Two of our five recommended brokers have no minimum deposit at all. So technically: C$0. Practically, position-sizing math sets the real floor.
The math
Sound risk management means risking about 1% of equity per trade. On a C$500 account that's C$5 of risk — with a 20-pip stop on a micro lot (C$0.14/pip), you're at C$2.80 risk. Workable. Below roughly C$300–500 it becomes hard to set stops where the chart says they belong without breaching your risk limit.
Sensible starting tiers
| Balance | What it's for |
|---|---|
| C$0 (demo) | Learning the platform and testing strategy — stay here first |
| C$300–1,000 | Learning with real psychology at stake, micro lots |
| C$2,500–10,000 | Meaningful practice; returns start covering costs |
| C$10,000+ | Where consistent percentage returns become real money |
The rule that actually matters
Only fund what you can lose entirely without changing your life. Money you can't afford to lose trades scared — and scared money makes bad decisions.
OANDA lets you start with any amount — C$0 minimum9.6/10 · From 0.6 pips · Min deposit C$0
Start smaller than you think
Almost every experienced trader wishes they'd started smaller. Tuition paid to the market in year one is cheapest at micro size.