How to trade
XAUUSD in the USA
Gold is accessible. The product matters. Understand US restrictions, compare gold futures and size the risk before choosing where to trade.
Can you trade XAUUSD in the USA?
You can trade gold in the United States. But an offshore leveraged XAUUSD CFD is not interchangeable with a US exchange-listed gold product. For US retail residents, COMEX futures and exchange-traded gold products are distinct routes to explore, subject to account approval. Start with the legal product structure, not the ticker.
Why most offshore XAUUSD accounts are not a US solution
The Commodity Exchange Act, as amended by Dodd-Frank, generally treats leveraged, margined or financed retail off-exchange commodity transactions as subject to futures-market requirements. CFTC precious-metals enforcement makes clear why a cash-settled retail gold offer is not simply ordinary forex.
There are specific statutory exceptions, including qualifying actual delivery within 28 days. A screen balance or promise of delivery is not automatically qualifying delivery. These exceptions are not a shortcut for an ordinary rolling gold CFD.
CFTC registration and NFA membership alone do not approve every gold product. Check the precise transaction, legal entity and applicable permissions. If access remains unclear, seek qualified US legal advice before funding.
Choose the gold market, not just the symbol
Gold futures
Standardised COMEX contracts through a futures account. Suitable for studying directional gold execution, with leverage, expiry and delivery obligations to manage.
Account approval and current margin requirements apply.
Gold trust shares
Securities such as gold trust shares provide a different form of price exposure through a securities account. Share price, market hours, expenses and tracking are not spot XAUUSD.
Review the prospectus and product structure; not all gold ETPs are the same.
Allocated bullion
Physical gold ownership is separate from leveraged short-term trading. Storage, insurance, dealer spreads and authenticity are material considerations.
Not an equivalent tool for copying intraday trade levels.
GC vs MGC: the contract changes your risk
Both quote gold in US dollars per troy ounce. The contract unit determines the dollar impact. A smaller contract does not remove leverage risk, and futures contracts are not spot forex lots.
| Specification | GC | MGC |
|---|---|---|
| Troy ounces / contract | 100 oz | 10 oz |
| Minimum price increment | $0.10 / oz | $0.10 / oz |
| Tick value / contract | $10 | $1 |
| P&L for a $1 / oz move | $100 | $10 |
| Risk for a $10 / oz stop* | $1,000 | $100 |
| Expiry / delivery rules | Apply | Apply |
*Illustrative one-contract loss at the stop price, excluding fees, slippage and gaps. Not a recommended stop distance. Review broker liquidation, first-notice and delivery cutoffs before holding an expiring contract.
Gold futures risk calculator
$100.00 stop risk per MGC contract. $0.00 of the budget remains before costs.
Risk = contracts × ounces × stop distance. Excludes commissions, fees, slippage and gaps. A stop is not a guaranteed loss limit. This is not a margin or account-eligibility calculation; exchange and broker requirements apply separately.
Margin is not your loss budget
A low advertised intraday margin is collateral, not a cap on loss. Overnight requirements can differ. Choose a loss budget and logical invalidation first, then verify whether any whole contract fits both that budget and your broker's margin rules.
Trading spot lots outside this futures framework? Use the gold lot calculatorRead gold on the New York clock
- Normal GC / MGC week
- Sunday 6:00 p.m. to Friday 5:00 p.m. ET. Daily maintenance break: 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET on trading weekdays. Holiday schedules can differ.
- US data risk
- CPI and the Employment Situation are commonly scheduled at 8:30 a.m. ET. Verify each release calendar. Spreads, gaps and slippage can invalidate otherwise orderly execution.
- London and New York overlap
- Watch liquidity interaction and displacement, not a guaranteed daily move. UK and US daylight saving changes occur on different dates; the overlap shifts during transition weeks.
An execution checklist, not a clock-based entry
- Establish H4 and H1 structure before an M15 execution idea.
- Identify external or session liquidity and wait for interaction.
- Require displacement and a body-confirmed structure break.
- Check the actual futures expiry and price, not only spot XAUUSD.
- Stand aside if event risk, unclear structure or sizing invalidates the trade.
A prop firm is not a regulatory shortcut
A funded-account programme may be a simulated evaluation, a live allocation, or another arrangement. US eligibility is specific to the legal entity, platform and instrument, and can change. An evaluation fee does not buy a regulated brokerage account.
Residency
Get current written confirmation that US residents are eligible for the exact programme.
Execution
Confirm simulated vs live trading, the gold instrument and the executing entity.
Loss rules
Read daily loss resets, trailing drawdown, news restrictions and overnight rules.
Payout terms
Check fees, payout conditions, dispute jurisdiction and termination rights.
Our comparison is not a list of guaranteed US-eligible providers. Neither a rating nor a funded-account label establishes regulatory compliance.
Review the gold record before you join
Our published gold record spans three calendar years. Review the outcomes, losing trades and drawdowns, not a promise of what your account will earn.
- Recorded trades
- 233
- Net result
- +94.25R
- Profit factor
- 1.74
- Maximum drawdown
- 8.25R
1R is the defined initial risk per trade. This is the published XAUUSD record, not GC/MGC execution performance or a verified return on your brokerage account. Futures basis, costs and fills differ. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
No card required. Free access does not include every paid execution benefit.
33 Months of Recorded Performance
Build your next gold-market read
Live gold chart & today's context
Spot price, session context and public market analysis.
Gold COT positioning
Official futures positioning and weekly changes.
US inflation & gold
Read the CPI release before interpreting the move.
Payrolls & event risk
Official employment data and gold-market context.
The institutional gold guide
Structure, liquidity, displacement and qualified execution.
Evaluate the signals desk
Risk criteria, published evidence and account access.
US gold trading: common questions
Can you trade XAUUSD in the USA?
US residents can trade gold, but the offshore leveraged XAUUSD CFD offered in many countries is not the same as a US exchange-listed product. Leveraged retail off-exchange precious-metals transactions are generally subject to Commodity Exchange Act restrictions, with specific exceptions. Gold futures and exchange-traded gold products are distinct alternatives; eligibility depends on the product, provider and account.
Is XAUUSD illegal in the US?
Gold ownership and gold trading are not generally illegal. XAUUSD is a quotation for gold in US dollars, not a legal product classification. The restrictions concern certain leveraged, margined or financed retail off-exchange transactions. Registration alone does not make every off-exchange gold product permissible.
Where can US residents trade gold?
US residents can seek access to COMEX gold futures through a futures broker, or exchange-traded gold shares through a securities brokerage, subject to account approval. Verify the legal entity and applicable registration. This guide does not recommend offshore brokers or guarantee access to a specific provider.
What is the difference between GC and MGC?
COMEX Gold futures (GC) represent 100 troy ounces per contract. Micro Gold futures (MGC) represent 10 troy ounces. Both have a $0.10 per-ounce minimum price increment: $10 per GC tick and $1 per MGC tick. Both involve leverage, expiry and delivery-related obligations.
How much money do I need to trade Micro Gold futures?
There is no universal account minimum that establishes safe sizing. Broker account minimums, current exchange margin, broker margin and a separate loss budget all matter. A $10 per-ounce stop risks $100 on one MGC contract before fees or slippage. Margin is collateral, not the maximum amount you can lose.
What are gold futures trading hours in US Eastern Time?
The normal CME Globex GC and MGC schedule runs Sunday 6:00 p.m. through Friday 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with a daily 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET break on trading weekdays. Holidays can change the schedule. ET follows New York daylight saving time; check CME and your broker for the current session.
Can US traders use a gold prop firm?
Eligibility varies by firm, residency, platform and product. Some evaluations use simulated accounts, not a live brokerage account. A funded-account label is not a legal exemption or assurance of investor protection. Obtain current written US eligibility, execution, payout and drawdown terms before paying any fee.
Can I copy XAUUSD signal prices directly to gold futures?
No. Spot XAUUSD and a particular futures expiry can trade at different prices. Futures basis, contract month, tick size, spread and execution venue must be checked. Spot analysis can inform market context, but entries, stops and targets require validation on the actual contract you trade.
Primary sources & scope
Source review: October 6, 2026. Rules, product availability, margin and holiday hours can change. Recheck the official source before acting.
- 01CFTC: leveraged off-exchange precious metals
Retail commodity restrictions and an enforcement example.
- 02CFTC: retail commodity actual delivery guidance
Section 2(c)(2)(D) and the actual-delivery framework.
- 03NFA BASIC: registration and disciplinary history
Check the exact legal entity, not just a trading brand.
- 04CME: Gold futures (GC) contract specifications
Contract size, price increment and exchange hours.
- 05CME: Micro Gold (MGC) contract specifications
Micro contract units and trading specifications.
- 06iShares: Gold Trust (IAU)
An example of exchange-traded bullion exposure, not an endorsement.
For education and research only. Not legal, tax or personalised investment advice. XAU Pro Academy is an analysis and education platform, not a broker or exchange, and does not execute trades or hold your trading funds. Trading on margin can cause substantial losses. Verify access, registration and product permissions independently. Read the risk disclosure.