Commissions are based on total dollar amount of the executed order at the rate of e.g 2.50 per 100,000 executed of the base currency, each side. There are four types of commission calculations one must perform, demonstrated by the following four examples to buy 1 lot.

Commissions are based on total dollar amount of the executed order at the rate of e.g 2.50 per 100,000 executed of the base currency, each side. There are four types of commission calculations one must perform, demonstrated by the following four examples to buy 1 lot.

Keep in mind that for most “exotics” e.g. EUR/CHF (3rd example), you must refer to the base currency’s relationship to the US dollar (i.e. the base currency is EUR and the cross currency is USD; EUR/USD). Where there is none, e.g. CHF/JPY (4th example), CHF/USD does not exist, therefore use the US dollar based pair (USD/CHF) instead.

1. USD/JPY – US dollar based currency

US dollar based currency
Formula: Deal Size x 0.000025

10,000 currency (1 lot) x $0.000025 = $0.25 = $0.25 commission (after rounding).

2. EUR/USD – Non-US dollar based currency

Use EUR/USD’s purchase price:
Formula: Deal Size x Deal Rate x 0.000025

10,000 currency (1 lot) x $1.3310 x $0.000025 = $0.3327 = $0.33 commission (after rounding).

3. EUR/CHF – Exotic: US dollar is available as cross currency (EUR/USD)

Use EUR/USD’s current rate at the time the position is opened for EUR/CHF, keeping in mind that with an exotic,
we reference the base currency’s relationship to the US Dollar:
Formula: Deal Size X Deal Rate of EUR/USD X 0.000025

10,000 currency (1 lot) x $1.3310 x $0.000025 = $0.33 commission (after rounding).

4. CHF/JPY – Exotic: US dollar cross (CHF/USD) isn’t available but base is (USD/CHF)

Since CHF/USD does not exist, use USD/CHF, and since USD is the base currency, use the same formula as example #1 above.
Formula: Deal Size x 0.000025

10,000 currency (1 lot) x $0.8263 x 0.000025 = $.2065 = $0.21 commission (after rounding).