"Up to $15 per lot" sounds like a marketing line. What does it actually mean for your specific trading style? The answer depends on three things: which instrument you trade, what account type you use, and how much volume you generate per month. This article breaks all three down with real numbers.
What does "per lot" mean?
In forex, a standard lot is 100,000 units of the base currency. When rebate rates are quoted per lot, they refer to standard lots. If you trade mini lots (0.1 standard) or micro lots (0.01 standard), your rebate scales proportionally — trading 10 mini lots equals one standard lot for rebate calculation purposes.
Quick conversion: 0.10 lot = $0.60 rebate at $6/lot · 0.50 lot = $3.00 · 1.00 lot = $6.00 · 5.00 lots = $30.00
Typical rebate rates by instrument type
Rates vary significantly by instrument class because broker margins differ. Major forex pairs have tight spreads but high volume — brokers still pay competitive IB rates. Exotic instruments and commodities carry wider spreads, and broker revenue per lot is higher, which translates to larger rebates.
| Instrument type | Typical range | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Major forex pairs EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY |
$3 – $7 per lot | Standard |
| Minor forex pairs EUR/GBP, AUD/CAD, NZD/JPY |
$5 – $10 per lot | Standard |
| Exotic forex pairs USD/TRY, USD/ZAR, EUR/PLN |
$8 – $15 per lot | Higher |
| Gold (XAU/USD) Most traded commodity CFD |
$6 – $12 per lot | Higher |
| Crude oil (WTI / Brent) Energy CFDs |
$4 – $8 per lot | Standard |
| Stock indices S&P 500, NASDAQ, DAX |
$2 – $6 per lot | Lower |
| Crypto CFDs BTC, ETH as CFD instruments |
$5 – $10 per lot | Standard |
These are representative ranges across the broker landscape. Actual rates depend on your specific broker and account type — use the MIONTO calculator to see exact figures for your setup.
How account type shifts the rate
Your account type is one of the biggest levers on your rebate rate. ECN and Raw Spread accounts pay the broker a commission per trade rather than a marked-up spread. Because the commission is a defined, transparent number, IB partners can pass back a predictable percentage. Standard/Classic accounts embed broker profit inside the spread — the IB share is still defined, but the structure is different.
- ECN / Raw Spread accounts: Higher per-lot rebates. Broker earns explicit commission, larger IB share possible.
- Standard / Classic accounts: Moderate rebates. Broker earns from spread, IB share is a portion of that.
- Zero-commission "cent" accounts: Low or no rebates. These accounts often have no IB program attached.
- VIP / Institutional accounts: Highest rebates, sometimes exceeding the standard IB rate. Requires higher minimum volume commitment.
Real calculation: what does this mean in money?
Here are three trader profiles with realistic monthly numbers:
Profile A — Casual forex trader
Profile B — Active gold trader
Profile C — High-volume scalper
The formula in one line
Monthly rebate = Monthly lots × Average rate per lot. That's it. Rebates don't compound, don't expire, and don't depend on whether your trades were profitable. A losing month still earns the same rebate as a winning one — the rebate is based on volume, not P&L.
This is why rebate income is one of the most stable, predictable income streams available to active traders. Even if the market is choppy and your strategy has a tough month, the rebate line continues.
What reduces your effective rate?
A few situations lower the rebate you actually receive:
- Broker reporting delays. Most brokers report volume weekly or monthly. Your rebate is credited after the broker confirms — not instantly.
- Instrument exclusions. Some brokers exclude certain instruments from IB commission (often very exotic pairs or specific crypto tokens). Check your broker's IB terms.
- Minimum volume tiers. A small number of programs have volume-based tiers — lower rates until you hit a monthly threshold. Most standard programs are flat-rate from the first lot.
- Account mismatch. If your account type doesn't qualify for the IB program (e.g. a cent account opened before the IB link was set up), no rebate applies.
How to find your exact rate
The fastest way is to use a rebate calculator that's connected to live broker data. Enter your broker, account type, instruments, and monthly volume — the calculator returns your expected monthly and annual rebate. MIONTO's calculator pulls current rates directly and shows a breakdown per instrument.