How Quotex Works: Fixed-Time Options Explained
Last updated: 2026-08-22 · Independent guide (unofficial)
Quotex is a platform for digital options, also called fixed-time trading. The idea is simple to describe: you pick an asset, choose an expiry time and a stake, and predict whether the price will be higher or lower at that expiry. Get it right and you earn a fixed payout (up to ~95% of your stake); get it wrong and you lose the stake. This guide explains the mechanics — and, just as importantly, the honest maths of why the product is high risk.
A trade, step by step
Every fixed-time trade follows the same five steps, on web or mobile:
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Pick an asset
Choose from 400+ markets — currency pairs (including OTC pairs), crypto, commodities, stocks and indices.
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Set the expiry time
Fixed-time options settle at a set moment — anything from seconds/minutes to longer. You're predicting the price at that expiry.
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Choose your stake
Enter how much to risk on the trade (from about US$1). This amount is what you stand to lose if you're wrong.
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Predict up or down
Press higher (up) or lower (down) based on whether you think the price will be above or below the current level at expiry.
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The trade settles
If your prediction is correct you receive a fixed payout (up to ~95% of your stake as profit). If it's wrong, you lose the stake.
The payout maths (read this before you deposit)
Here's the part that decides your long-term result. A winning trade returns a fixed payout below 100% — say 90% — so a $10 win earns $9 profit. A losing trade costs your whole $10. That asymmetry means break-even isn't a 50% win rate; at a 90% payout you'd need to win roughly 53% of trades just to stand still, and more than that to profit — consistently, across hundreds of trades, against markets that are hard to predict short-term. This is why the product is negative-expectancy for most people and why most retail accounts lose money.
The 400+ assets — and OTC
You can trade currency pairs, cryptocurrencies, commodities, stocks and indices. Quotex also offers OTC (over-the-counter) assets that the platform quotes itself, often available at weekends when real markets are closed. OTC assets behave differently from exchange-traded markets, so learn them on the demo before risking real money.
Demo vs real accounts
The demo uses free, resettable virtual funds and works identically to the real platform — the perfect place to see how expiries, stakes and payouts behave. On a real account the same mechanics apply to your own money, which also brings real emotions into play. The minimum real deposit is from us$ 10 and trades start from about US$1.
Tools don't remove the risk
The platform includes charts and indicators that can support your analysis. Used well, they help you manage risk and stay disciplined — but no tool, indicator or signal guarantees a profitable trade. Treat anyone promising certainty (especially paid "signals") as a red flag, not an opportunity.
Try it risk-free first
See how fixed-time trades work on the free demo before any real money is involved.
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Frequently asked questions
How does Quotex work?
Quotex offers digital (fixed-time) options. You pick an asset, choose an expiry time and a stake, and predict whether the price will be higher or lower at that expiry. If you're right you earn a fixed payout (up to ~95% of your stake); if you're wrong you lose the stake. It's a short-term prediction on price direction, not ownership of the asset.
What are digital / fixed-time options?
They're contracts that pay a fixed amount if your up/down prediction is correct at a set expiry, and nothing (you lose your stake) if it's not. Unlike traditional investing, you don't own the underlying asset and the outcome is all-or-nothing per trade.
How much can I win on a trade?
A correct trade pays a fixed payout — commonly up to around 95% of your stake as profit (some assets are advertised higher as a marketing maximum). A wrong trade loses 100% of the stake. That asymmetry is important to understand.
Why do most people lose money?
Because the payout on a win is less than 100% while a loss costs your full stake, you need to win well over half your trades just to break even. Over many trades this makes the product negative-expectancy for most people, which is why most retail accounts lose money.
What are OTC assets on Quotex?
OTC (over-the-counter) assets are quoted by the platform and are often available at weekends when real markets are closed. They behave differently from exchange-traded markets, so treat them with extra caution and learn them on the demo first.
Is Quotex trading gambling or investing?
Fixed-time options sit much closer to short-term speculation than to investing. There's skill in analysis and risk control, but the all-or-nothing, sub-100% payout structure means it should be treated as high-risk — not as a reliable way to build wealth.
Do indicators or signals guarantee wins?
No. Charts, indicators and 'signals' can inform a view, but none can predict the market reliably, and anyone promising guaranteed wins is misleading you. Use tools to manage risk, not to chase certainty that doesn't exist.
How do I practise before risking real money?
Use the free demo account. It has resettable virtual funds and works exactly like the real platform, so you can learn how expiries, stakes and payouts behave at zero financial risk.