Broker Account Activation Checklist: 10 Steps Before You Fund
By Ken Chigbo, founder of KenMacro, 2026-06-07. KenMacro is an affiliate partner of the brokers linked below.
Before you open and fund a broker account, run these ten steps. They take a few minutes and they stop the small mistakes, funding before verification, the wrong entity, an untracked link, that quietly cost people their first withdrawal.
Open through the KenMacro link
Use the KenMacro link for your chosen broker so the desk can track and support your account.
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Check your country and entity
Confirm which broker entity you will be onboarded under. It decides your leverage cap and your protection.
Choose the right account type
Pick the account that matches how you actually trade, not the one that sounds most professional.
Confirm the minimum deposit
Verify the current minimum at signup. It can change by region and payment method.
Confirm platform access
Check the platform you want is available, MT4, MT5, TradingView or cTrader, before you commit.
Check leverage and margin rules
Confirm the leverage and stop-out rules, and set leverage sensibly, 1:30 to 1:100 for live positions.
Check the withdrawal method and complete KYC
Finish identity verification before you fund, and fund and withdraw through the same method where you can.
Save your confirmation screenshots
Screenshot your account confirmation and keep it, in case you need to reference it later.
Message the desk if anything is unclear
Ask before you deposit, not after. The desk would rather answer a question than fix a funded mistake.
Do not fund until you understand the risk
Only trade capital you can afford to lose. CFDs are leveraged and most retail accounts lose money.
Not sure which broker yet?
Start here, then come back and run the checklist.
Already decided? Open with KenMacro:
Frequently asked questions
Why open through the KenMacro link?
So your account is tracked and the desk can support it if something goes wrong. It costs you nothing extra and it supports the free research. If you open through a random link, the desk cannot see or help with your account.
What stops a broker account from qualifying?
The most common causes are funding before KYC is complete, name or address details that do not match your ID, opening through an untracked or old link, and depositing below the current minimum. This checklist is built to catch all of those before you fund.
Do I have to deposit straight away?
No. Complete identity verification first, confirm your entity and account type, then deposit only what you have confirmed and can afford to lose. Never fund until you understand the risk.
Keep reading
Risk warning. CFDs and spread bets are leveraged products and most retail accounts lose money. Only trade with capital you can afford to lose. This page is for information and education, not financial advice. Verify all current terms, minimums and conditions directly with the broker before you fund.
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