Also known as:Welcome Bonus, Free Trading Capital, No-Deposit Credit, Free $30 Bonus
What is NDB: No Deposit Bonus?
A No Deposit Bonus (NDB) is a promotional offer where a broker credits a small amount of tradable funds — commonly $30 to $50 — to a newly registered client's account without that client depositing any of their own money. The only requirement is completing registration and identity verification (KYC).
The funds are almost always "non-withdrawable credit" rather than cash. The client can trade with the bonus and, in principle, keep the profits, but the original bonus amount itself is deducted before any withdrawal. This is how a broker limits its exposure: it is effectively paying a controlled marketing cost to acquire a verified, funded-ready lead.
Key takeaways
NDB removes the deposit barrier — expect high registration volume, low intent.
The bonus is non-withdrawable credit; only capped profit can ever be cashed out.
Turnover requirements (lots per dollar) are the catch — read them before you promote.
IB rebates usually do NOT accrue on pure-bonus trades, only on real-money volume.
Use it as a lead magnet, not a business model — bonus hunters churn instantly.
Every NDB carries a set of trading conditions attached to it. The most important is a volume (turnover) requirement, expressed in standard lots. A typical structure is "trade 2 lots per $1 of profit you wish to withdraw," alongside a maximum withdrawable cap — for example, a $50 bonus that lets you cash out no more than $100 of profit. Miss any condition and the profit is voided.
Because the offer removes the single biggest barrier to entry — parting with real cash — NDBs generate very high registration volume but comparatively low quality. They attract genuine curious prospects alongside a large population of "bonus hunters" who chase free credit across dozens of brokers with no intention of ever funding an account.
How it works
The broker defines the bonus amount, the eligibility rules (usually first account only, one per IP/device/person), and the trading conditions. When a lead registers under your affiliate link and clears KYC, the broker auto-credits the account. From that point the client trades normally, but the platform tracks turnover against the required lot volume.
If the client hits the turnover target within the time window, accrued profit above the withdrawal cap becomes eligible to cash out and the original bonus credit is removed. If they fail the target — the common outcome — the profit is voided and the account often converts to a standard live account the client must fund themselves. For the IB, the value is the verified lead and the deposit that may follow, not the bonus trades themselves.
1
Lead clicks your affiliate link
Your creative advertises the specific bonus (e.g. "$50 free to trade") and routes to the broker's NDB landing page carrying your tracking ID.
2
Registration and KYC
The lead opens an account and uploads ID plus proof of address. Most brokers will not release the bonus until KYC is fully approved, filtering out throwaway sign-ups.
3
Broker credits the bonus
The non-withdrawable credit lands automatically once eligibility checks pass. The lead can now place trades.
4
Trading and turnover tracking
The client trades while the platform counts lots against the volume requirement and the time limit.
5
Withdrawal or conversion
Meet the conditions and eligible profit can be withdrawn; miss them and the profit is voided. Either way, the account is now a funded-ready live account you keep nurturing.
Why it matters for partnership: NDBs are the fastest top-of-funnel lead magnet an IB can run, converting cold traffic into KYC-verified registrations at scale. Treat them as list-building, then move leads into an education funnel toward a real first-time deposit.
Formula
Withdrawable Profit = min(Profit − Bonus Credit, Max Withdrawal Cap), subject to turnover met
Real World Example
XM has long run a $30 No Deposit Bonus across many regions. An affiliate promoting it might drive 3,000 registrations in a month. Historically only a fraction convert to funded accounts, but if even 5% deposit an average of $250, that is 150 funded clients and the trading volume behind them — the real source of the IB's rebate income, not the bonus trades.
No Deposit Bonus vs Deposit Bonus
Feature
No Deposit Bonus
Deposit Bonus
Client capital required
None
Yes — matched %
Lead volume
Very high
Moderate
Lead quality
Low (bonus hunters)
Higher (already funded)
IB rebate potential
Delayed / low
Immediate
Broker cost
Fixed per KYC
Scales with deposit
Pro Tip
Use the NDB strictly as a top-of-funnel lead magnet, then move every registrant into an education sequence engineered to encourage a real first-time deposit within 7 days.
Common Pitfalls
Promoting the bonus without reading the withdrawal terms — the near-impossible turnover requirement surfaces the moment clients try to cash out, and the resulting backlash lands on your brand, not the broker's.
FAQ
Do IBs earn commission on trades made with NDB funds?
Usually no. Brokers rarely pay IB volume rebates on trades executed with free bonus credit. Rebates typically begin only after the client deposits and trades their own funds.
Can clients actually withdraw the No Deposit Bonus itself?
No. The bonus is non-withdrawable credit. In most schemes only profit above a capped amount can be withdrawn, and only after the turnover requirement is met.
Why do brokers offer money for free?
It is a calculated acquisition cost. The broker pays a fixed amount per KYC-verified lead, betting that a share of those users will fund real accounts and trade — where the broker and IB actually earn.
Are No Deposit Bonuses legal?
They are restricted or banned in some regulated regions. ESMA and the FCA limit or prohibit trading incentives for retail clients, so NDBs are mostly offered by offshore or non-EU/UK entities. Always check the target jurisdiction.
How do I stop bonus hunters from draining my campaign?
You cannot fully, but you can qualify traffic with an education-first funnel, require KYC before crediting, and score leads on deposit intent before spending more ad budget on them.
Is a No Deposit Bonus the same as a demo account?
No. A demo uses virtual money with no real profit or withdrawal. An NDB uses small real credit on a live account, so profits — within the terms — can potentially be withdrawn.
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