Key takeaways
- Swap values, calculation mode and rollover rules are symbol properties.
- Rollover time, multiplier and day vary by broker and symbol.
- A swap number should not be converted without the mode and required contract inputs.
An MT5 swap is a broker-defined financing debit or credit attached to a position held through that symbol's rollover. The displayed value is meaningful only with its symbol-specific swap modeand the broker's current rollover rules.
Where the number comes from
MT5 exposes long and short swap values in the symbol specification. Brokers can configure different values and calculation rules by symbol, account offering and entity, so the terminal specification is a quoted contract input rather than a universal market rate.
The rollover time, multiplier and day vary by broker and symbol. Do not infer them from another instrument or from a general rule of thumb.
The MT5 swap modes — the part everyone misses
The mode determines how to interpret the long and short fields. Modes represented in the TradeStats broker topic include swaps disabled, points, symbol-base currency, margin currency, deposit currency, annual-interest variants, and reopen at close or bid price. A value from one mode cannot be translated into account currency without the inputs required by that mode.
Specification checklist
- Confirm the exact broker, account and symbol.
- Record the long value, short value and swap mode together.
- Check the current rollover time, multiplier and day in the terminal or with the broker.
- Use contract size, point value, price and account currency only when the selected mode requires them.
Rollover multiplier and day
A broker can apply a larger rollover multiplier on a configured day, but neither the day nor multiplier is universal across forex, metals, indices or account offerings. Treat the connected terminal's symbol properties as the current source and recheck them when the broker updates contract terms.
What to do with this
TradeStats currently stores swapLong, swapShort and swapModefrom synchronized symbol specifications. It does not currently store the broker's rollover time, multiplier or day, so the broker swap topic must not be used to assert those missing terms.
Method and limitation note: quoted symbol values describe the current specification, while cost analytics describe financing actually posted to the account. The two answer different questions, and neither supports a hand-written currency conversion without the full contract inputs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a swap rate in forex?
It is the broker-defined overnight financing debit or credit for a position under that symbol's contract specification. The value must be interpreted with its swap mode and the broker's rollover rules.
Why do swap numbers look different between brokers?
MT5 supports several symbol-level modes, including disabled swaps, points, currency amounts, annual-interest modes and reopen modes. Values in different modes are not directly comparable.
When is a rollover multiplier applied?
The rollover time, multiplier and applicable day vary by broker and symbol. Check the connected terminal's current symbol specification or obtain confirmation from the broker.