Rollover on CFDs vs spot: not the same thing
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2026 6:41 am
CFDs on indices, commodities and some currency pairs are priced from futures or spot markets, and brokers handle rollover differently depending on the instrument.
For spot-based currency CFDs, rollover applies a swap based on interest rate differentials. For futures-based CFDs, such as many index and commodity products, there's a different mechanism: when the underlying futures contract expires, the broker switches to the next contract. The price difference, the roll gap, is handled either by adjusting open positions with a credit or debit, or by letting the price jump.
Financing on index CFDs is usually based on a benchmark interest rate plus or minus a broker markup, charged daily on the position's notional value. Dividends on stocks within an index are also handled through adjustments.
Understanding which type applies to each instrument avoids confusion. The broker's contract specification typically describes the calculation, and an example or two from a statement confirms it.
Overlooking these differences is a common source of surprise charges, particularly for traders moving from forex into indices or commodities.
Has the rollover treatment on a futures-based CFD ever differed from expectations?
For spot-based currency CFDs, rollover applies a swap based on interest rate differentials. For futures-based CFDs, such as many index and commodity products, there's a different mechanism: when the underlying futures contract expires, the broker switches to the next contract. The price difference, the roll gap, is handled either by adjusting open positions with a credit or debit, or by letting the price jump.
Financing on index CFDs is usually based on a benchmark interest rate plus or minus a broker markup, charged daily on the position's notional value. Dividends on stocks within an index are also handled through adjustments.
Understanding which type applies to each instrument avoids confusion. The broker's contract specification typically describes the calculation, and an example or two from a statement confirms it.
Overlooking these differences is a common source of surprise charges, particularly for traders moving from forex into indices or commodities.
Has the rollover treatment on a futures-based CFD ever differed from expectations?