Every few weeks someone asks me about partner codes. Same question every time: do they give you free trades or discounted spreads?
Short answer: no. AvaTrade charges zero commission on forex. You pay the spread. That's your trading cost. A partner code has no impact on spreads.
Code 128979 unlocks the deposit bonus. Additional trading capital depending on your deposit. Simple as that.
How much bonus do you receive?
A $1,000 deposit gets you $200.
$2,000 gets you $400.
Deposits between $5,000 and $9,999 get $1,000.
Maximum bonus is $14,000 for deposits above $100,000. That's for serious capital.
UK traders funding in pounds start at £160 on £800. Scales up to £11,200 maximum.
Minimum to open an account is $100. But you need $1,000 to qualify for bonus.
The code field isn't obvious
During registration. Once you've filled in your phone number, look for small text that says "Have a Partner Code?" with an arrow next to it. Click on that text. The field expands. Type **128979**.
Most people miss it because it doesn't look like a proper 128979 form field until you click.
Sometimes it shows as invalid, don't worry. Finish signing up. Message your account manager before you deposit. Tell them you want 128979 applied. They handle this regularly.
Bonus withdrawal conditions
A trading volume condition applies.
About 10,000 units for every dollar of bonus. A $200 bonus means trading 2,000,000 units before that $200 unlocks. Takes a while if you trade small. Happens faster than you'd think if you're active.
Your deposit is yours. Withdraw it whenever you want. The bonus stays locked until you hit the volume.
Worth mentioning: locked bonus funds still contribute to your margin. Allows for slightly larger trades. That breathing room helps while you're learning.
AvaTrade overview
Regulated by six bodies: FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSA Japan, ADGM. Segregated client accounts. They've been around since 2006.
Platform options: MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGO, WebTrader. Choose based on preference. Same account works across all of them.
EUR/USD spread starts at 0.9 pips. No commission on top.
Be aware of the inactivity charge. $50 quarterly after 3 months inactive.
Who this works for
Those starting out who value regulation and flexibility. People who like features like AvaProtect, which lets you insure a trade against loss for a small premium.
Who should look elsewhere
Scalp traders. Good spreads but not ECN-level. ECN brokers will beat them on cost if you're trading high volume.
Traders wanting real stock ownership. It's CFD trading only.
American traders. They don't take US clients.
Complete guide
I wrote a longer version covering everything in detail:
**[AvaTrade Partner Code 128979](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/avatrade-partner-code-128979-tradetheday-ornac/)**