How it works

Everything you need to get your EA running on MetaTrader with Trade Nation.

01 Download the Demo

Head back to the home page, choose your platform (MT4 or MT5) and click Demo (14 days) on the EA you want to try.

  • Full functionality — no restrictions during the trial
  • Trial runs for 14 days from first download
  • Available for Gold EA (XAU/USD) and Nasdaq EA (USTEC)

02 Install in MetaTrader

Once downloaded, copy the .ex4 (MT4) or .ex5 (MT5) file into MetaTrader:

  1. Open MetaTrader → top menu: File → Open Data Folder
  2. Navigate to MQL4/Experts (MT4) or MQL5/Experts (MT5)
  3. Paste the EA file into that folder
  4. Back in MetaTrader — press F5 or right-click Navigator → Refresh
  5. Your EA will appear under Expert Advisors in the Navigator panel
  6. Drag it onto your chart, or right-click the chart → Expert Advisors → Properties
  7. Make sure AutoTrading is enabled (green button in toolbar)

03 Set Your Lot Size

Lot size is the only setting you need to configure. To change it:

  1. Right-click anywhere on the chart
  2. Go to Expert Advisors → Properties (or press F7)
  3. Click the Inputs tab
  4. Find LotSize → double-click the value → enter your number
  5. Click OK

We recommend R1,000 per 1.0 lot as a starting guide:

Account Balance (ZAR) Recommended Lot Profit per trade (ZAR)
R1,0001.0R10
R2,0002.0R20
R3,0003.0R30
R4,0004.0R40
R5,000+5.0 (max)R50

Each trade targets 100 TP points. Gold needs 1 pip movement and Nasdaq (USTEC) needs 10 points movement to hit TP — the EA handles this automatically.

⚠️ Maximum lot size is 5.0. Going higher increases spread risk significantly and can work against you, especially on volatile instruments like Gold and Nasdaq (USTEC).

04 USD Account Holders

The lot sizing above is based on a ZAR account. If your account is in USD, the profit per trade depends on the ZAR/USD exchange rate at the time of the trade.

As a rough guide at current rates (~R18.50/$):

Lot Size ZAR Profit USD Equivalent (approx)
1.0R10~$0.54
2.0R20~$1.08
5.0R50~$2.70

USD equivalent will vary with exchange rate. We recommend testing on a demo account first to confirm your exact profit per trade.

05 Broker Setup — Trade Nation

We recommend Trade Nation as our preferred broker. They offer:

  • MT4 and MT5 support
  • ZAR and USD base currency accounts
  • Low spreads on Gold (XAU/USD) and Nasdaq (USTEC)
  • Regulated globally — FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), FSB (SA)
  • Minimum deposit around R500 / $50
  1. Open an account at tradenation.com
  2. Choose your base currency (ZAR recommended for SA traders)
  3. Download MT4 or MT5 from the Trade Nation client portal
  4. Log in with your Trade Nation credentials
  5. Open a Gold (XAU/USD) or Nasdaq (USTEC) chart
  6. Attach the EA and set your lot size as per the table above
  7. Enable AutoTrading — you're live

06 Purchase a License Key

After your 14-day trial, purchase a license key to keep trading:

  1. Go back to the home page
  2. Click Buy Key on your EA and platform
  3. Enter your Trade Nation account number and complete payment via PayFast
  4. Your license key will be displayed on screen immediately — copy and save it
  5. Enter the key in the EA Inputs tab (same as changing lot size — press F7)
💡 One license key covers one EA on one platform. If you want to run Gold EA on both MT4 and MT5, you'll need two keys.