto | Perpetual Contract (USDT-settled) | Maker 0.02% / Taker 0.055% | 24/7 | $1 | Multiple | Verify ↗ | View Bybit → |
 Binance | Crypto | Perpetual Contract (USDT-settled) | Maker 0.02% / Taker 0.05% | 24/7 | $5 | ADGM (Abu Dhabi) | Verify ↗ | View Binance → |
 OKX | Crypto | Perpetual Contract (USDT-settled) | Maker 0.02% / Taker 0.05% | 24/7 | $1 | Multiple | Verify ↗ | View OKX → |
 Bitget | Crypto | Perpetual Contract (USDT-settled) | Maker 0.02% / Taker 0.06% | 24/7 | $5 | Multiple | Verify ↗ | View Bitget → |
 CoinEx | Crypto | Perpetual Contract (USDT-settled) | Maker 0.03% / Taker 0.05% | 24/7 | $1 | Multiple | Verify ↗ | View CoinEx → |
 Flipster | Crypto | Perpetual Contract | Maker 0.02% / Taker 0.06% | 24/7 | $1 | VARA (UAE, in-principle) | Verify ↗ | View Flipster → |
 IG | Forex | CFD | From 0.3 pip | Mon–Fri | $300 | FCA, ASIC, MAS | Verify ↗ | View IG → |
 Exness | Forex | CFD | From 0.16 pip | Mon–Fri | $10 | CySEC, FCA, FSCA | Verify ↗ | View Exness → |
 FXCM | Forex | CFD | From 0.3 pip | Mon–Fri | $50 | FCA, ASIC | Verify ↗ | View FXCM → |
 Hyperliquid | Crypto | On-chain Perpetual (USDT-settled, Hyperliquid L1) | Maker 0.015% / Taker 0.045% | 24/7 | Wallet-based; minimum depends on collateral and network requirements | Decentralized exchange infrastructure; not a regulated broker | Verify ↗ | View Hyperliquid → |
Explore related gold trading guides:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum leverage for XAUUSDT on Bybit?
Bybit offers up to 100x leverage on its XAUUSDT linear perpetual contract. The minimum leverage is 1x, and leverage can be adjusted in 0.01x increments. Note that Bybit launched XAUUSDT in March 2026, making it a relatively new listing.
What is the contract size for Exness XAUUSD? How many ounces is 1 lot?
On Exness, 1 standard lot of XAUUSD equals 100 troy ounces. The minimum trade size is 0.01 lots, which equals 1 troy ounce. The tick size is $0.01, and each full pip ($1 move) on a standard lot equals a profit or loss of $100.
What is OKX's XAUUSDT funding rate interval?
OKX settles funding rates every 8 hours for XAUUSD (at 00:00, 08:00, and 16:00 UTC). However, when the funding rate reaches its cap or floor limit, OKX automatically switches to hourly settlement until the rate normalizes. The base interest rate is 0.01% per 8-hour period.
Why do Bybit and Bitget use 4-hour funding rates for gold instead of 8 hours?
Gold (XAUUSD) is more volatile than most crypto assets perpetuals were originally designed for. A shorter funding rate interval (every 4 hours vs the standard 8 hours) keeps the perpetual contract price more tightly anchored to the spot price, reducing the risk of sustained deviations. This means more frequent but smaller funding payments.
What is Bitget's XAUUSDT tick size and minimum trade?
Bitget's XAUUSDT perpetual contract has a tick size of $0.01 (prices quoted to 2 decimal places). The minimum trade size is 0.01 XAU (approximately $30 at current gold prices), with a minimum notional value of $5 USDT.
How does Binance XAUUSDT differ from other exchanges?
Binance lists XAUUSDT as a "TRADIFI_PERPETUAL" — a contract type specifically designed for traditional finance assets. The key difference: Binance caps maximum leverage at 20x (vs 100x on Bybit and Bitget), reflecting a more conservative approach to gold trading. The initial margin requirement is 5%.
What does tick value mean for gold CFD trading on Exness?
Tick value is the profit or loss per minimum price movement per lot. For Exness XAUUSD, 1 tick = $0.01 price move. For 1 standard lot (100 oz), 1 tick = $1 profit/loss. For a $1 full price move (100 ticks), 1 standard lot gains or loses $100.