Binary Options Contract Lengths

Binary options contract lengths range from just a few seconds to several weeks or even months. Based on factors such as market knowledge, experience with conducting analysis and your desired strategy, certain expiry times may offer advantages. This guide will list and detail the different binary options contract lengths and provide a guide to choosing the right expiry time for your trading style.

Binary Options Brokers UK

  1. Pocket Option Pocket Option

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    Founded in 2017, Pocket Option is a binary options broker providing high/low contracts for forex, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Attracting more than 100,000 active users worldwide, the platform remains a favourite among emerging traders.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    Binary Options, Currencies, Commodities, Stocks, Indices, Cryptos MISA Web, MT4, MT5
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $50 $1

  2. IQCent IQCent

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    IQCent, an offshore brokerage in the Marshall Islands, specialises in binary options and CFDs. The firm provides distinct account options offering bonuses, benefits, payout increases, TradeBacks, and complimentary rollovers. With over 175 assets, 24/7 trading, and 98% payouts, it attracts budding traders.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    Binary Options, CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto IFMRRC Online Platform, TradingView
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $250 $0.01 1:500

  3. Capitalcore Capitalcore

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    Capitalcore, an offshore broker based in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was established in 2019. It offers traders a choice of four accounts—Classic, Silver, Gold, and VIP. As you progress through these tiers, spreads decrease and bonuses increase. The broker stands out for offering high leverage of up to 1:2000 and zero swap fees. However, these benefits are tempered by minimal regulation from the IFSA and limited educational and research resources.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    Forex, Metals, Stocks, Cryptos, Futures Indices, Binary Options IFSA WebTrader, Pro
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $10 0.01 Lots 1:2000

  4. CloseOption CloseOption

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    CloseOption, based in Georgia, has over ten years of experience in the trading sector. The firm provides high/low binary options on forex and cryptocurrency markets, offering competitive payouts. Clients benefit from welcome bonuses, round-the-clock customer support, and user-friendly trading platforms.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    Binary Options on Forex & Cryptos National Bank of Georgia Own
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $5 $1

  5. Videforex Videforex

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    Introduced in 2017, Videforex provides trading opportunities across stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies, forex, and commodities through binary options and CFDs. The platform, alongside its mobile app and copy trading features, is intuitive and caters to novice and occasional traders. Additionally, its market analysis tools and trading contests offer valuable avenues for honing trading skills.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    Binary Options, CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto TradingView
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $250 $0.01 1:500

  6. Grand Capital Grand Capital

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    Grand Capital is a MetaTrader broker offering welcome bonuses, trading competitions, and an easy-to-use copy trading service. With multiple account options and over 400 assets, it caters to different investors and strategies. New users can set up an account and begin trading quickly.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    CFDs, Forex, Indices, Shares, Energies, Metals, Cryptocurrencies, Binary Options FinaCom MT4, MT5
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $10 0.01 Lots 1:500

  7. Raceoption Raceoption

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    RaceOption, a binary options broker based in the Marshall Islands, serves over 1,500 clients. It provides swift funding, minimal fees, and a secure trading platform. Traders can explore over 100 binary options and CFDs, benefit from copy trading, and compete for weekly prizes.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    Binary Options, CFDs TradingView
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $250 $0.01 1:500

Safety Comparison

Compare how safe the Binary Options Contract Lengths are and what features they offer to protect traders.

Safety Comparison
Broker Trust Rating FCA Regulated Negative Balance Protection Guaranteed Stop Loss Segregated Accounts
Pocket Option 2 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
IQCent 2.5 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Capitalcore 3.3 ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔
CloseOption 2.8 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔
Videforex 2.5 ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘
Grand Capital 2.8 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔
Raceoption 2.5 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔

Payments Comparison

Compare which popular payment methods the Binary Options Contract Lengths support and whether they have trading accounts denominated in British Pounds (GBP).

Payments Comparison
Broker GBP Account Debit Card Credit Card Neteller Skrill Apple Pay
Pocket Option ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
IQCent ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Capitalcore ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
CloseOption ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Videforex ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘
Grand Capital ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘
Raceoption ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘

Mobile Trading Comparison

How good are the Binary Options Contract Lengths at mobile trading using apps or other mobile interfaces.

Mobile Trading Comparison
Broker Mobile Apps iOS Rating Android Rating Smart Watch App
Pocket Option iOS & Android 4 4.2 ✘
IQCent iOS & Android 4.3 4.1 ✘
Capitalcore - 3 3 ✘
CloseOption iOS & Android 3.7 3.5 ✘
Videforex Android 4.1 4.4 ✘
Grand Capital ✔ 4.8 4.6 ✘
Raceoption iOS & Android 4 3.8 ✘

Beginners Comparison

Are the Binary Options Contract Lengths good for beginner traders, that might want an affordable setup to get started, along with good support and educational resources?

Beginners Comparison
Broker Demo Account Minimum Deposit Minimum Trade Support Rating Education Rating
Pocket Option ✔ $50 $1 3.3 3.5
IQCent ✔ $250 $0.01 2.5 2
Capitalcore ✔ $10 0.01 Lots 3.5 3.5
CloseOption ✔ $5 $1 3 2.5
Videforex ✔ $250 $0.01 4.2 1.8
Grand Capital ✔ $10 0.01 Lots 3.5 3.5
Raceoption ✔ $250 $0.01 4 0.8

Advanced Trading Comparison

Do the Binary Options Contract Lengths offer features that allow for more advanced trading strategies?

Advanced Trading Comparison
Broker Automated Trading Pro Account Leverage VPS AI Low Latency Extended Hours
Pocket Option ✔ ✘ - ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘
IQCent ✘ ✘ 1:500 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Capitalcore - ✘ 1:2000 ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
CloseOption - ✘ - ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Videforex ✔ ✘ 1:500 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Grand Capital ✔ ✘ 1:500 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Raceoption - ✘ 1:500 ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

Detailed Rating Comparison

Use this heatmap to compare our detailed ratings for all of the Binary Options Contract Lengths.

Detailed Rating Comparison
Broker Trust Platforms Mobile Assets Fees Accounts Support Research Education
Pocket Option 2 3.3 4.1 2.5 3.5 3.5 3.3 3 3.5
IQCent 2.5 3.8 4.2 2.6 4.3 3.3 2.5 3 2
Capitalcore 3.3 3.8 3 3.8 3 3.8 3.5 2.5 3.5
CloseOption 2.8 3 3.6 2.5 3 2.5 3 1.3 2.5
Videforex 2.5 3.5 4.3 3.6 3.3 3 4.2 1.3 1.8
Grand Capital 2.8 3.8 4.7 3.9 2.5 3.9 3.5 3.5 3.5
Raceoption 2.5 3 3.9 3 2.8 3.3 4 0.8 0.8

Our Take On Pocket Option

"Pocket Option stands out with its intuitive web platform, delivering an excellent user experience for short-term binary traders. A $50 minimum deposit makes it accessible for beginners, and account setup is straightforward. However, its market offerings and regulatory credentials lag behind competitors."

Pros

  • The sign-up process is swift and seamless, completing in under two minutes.
  • Over the years, Pocket Option has won several annual awards from DayTrading.com, including the notable 'Best Binary Broker 2025' after enhancing its trading tools.
  • Pocket Option now offers an 'AI Trading' feature that evaluates signals, technical indicators, and trader insights to identify the best trade direction and expiration time. This provides a more automated trading experience.

Cons

  • To gain access to over 250 assets, a deposit of $1000 is required. Without this deposit, traders will only have access to a selection of 130 assets.
  • The MISA provides limited oversight and inadequate investor protection for retail traders.
  • Although binary brokers such as IQCent provide returns reaching 98% based on evaluations, others typically offer competitive payouts up to 92%.
Go To Pocket Option

Our Take On IQCent

"IQCent attracts traders seeking a simple binary options and CFD platform with minimal fees, multiple accounts, and copy trading. Begin in under a minute with a $250 deposit."

Pros

  • New traders with a modest budget can start trading with a minimal stake of just $0.01.
  • The proprietary terminal features TradingView charts, providing numerous technical indicators and analyses for traders.
  • CFD trading fees are competitive, with major forex pairs like EUR/USD incurring costs from just 0.7 pips.

Cons

  • IQCent lags behind binary brokers such as Quotex due to its limited investment range of approximately 175 assets, including few stocks.
  • The market analysis provides only fundamental details, offering limited technical summaries and insights from analysts.
  • Automated trading support is unavailable for algorithmic traders.
Go To IQCent

Our Take On Capitalcore

"Capitalcore's main attractions are high leverage up to 1:2000 and no commission or swap fees. Nevertheless, weak regulation from the IFSA and a lack of educational resources leave it trailing behind top brokers."
Christian Harris
Christian Harris
Reviewer

Pros

  • Capitalcore now offers trading on over 30 currency pairs, metals, and cryptocurrencies. With one-click functionality, traders can enjoy payouts of up to 95%.
  • Despite being relatively new to the binary options market, its clear and user-friendly service secured it the runner-up position in DayTrading.com's 2025 'Best Binary Broker' award.
  • The Capitalcore platform offers advanced charting tools and over 150 technical indicators, perfect for in-depth market analysis.

Cons

  • Platform support is restricted to proprietary software, lacking integration with popular platforms like MetaTrader or cTrader. These industry-leading solutions provide integrated economic news and facilitate automated trading.
  • During testing, the web platform proved unreliable due to sporadic technical issues, causing the trading platform to fail loading at times.
  • Capitalcore's limited education and research offerings fall significantly behind industry leaders like IG, rendering it less ideal for aspiring traders.
Go To Capitalcore

Our Take On CloseOption

"CloseOption is an excellent choice for traders looking for an intuitive binary options platform offering substantial returns and sign-up incentives."

Pros

  • New traders can begin with just a £5 minimum deposit.
  • CloseOption hosts weekly trading competitions, awarding cash prizes to traders.
  • Free practice account

Cons

  • CloseOption lacks regulation by a reputable financial authority.
  • Binary options are exclusively offered for both traditional currencies and cryptocurrencies.
  • Clients must deposit over $50,000 to be eligible for the highest returns.
Go To CloseOption

Our Take On Videforex

"Videforex offers traders a straightforward, user-friendly platform to speculate on popular markets via binaries. The quick registration and web accessibility ensure an effortless start."

Pros

  • Videforex has expanded its offerings, allowing traders to access popular cryptocurrencies like TON, ARB, PEPE, and SHIB, leading tech stocks such as Tesla, Meta, Nvidia, and Amazon, and a more varied FX portfolio including THB, ZAR, and MXN.
  • Videforex frequently holds trading contests, providing both novice and seasoned traders with practice opportunities and cash prizes. Traders can participate with position sizes starting as low as 1 cent.
  • Traders can achieve up to 98% returns on over 100 assets through the broker's binary options, aligning with competitors such as IQCent.

Cons

  • Based on recent tests, the client terminal requires enhancements, as its widgets occasionally become slow and unresponsive, which could affect traders' experience.
  • The lack of educational resources is a significant disadvantage for novice traders. In contrast, leading firms offer blogs, videos, and live trading sessions.
  • Videforex is not licensed by a reputable regulator, leaving traders with minimal or no protection, such as segregated client accounts.
Go To Videforex

Our Take On Grand Capital

"Grand Capital is a solid choice for traders adept with MetaTrader and passive investors seeking copy trading and LAMM options. However, its regulatory standing falls short compared to rivals."

Pros

  • Comprehensive investment options, featuring the specialised GC Option brand for binary trading.
  • High leverage up to 1:500
  • Trading competitions offering cash prizes

Cons

  • Basic education and market research
  • Minimal regulatory supervision.
  • Elevated spreads on certain assets
Go To Grand Capital

Our Take On Raceoption

"RaceOption attracts traders with its feature-packed binary options platform, offering frequent contests, account benefits, and copy trading. However, its unregulated nature presents minimal to no investor protections, according to our research."

Pros

  • RaceOption simplifies account funding with no-fee, near-instant deposits through bank cards and cryptocurrencies. Withdrawals are processed within one hour, guaranteed.
  • Returns on well-known assets such as EUR/USD can go up to 95%, outperforming many other options based on our analysis and boosting potential gains. Additionally, the initial three trades incur no risk in Silver and Gold accounts.
  • RaceOption is among the select few brokers providing 24/7 multilingual video chat. However, our interactions suggest that their agents require better understanding of trading and regulatory matters.

Cons

  • RaceOption operates as an unregulated broker, offering high-risk trading with no investor compensation or legal remedies if trading or withdrawal problems arise.
  • RaceOption, lacking both a demo account and educational resources, is not ideal for novice traders.
  • The $250 minimum deposit, though still attainable for numerous retail investors, presents a higher entry barrier compared to platforms like Deriv and World Forex, which cater more to budget-conscious traders.
Go To Raceoption

Binary Options Contract Lengths Explained

Turbo Binary Options

Turbos offer the shortest binary options contract length with expirations ranging from a few seconds up to 5 minutes. Pocket Option, for example, offers turbo binary options which expire after just 5 seconds.

These ultra short-term binaries allow investors to capitalise on small price fluctuations. And because the binary options contract length is so short, analysis is often dependent on technical research rather than fundamentals. For this, you could use short-term indicators such as simple (SMA) and exponential moving averages (EMA). To help make your predictions more accurate, many trading platforms also allow binary options traders to overlay several indicators onto historical data charts and graphs simultaneously.

High-quality charting platforms such as MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and TradingView all have numerous in-built indicators which are invaluable for conducting research.

An example asset that could be suitable for turbos is Ethereum, the price history graph for which can be seen below, which demonstrates how volatile the price is over a few minutes.

Binary options contract lengths and fees, prices and volumes

Ethereum Price Chart

Medium-Term Binary Options

These are longer binary option contract lengths ranging from a few minutes up to several hours. They still expire relatively quickly but allow time for trends to develop. It is easy to access medium-term binaries – they are offered by many top brokers, including IQ Cent.

To execute medium-term binary options, the main source of research is technical analysis, however, investors should still consider fundamentals. For instance, a company releasing its quarterly earnings report can impact the stock price depending on how successful they have been over the past three months. For this reason, you may want to keep an eye on an economic calendar to be aware of upcoming reports and announcements which could impact a security’s value.

Long-Term Binary Options

These are the longest binary options contract lengths normally lasting over a day and up to several months or even a year.

Long-term binaries are tailored toward fundamental research with supporting technical analysis. Having knowledge of specific sectors and industries will help you make more accurate predictions as to how an asset’s value can change. Particularly as the value may be impacted by wider, geopolitical events.

To demonstrate this, the recent price history and strength of the Ruble can be used. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, the USD/RUB forex pair was trading at just below ₽80, however, by the beginning of March, this had increased to over ₽105.

What are the best times to trade binary options?

USD/RUB Price Chart

Race Option is one broker offering longer-term binaries with contract lengths of up to a month. Simply select the end date and the contract will finish at the same time of day as the contract is opened. For example, if you open a contract at 11:00 AM and choose an expiry of two weeks away, it will expire at 11:00 AM on that day.

Choosing A Binary Options Contract Length

Your Strategy

You need to first determine the binary options contract lengths that suit your trading style and expertise the best. For example, if you have experience with short-term strategies like scalping then turbo binaries may suit you due to the fast-paced nature and dynamic price movement. On the other hand, if you prefer to make longer-term predictions on the value of stocks, for example, then longer expiries may suit you.

If you are unsure, many brokers such as IQCent offer free demo accounts where you can practise trading different binary options contract lengths.

Broker Availability

Not all brokers offer a wide range of binary options contract lengths. Some platforms specialize in short-term expiry times, while others only offer binary options contract lengths of one day or more.

Additionally, you should find a binary options broker that offers trading on the underlying assets and markets you are interested in. Most binary options brokers provide indices and stock trading but these will not necessarily be the FTSE 100, stocks listed on the London Stock Exchange, or large numbers of forex pairs including the GBP/EUR.

As well as the binary options contract lengths offered, you should also consider other factors such as trading platforms and mobile apps, user reviews and payouts. The trading platform is where you will execute trades and complete any analysis on ETFs, for example, using real-time data and live price charts.

As binaries are not available through FCA-licensed brokers, UK-based traders will need to open accounts with unregulated or offshore brokers. With this in mind, it’s important to sign up with trusted and reliable binary options brokers that offer a range of expiry times.

Note, the top brands also offer daily gains calculators, economic calendars, provide answers to key questions and share definitions of niche binary options products.

Markets

Some markets are better suited to particular binary options contract lengths. For instance, cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and can be impacted by many factors which can make them hard to forecast in the long term. Because of this, they are arguably better suited to short-term binaries.

On the other hand, indices such as the FTSE 100 are made up of a number of high-performing stocks, meaning they have relatively low volatility but can be impacted by industry-wide news and longer-term economic trends, lending them to binary options contract lengths that span weeks or even months.

Bottom Line On Binary Options Contract Lengths

Binary options are a difficult instrument to consistently make money with. For this reason, find a binary options contract length that suits your strengths and trading style, whether that is daily trading or swing trading. If a certain strategy is not working for you, it may be worth registering for a free demo account and testing other types of contracts and expiries. Over time, you should be able to develop your own strategy and determine if turbo binaries, short-term binaries or long-term binaries are best.

Use our list of the top binary options brokers in 2025 to get started.

FAQ

Is It Possible To Change The Binary Options Contract Length After I Open A Trade?

Some brokers may allow you to change your binary options contract length. Check with your brokerage beforehand to see if they permit extensions to binary options contract lengths or early closing. This will differ between brokers and you may need to pay a premium to alter the expiry time.

What Are The Best Binary Options Contract Lengths?

The best expiry time will differ from one trader to the next. If you prefer a fast-paced trading environment using technical analysis then short-term binaries with expiries of just a few minutes or hours may suit you. Alternatively, if you prefer to make longer-term forecasts on equities using fundamentals then you may prefer to open a contract that spans several weeks or even months.

What Binary Options Contract Lengths Are Available To UK Investors?

There is a wide range of binary options contract lengths on offer to UK-based investors. Brokers such as BinaryCent offer turbo binaries with very short expiry times of a minute or less. There are also brokers that offer longer binaries of a few hours or even a month, including Close Option.

Where Can I Learn More About Binary Options Contract Lengths?

There are many helpful resources online that can educate you on the different binary options contract lengths. Examples include training courses or books and PDF guides that you can download. We also recommend using a free demo account to test different binary options contract lengths.