If you’re new to trading Volatility Indices on Deriv, the hardest part is knowing which ones to start with.
Some Volatility Indices are perfect for beginners — smooth, forgiving, and ideal for learning key trading skills.
Others (like V250 1s or V100 1s) move so fast they can easily blow your account if you’re not ready.
I’ve traded every Volatility Index on Deriv, tested dozens of strategies, and studied the actual movement data. In this guide, I’ll show you the best indices for beginners — based on real data and my own experience.
👉 If you’re looking for the fastest movers, check out my
⚡Most Volatile Volatility Indices on Deriv. ➡️
👉 If you want a complete overview of how Volatility Indices work, the types available, and how they move — see my full Volatility Indices Guide.
👉 If you want to start calm and build skill, this post is for you.
👉 And if you also want to explore beginner-friendly synthetic indices beyond Volatility Indices (Boom, Crash, Step, Range Break), check out my guide on Best Synthetic Indices for Beginners on Deriv.
How I Picked These Indices
This is not guesswork — it’s based on:
✅ 6 months of real movement data → median USD swing + range
✅ How stable and “clean” each index moves → no wild spikes
✅ Minimum lot size → beginner-friendly sizing
✅ Suitable for small accounts → forgiving on mistakes
✅ How they feel in live trading → I’ve tested them all.
👉 The goal is to help beginners build confidence and skill without getting crushed by unexpected volatility.
At a Glance — Best Volatility Indices for Beginners
Symbol | Median 30-min USD Swing | Why Beginner-Friendly |
---|---|---|
1️⃣. Volatility 50 Index (Normal) | $0.11 | Smoothest index, perfect for testing |
2️⃣. Volatility 25 Index (Normal) | $0.56 | Clean trends, low spikiness |
3️⃣. Volatility 10 Index (Normal) | $0.58 | Slow, easy to follow patterns |
4️⃣. Volatility 15 (1s) Index | $0.71 | Great intro to 1s indices, balanced moves |
5️⃣. Volatility 30 (1s) Index | $0.77 | Steady trending, clean pullbacks |
6️⃣Volatility 75 Index (Normal) | $1.58 | Classic index, great for practicing trend trades |
👉 I don’t recommend starting with V75 1s, V100 1s, V250 1s or V90 1s — they are too fast for beginners.
Volatility 50 Index (Normal) — The best Volatility Index for absolute beginners
Median 30-min USD swing: $0.1065
Smallest USD swing: $0.0146
Largest USD swing: $0.1985
Median range: 266.3 pts
Min lot size: 4 (likely 0.01 or 0.1 in MT5 — check live)
Why it works for beginners:
✅ Smoothest movements → no violent spikes
✅ Excellent for learning setups
✅ Allows safe small position sizing
How to approach it:
👉 EMA Bounce (M15) → great for learning trend entries
👉 50 EMA Pullback (H1 → M30) → classic trend rider
👉 Box Breakout (M5) → simple breakout training
Volatility 25 Index (Normal) — Clean trending index with low stress
Median 30-min USD swing: $0.5562
Smallest USD swing: $0.1285
Largest USD swing: $0.984
Median range: 1 112.45 pts
Min lot size: 0.5
Why I recommend it for beginners:
✅ Trends cleanly
✅ Less spike risk
✅ Perfect for learning pullback trading
How I attack it:
👉 EMA Pullback (M15)
👉 Breakout-Retest (M5)
👉 ATR Pullback Fade (M30)
Volatility 10 Index (Normal) — The slowest moving core Volatility Index
Median 30-min USD swing: $0.5774
Smallest USD swing: $0.1464
Largest USD swing: $1.0085
Median range: 1 154.85 pts
Min lot size: 0.5
Why I suggest it for new traders:
✅ Moves very slowly
✅ Good for training your discipline
✅ Great for practicing lot sizing and stops
How I trade it:
👉 EMA Crossover Entry (M15)
👉 Range Breakout (M5)
👉 50 EMA Bounce (H1)
Volatility 15 (1s) Index — Your best first 1s index
Median 30-min USD swing: $0.7098
Smallest USD swing: $0.1548
Largest USD swing: $1.2647
Median range: 3 548.9 pts
Min lot size: 0.2
Why I recommend it for beginners entering 1s indices:
✅ Great intro to 1s behavior
✅ Balanced — not too slow, not too fast
✅ Teaches you timing and patience
How you can trade it:
👉 M1 EMA Scalper
👉 Donchian Breakout (M5)
👉 Trend Pullback (M15)
Volatility 30 (1s) Index — Steady trending for practice
Median 30-min USD swing: $0.7672
Smallest USD swing: $0.1876
Largest USD swing: $1.3469
Median range: 3 836.25 pts
Min lot size: 0.2
Why it’s suited for beginners:
✅ Smooth pullbacks
✅ Good intro to swing trading
✅ Easy to test simple systems
Possible strategies:
👉 M5 Box Breakout
👉 EMA Trend Rider (M15 → M5)
👉 Counter-ATR Fade (M15)
Volatility 75 Index (Normal) — A classic — not as fast as V75 1s
Median 30-min USD swing: $1.578
Smallest USD swing: $0.2871
Largest USD swing: $2.8688
Median range: 157 796 pts
Min lot size: 0.001
Why beginners can benefit from trading it:
✅ Great for practicing trend trades
✅ Moves cleaner than V75 (1s)
✅ Useful for building timing and discipline
How to trade it:
👉 Trend Pullback (H1 → M30)
👉 M5 EMA Scalper
👉 Counter-Swing Fade (M30)
Why These Are the Best for Beginners
👉 They move slow enough to give you time to think and manage trades.
👉 They have clean behavior — ideal for learning proper entry/exit skills.
👉 They teach discipline and patience — not panic trading.
If you can master these indices first, you’ll be ready to handle faster movers later — V75 1s, V100 1s, and beyond.
How Much Account Size Do You Need to Trade Beginner-Friendly Volatility Indices?
👉 This is one of the most common questions new traders ask:
How much money do I need to start trading volatility indices?
Can I trade volatility indices with $10? $20? $50?
What is the minimum account size for volatility indices?
I get exactly where they’re coming from — as a newbie, you don’t want to go in head-first risking too much money on instruments you barely understand.
At the same time, you also don’t want to be stopped out too early — only to watch the trade move heavily in your direction after you’re already out, simply because your account equity was too low to handle normal movement.
👉 The real question here is: How do you find a safe middle ground between both extremes?
So based on my experience trading every Volatility Index on Deriv — and backed by fresh movement data — I’ll give you a clear, practical answer below.
Here’s a clear answer — based on real movement data.
Why account size matters for Volatility Indices
Even the calmest volatility indices can swing fast.
Many traders open a minimum lot trade without realizing their balance can’t handle normal price movement — and they get stopped out or liquidated during ordinary fluctuations.
To avoid this, you need to size your account based on:
✅ The index’s typical movement → median 30-minute USD swing
✅ How often it moves during a trading session → I estimate 6 significant swings in an 8-hour window
✅ A safety buffer → I use 5× the expected risk to cover:
- Margin usage
- Spread + slippage
- Small trade errors
- Psychological safety buffer (so you’re not trading at the edge)
Practical formula to calculate your minimum account size
👉 Minimum Account Size = Median USD Swing × 6 swings × 5 buffer
- Median USD Swing → How much the index typically moves in USD every 30 minutes.
- 6 swings → Reasonable number of big movements across a 6–8 hour session.
- 5 buffer → Builds in extra safety.
Minimum account size guide — Beginner-Friendly Volatility Indices
Index | Median 30-min USD Swing | Suggested Min Account Size (safe for one min lot trade) |
---|---|---|
Volatility 50 Index (Normal) | $0.11 | $5–$10 |
Volatility 25 Index (Normal) | $0.56 | $20–$25 |
Volatility 10 Index (Normal) | $0.58 | $20–$25 |
Volatility 15 (1s) Index | $0.71 | $25–$30 |
Volatility 30 (1s) Index | $0.77 | $25–$30 |
Volatility 75 Index (Normal) | $1.58 | $50–$60 |
Key notes:
✅ Yes — you can trade Volatility 50 Index with $10 comfortably, as long as you stick to one min lot trade.
✅ You should not trade V75 Normal with $10 or $20 — it can easily move $9–$10 across a few swings.
✅ If you want to swing trade and hold positions overnight → consider an even larger buffer (6–8×).
✅ And always remember: just because you can trade with a small account doesn’t mean you should take big risks. Start small, demo extensively, and grow carefully.
✅ If you want to open multiple trades, scale up your account accordingly → this formula is for one trade at minimum lot size.
Also — if you want to check the exact minimum lot sizes for all synthetic indices, including every Volatility Index, here’s my full Lot Sizes for Synthetic Indices Guide — it’s an essential reference before placing any trades.
👉 One final tip — it is critically important to demo trade with these minimum balances extensively before going live, especially as a beginner.
👉 If you don’t have a demo account yet, here’s a quick guide on
🎮How to open a Deriv demo account on MT5 ➡️
I strongly recommend starting there before risking real funds.
Trading even the best volatility indices for beginners requires real skill in managing entries, exits, and handling drawdowns. Even if your account size is technically large enough, you need to build confidence first — and demo trading lets you do that safely.
👉 And if you’re wondering about the best time of day to trade these indices, I’ll show you what the data says in my full guide on
⏲️ Best Time to Trade Volatility Indices — check it out.
Remember:
If you’re just starting out trading Volatility Indices, these are the best places to learn.
👉 They’ll let you build skill without overwhelming your account.
👉 They’ll teach you timing, patience, and discipline.
I’d love to hear your experience:
Which Volatility Indices did you start with?
What tips would you give a new trader choosing their first index?
Drop your insights in the comments — your input could really help a fellow trader.
🔗 Related Guides
⏲️ Best Time to Trade Synthetic Indices on Deriv
→ Discover which times of day and week typically offer the best movement and trading conditions across synthetic indices.
📲 Platforms for Trading Synthetic Indices on Deriv
→ Compare the different platforms you can use to trade synthetic indices on Deriv — MT5, Deriv X, cTrader, and more.
📦 Advantages and Disadvantages of Synthetic Indices
→ Understand the key pros and cons of trading synthetic indices — what makes them unique, and what risks to watch out for.
💹 Synthetic Indices vs Forex
→ How do synthetic indices compare to forex? Learn the key differences in market behavior, trading style, and risk.
💁🏾 Tips for Trading Synthetic Indices
→ Practical trading tips based on real-world experience — what works, what to avoid, and how to improve your edge when trading synthetics.
FAQs on Best Volatility Indices for Beginners
Volatility 50 Index (Normal) is the smoothest and most beginner-friendly Volatility Index on Deriv.
Some are — V15 (1s) and V30 (1s) are excellent intro choices. Avoid V250 (1s), V90 (1s), V100 (1s) when starting out.
If brand new → start with Normal (V50, V25, V10). Once comfortable, add V15 (1s) and V30 (1s) to your practice.
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