Payout percentage on Sky Trade: what it is and why it changes

The payout percentage is how much you earn on a winning trade, as a share of your stake. On Sky Trade it is shown next to each instrument before you open a trade, it ranges from 20% to 94%, and once your trade is open its payout is locked. Here is how it is set and why it moves.

What the number means

If you stake $10 at an 85% payout:

• Win: you get your $10 back plus $8.50 — $18.50 in total.
• Loss: you lose the $10 stake.
• Tie (the price at expiry equals the entry price): your $10 is refunded.

The payout is always below 100%, which is why you need to win more than half your trades just to break even. At 85% the break-even win rate is 1 ÷ 1.85 ≈ 54.1%. See the break-even win rate and the profit calculator.

Why payouts differ and change

Each instrument has its own base level, and its payout drifts slowly around it by a few points over time. That is why EUR/USD may show one figure in the morning and a slightly different one later, and why two instruments rarely show the same number.

There are a few extra rules on top:

• OTC leaders. At any moment, two OTC instruments hold the maximum payout of 94%. These "leaders" rotate every 25 minutes, so the top spot moves from instrument to instrument during the day.
• Market pairs top out at 92%. Market (non-OTC) forex pairs with real quotes do not go above 92%.
• Administrative caps. The administration may cap an instrument's payout, or temporarily disable an instrument.

Fixed once you open

The payout shown when you press Buy or Sell is the payout of that trade. If the instrument's payout changes a minute later, your open trade is not affected — up or down. In the terminal settings you can turn on a warning when the payout changes, so you notice if the figure moves while you are preparing a trade.

The Orbit payout boost

Traders at the Orbit level can use a payout boost: it raises one instrument's payout to 92% for 24 hours, 2 times per month. A boosted payout never goes above 92%. Details in levels and perks.

How much do a few points matter?

More than most beginners expect. Compare the win rate you need:

Example: over 100 trades of $10 with 54 wins, an 82% payout gives 54 × $8.20 − 46 × $10 = −$17.20, while a 92% payout gives 54 × $9.20 − 46 × $10 = +$36.80. Same trades, different result. This is arithmetic, not a forecast — nobody can tell you your future win rate.

That said, do not pick an instrument only because its payout is highest right now. A slightly higher payout on an instrument you do not understand rarely beats a familiar one. The bigger cost is usually overtrading, covered in why most beginners lose.

Where to check

The current payout of each instrument is shown in the terminal before you open a trade. If an instrument shows as unavailable, see market closed.