How does the spread affect my investments?
Last updated: 12 August 2026
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The spread is the difference between the buy and sell price of an asset on the etoro platform. This difference impacts your profit and loss (P&L) and is reflected immediately after opening a position.
For example:
- The buy price of an asset is $100
- The sell price is $98
In this case, the spread is $2.
If you open a buy position with $1,000 at a buy price of $100, you will own 10 units of the asset ($1,000 ÷ 100 = 10 units). If you then immediately close the position at the current sell price of $98, you will receive $980 (98 × 10), resulting in a $20 loss.
This loss is due to the spread, not a change in the asset’s value.
As a result, your P&L will typically show a small loss immediately after opening a position.
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