Trading from Zambia: what is different
Copper makes up most of Zambia's export earnings, so the copper price and the kwacha tend to move together. Copper is available as a CFD (XCUUSD), alongside gold, silver and zinc.
Zambia is on Central Africa Time, UTC+2, all year. London opens at 10:00 from November to March and at 09:00 from April to October.
Accounts are held in US dollars and funded in USDT; the kwacha rate only applies where you buy or sell USDT.
Forex market hours in Zambia
The forex market is open 24 hours a day from Monday to Friday, passing from Asia to Europe to North America. These are the main sessions converted to local time in Zambia.
| Session | Local time, Nov–Mar | Local time, Apr–Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo session | 02:00–11:00 | 02:00–11:00 |
| London session | 10:00–19:00 | 09:00–18:00 |
| New York session | 15:00–00:00 | 14:00–23:00 |
| London–New York overlap | 15:00–19:00 | 14:00–18:00 |
| Weekly open | Monday 00:00 | Sunday 23:00 |
| Weekly close | Saturday 00:00 | Friday 23:00 |
The busiest hours for the major pairs and gold are usually the London–New York overlap. Spreads tend to be widest around the daily rollover and in the first hour after the weekly open.
Markets to watch from Zambia
- Copper (XCUUSD) — Zambia's main export.
- XAU/USD (gold) — the most traded metal.
- EUR/USD and GBP/USD — from 10:00 Lusaka time in winter.
- Dow Jones (US30) and Nasdaq 100 (USTEC) — from 16:30 Lusaka time in winter.
Accounts and funding
| Account | Minimum deposit | EUR/USD spread | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Cent | $10 (balance in USC) | From 1.4 pips | None |
| Standard | $100 | From 1.0 pips | None |
| Pro | $1,000 | From 0.6 pips | None |
| Raw ECN | $5,000 | From 0.0 pips | $7 per lot |
Accounts are held in US dollars and funded in USDT on BNB Smart Chain (BEP20) or Tron (TRC20). There is no Zambian kwacha conversion inside your account; any conversion happens wherever you buy or sell USDT. Identity verification is completed once, before your first withdrawal.
Regulation and your responsibility
AlphaFX Pro is an international broker and is not licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC Zambia). Our registration in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is in progress. We do not provide investment advice or a local office in Zambia.
Before opening an account, make sure the law in Zambia allows you to trade CFDs with a broker based outside the country, and check any rules on moving money abroad. If you are not sure, ask us before you deposit.
Frequently asked questions
Can I trade copper?
Yes. Copper is available as a CFD (XCUUSD), so you can trade its price moves either way without holding metal.
Can I trade the kwacha?
No ZMW pairs are offered. Accounts are in US dollars, funded in USDT.
What is the minimum deposit from Zambia?
The Standard Cent account opens from $10, funded in USDT, with the balance held in US cents ($10 = 1,000 USC). Standard opens from $100, Pro from $1,000 and Raw ECN from $5,000.
Risk warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. This page is general information, not investment advice. Read the Risk Disclosure.