I trade around major news events—FOMC, NFP, ECB announcements—and I’ve noticed that brokers behave very differently during these spikes. I want to understand how AvaTrade and eToro actually hold up when volatility hits hard.
Specifically:
- What spreads do you actually see on EUR/USD or GBP/USD during the first 30 seconds of a major news release?
- How often do you experience slippage, and how much is typical?
- Does the platform lag or become unstable when volume spikes?
- Can you actually execute your planned trades, or do you end up getting filled at worse prices?
I know rebates help reduce costs overall, but during volatile events, are rebates really enough to offset the wider spreads? Or should I just avoid trading during news altogether?
What’s your actual experience been with either broker during these events?
During major news events, spreads on majors widen significantly. AvaTrade typically widens to 3.5-5 pips on EUR/USD within the first 10 seconds of NFP. eToro usually hits 4-6 pips in the same window.
Slippage is the real cost here, not spreads. On a 1 lot trade, you’re looking at 10-20 dollars in additional cost from slippage alone if you’re trading the first minute.
AvaTrade’s platform stays more stable. eToro sometimes experiences order delays of 1-2 seconds during extreme volume spikes, which costs you.
Rebates don’t really offset this. A 0.5 pip rebate becomes meaningless when spreads jump 3 pips. Better strategy: wait 2-3 minutes after the news release when volatility settles and spreads normalize. Most retail traders lose money trading the first spike anyway. Trade the volatility after the initial shock passes.
Traded exclusively around NFP for about a year. AvaTrade was more reliable—fewer disconnects and faster order confirmation. eToro had moments where orders took 3-4 seconds to execute, which got expensive.
Spreads widen on both, no way around it. But AvaTrade’s liquidity felt deeper, so slips were smaller—usually just a few pips on the worst trades.
What actually helped: I stopped trying to catch the first 30 seconds. Started trading 2-3 minutes after release when spreads normalized. Your win rate goes way up, and your average cost per trade drops dramatically.
Rebates helped overall, but they’re not a solution during these events. They’re more valuable for your routine trading where spreads stay normal.
Honestly, both brokers struggle during major news. Spreads widen, it’s just how markets work.
I’ve had better luck with AvaTrade. The platform feels more responsive and I get filled closer to where I expect. eToro sometimes lags a bit during the chaos.
My advice: don’t fight the volatility. Trade the aftermath when things settle. You’ll make more money that way and stress less about slippage.
Both spread wide during news. AvaTrade slightly more stable. Just wait a few minutes.
AvaTrade faster during news. Slippage still costs money though.