Forex Inactivity Fees by Broker

Updated 31 October 2026 · Written by Broker Atlas Guides Desk · Data checked by Broker Atlas Data Desk

Short answer

Brokers treat idle accounts in two ways: they archive them (the login stops working, money stays) or they charge a monthly inactivity fee, or both. Periods differ a lot: Exness says real accounts may be archived after 3 days without activity and charges no inactivity fee; Axi charges a monthly fee after 12 months with no trades or open positions. Withdraw what you don't need before you stop trading and read your broker's clause.

Archiving and fees are different things

What happens	Effect on you	Cost
Archiving	The trading account (MT4/MT5 login) is disabled or hidden; your client area and money usually remain	None by itself
Inactivity fee	A fixed amount is taken from the balance each month after a defined idle period	Yes, until the balance is used up
Bonus removal	Bonus credit expires or is cancelled	Lost credit, not cash
Account closure	The broker ends the relationship under its terms	Depends on the terms

Most of the stress around dormant accounts comes from confusing the first two. An archived account is an inconvenience; an account paying a monthly fee is quietly losing money.

What brokers’ own pages say

Broker	Idle period	What happens	Source
Exness	3 days without trading or balance operations (MT4 and MT5 real accounts)	May be archived; funds remain; restore in the Personal Area or Exness Trade app. Exness says it charges no fees for inactive accounts or for reactivating them	Exness: archived accounts
Vantage	90 days	Archived and marked inactive; archived accounts can’t be reactivated, so you request an additional account in the client portal	Vantage: archived accounts
Axi	12 months with no trading activity and no open positions	Inactivity fee charged within 30 business days, then monthly; the amount depends on the account currency and is set in Axi’s Product Schedule; it may be deducted without prior notice	Axi: inactivity fees
Titan FX	—	We found no monthly inactivity fee on the pages we read, but its withdrawal page charges 4% on withdrawals from an account with no trades	Titan FX withdrawals
BigBoss	Not stated on the bonus page	Its deposit bonus terms invalidate bonus credit on all accounts of an inactive user; it also publishes a policy on inactive users that we haven’t fully reviewed	BigBoss bonus
XM Global	Not published	XM Global’s public pages don’t state a dormant fee; third-party sites cite a monthly one but disagree on the amount	—
FXGT, XS.com	Not published	Neither states an inactivity period or fee on its public pages	—

Vantage’s help centre phrases its rule slightly differently in different articles: one mentions archiving accounts with a zero balance after 90 days. If you leave money in a Vantage account, ask support how the rule applies to you.

Where a broker doesn’t publish a rule, treat figures you see elsewhere with caution and check the client agreement for the company you’re signed up with. Inactivity rules can differ between a brand’s entities.

The untraded-deposit fee is different

Titan FX’s 4% fee isn’t about dormancy: it applies when you deposit and withdraw without trading at all. Brokers use such rules to discourage using trading accounts as payment channels. If you deposit to try a broker, place at least a small trade before withdrawing, and read the withdrawal terms first. See why brokers reject withdrawals.

What “activity” usually means

Brokers count different things, so read the definition:

Trades. Opening or closing a position is the activity every broker counts.
Open positions. Axi’s definition requires no open positions as well, so a long-term hold isn’t inactive.
Balance operations. Exness counts deposits, withdrawals and transfers as activity alongside trades.
Logging in is usually not enough. Exness says inactivity is the lack of trading or balance operations.

A simple routine before a break

Close positions and withdraw your free balance, leaving nothing you’d miss. See withdrawal problems for what can slow that down, and remember withdrawals usually go back the way you deposited (deposit methods).
Note the broker’s idle period and fee in your calendar.
Keep your KYC current. If your ID expires while you’re away, you may need to re-verify before withdrawing.
When you come back, check the account still works, or open a new one, before depositing more.

Choosing a broker if you trade occasionally

If you expect long gaps between trades, put inactivity terms next to the usual criteria. A broker that archives quickly but charges nothing (as Exness states) is cheaper for an occasional trader than one that charges a monthly fee after a year. Compare brokers’ other costs in the broker comparison and payout speed in fastest withdrawal brokers. Fees on idle money also matter for small accounts, where a few months of charges can be a large share of the balance.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as an inactive account?

Each broker defines it in its terms, usually as no trades (and sometimes no deposits or withdrawals) for a set number of days. Axi, for example, counts 12 months with no trading activity and no open positions.

Can an inactivity fee make my balance negative?

It shouldn't, and fees are normally deducted only up to the available balance, but not every broker states this. Check your broker's terms for its exact rule.

Will I lose my bonus if my account is dormant?

Often, yes. BigBoss, for example, invalidates bonus credit on all accounts of an inactive user under its deposit bonus terms.

Is my money lost if my account is archived?

Not by archiving itself. Exness says funds stay in an archived account, which you can restore in its Personal Area. Vantage says archived accounts can't be reactivated, so you'd request a new account; contact support about any remaining balance.

How do I avoid inactivity fees?

Withdraw your balance before you stop trading, or close the account. If you want to keep it open, place an occasional trade if the terms count that as activity.