MT4 to MT5 migration for brokers: the business plan behind the server

Why are brokers migrating from MT4 to MT5 in 2026?

Brokers are migrating because MT4 has no future capacity: MetaQuotes says “The MetaTrader 4 trading platform licenses are no longer available for purchase”, and it focuses development on MetaTrader 5. When MetaQuotes stopped selling MT4 to new clients in January 2018, Finance Magnates reported that existing brokers “will not be able to expand their operations on the platform, as no new servers will be issued in any capacity.” Existing MT4 licensees kept support and, according to the same report, MetaQuotes addressed the continuation of security updates and bug fixes.

So MT4 still runs, but it cannot grow. A broker that wants another server, a new entity or multi-asset products such as exchange-traded instruments has to plan for MT5. Each extra year on two platforms means two sets of licences, duplicated integrations and staff time spent supporting both.

This page covers the business plan for a migration. The step-by-step technical list for your IT team is on our separate MT4 to MT5 migration checklist, and our MT4 vs MT5 white label guide compares the platforms for brokers who are not yet decided.

What changes for the broker’s business when you move to MT5?

Moving to MT5 changes your account model, product range, integrations and reporting, not just the server. Most of these changes are opportunities, but each one is a decision someone in the business must make before the technical team can configure anything.

What migrates from MT4 to MT5, and what does not?

Accounts, balances, credit, closed trade history and group and symbol settings can be migrated with the right tools; passwords, client-installed Expert Advisors and some integrations cannot simply be copied. Open positions and pending orders can be moved, but many brokers ask clients to close them or move them under controlled conditions to avoid disputes. The table gives the business view; your technical team will work from the migration checklist.

Hedging or netting: which account type should migrated clients get?

Migrated forex clients should normally get hedging accounts, because hedging mode on MT5 behaves like MT4 and keeps multiple positions in the same symbol, including opposite ones. MetaQuotes introduced the hedging system in March 2016 for exactly this reason, noting that it would be familiar to MT4 traders. Netting accounts merge all deals in a symbol into one position, which suits exchange instruments but surprises an MT4 client who opens a second trade and sees the first one change.

You can still offer netting for new products, such as exchange-traded instruments, in separate groups. Decide the default for each group before configuration, write it into account type descriptions, and make sure your copy trading, PAMM and bridge settings use the same mode as the accounts they serve.

Who should own the decisions in an MT4 to MT5 migration?

A migration needs one accountable owner on the broker side, usually the COO or head of operations, and named decision-makers for dealing, finance, compliance, support and partners. When nobody owns trading conditions or IB rules, the technical team waits, and the cutover weekend slips.

How should you plan the migration timeline?

Plan the migration as a sequence of audit, build, rehearsal, communication and a single cutover weekend, then a short stabilisation period before MT4 is switched off. The length depends on the number of accounts, groups and integrations, and above all on how quickly the business decisions above are made. We give a dated plan after the audit rather than a generic figure.

Real migrations follow this pattern. Earn, a broker that moved its MT4 accounts to MT5 in 2025, scheduled two separate weekends, 20–21 and 27–28 September 2025, one per MT4 server, with each server temporarily unavailable during its window.

1. AuditList every group, symbol, account type, plug-in, bridge, report and integration on MT4, plus balances, credit and IB structures.
2. DecideAccount types, trading conditions, cutover model, open-position policy, EA support and client communication plan.
3. Build MT5Configure groups and symbols, connect liquidity, CRM, payments and front ends to MT5, and recertify third-party tools.
4. RehearseRun at least one full trial migration on copied data and reconcile every balance and IB figure against MT4.
5. CommunicateSend client and IB notices, publish FAQs and guides, and brief support well before the cutover.
6. Cut overFreeze MT4 trading at the agreed time, migrate, reconcile, test, and open MT5 before the market opens.
7. Stabilise and closeKeep MT4 read-only for statements for an agreed period, handle tickets, then decommission.

Should you cut over in one weekend, by group, or run MT4 and MT5 in parallel?

Most brokers are best served by a single planned cutover, or a small number of cutovers by server or group, rather than a long parallel run. Parallel running sounds safer but doubles licence costs, splits liquidity and support, and lets clients delay indefinitely. A phased move by server, as Earn did, keeps each weekend manageable.

How should you tell clients and introducing brokers about the migration?

Tell clients and introducing brokers early, in plain language, with the dates, what they need to do and what will not change. A good notice covers when the old server will be unavailable, how new login details arrive, what happens to open positions, pending orders and history, whether trading conditions change, and what to do about Expert Advisors.

Earn’s notice is a useful real example: it told clients that open positions, balances and history would be transferred, that “You do not need to take any steps to complete the migration”, and that MT4 Expert Advisors would need adapting. Send at least two notices, one well ahead and one shortly before the weekend, plus a confirmation once MT5 is open. Brief IBs separately with their own dates and a check of their commission set-up, because they will answer many client questions for you.

What happens to clients’ Expert Advisors and indicators?

Clients’ Expert Advisors and custom indicators written in MQL4 will not run on MT5 and need to be converted or rewritten in MQL5. MetaQuotes’ own MQL5 documentation states that existing MQL4 indicators and strategies “should be converted to MQL5” to be used in MetaTrader 5. Conversion is not automatic because MT5 uses a different trading model and indicator handling.

Decide your policy before you announce the migration. Some brokers only inform clients and point them to the MQL5 marketplace and freelancers; others help their largest algorithmic clients or IBs convert key tools. Either way, say it clearly in the notice and do not imply compatibility.

How do liquidity, CRM and payments move to MT5?

Liquidity, CRM and payments move by reconnecting each system to the new MT5 server and re-testing the full client flow, from registration and deposit to trade, withdrawal and IB payout. Bridges and gateways need MT5 versions and new routing rules; the CRM needs to create MT5 accounts and sync balances through the MT5 Manager API; and payment flows must credit the right MT5 accounts.

This is often the moment to fix what never worked well on MT4. Our liquidity integration page covers bridges and routing, the broker CRM page shows how account sync and IB commissions work on MT5, and the MT5 Manager API guide explains the interface most integrations use. Front ends move too: a branded WebTrader and apps connected to MT5 give clients a consistent experience from day one.

How much does an MT4 to MT5 migration cost?

Migration cost depends on the number of accounts, servers and integrations, on how many third-party tools must be re-certified for MT5, and on whether you are moving to your own MT5 licence or into a provider’s environment. Very few vendors publish a figure, and the ones that do usually price a single tool rather than the whole project, so a published number tells you little about your own budget. We do not publish prices on this site either: message us with your server count and integrations and we will send current figures for your set-up.

If you are moving to your own MT5 licence, the platform fee comes from MetaQuotes, not from us. In the applications we handle, MetaQuotes charges a monthly fee that depends on the tier chosen (Entry, Standard or Enterprise), and when the Entry tier is chosen it asks for three months to be paid upfront. MetaQuotes’ order page lists the capacities as 1,000 real accounts for Entry, 25,000 for Standard and 200,000 for Enterprise, which matters for a migration: count your active MT4 accounts before you pick a tier. MetaQuotes does not publish its prices, so ask us for the figures we are currently seeing.

Budget also for the less visible items: re-certification of bridges and plug-ins, a period of overlapping licences while MT4 stays read-only, extra support staff around cutover and any EA conversion help you offer. If you already have a migration quote, send it to us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what it leaves out.

What should a migration quote include?

A complete migration quote names every system that moves, every rehearsal, the cutover itself and the support afterwards, and it says clearly which costs belong to third parties. Most disagreements we see after a migration come from quotes that priced the data transfer and left the rest to “to be agreed”.

Compare quotes line by line rather than by the bottom figure. One provider may include two rehearsals and cutover support; another may include one rehearsal and bill support by the hour. Ask each provider to fill in the same list, and treat any blank line as a cost you will pay later.

• Audit of the MT4 set-up: groups, symbols, plug-ins, reports and integrations.
• MT5 configuration: groups, symbols, trading conditions, hedging or netting per group.
• Data migration method for accounts, balances, credit and history, with the number of trial runs.
• Reconnection of liquidity, CRM, payments and front ends, and who pays third-party vendors.
• Cutover weekend staffing, the go or no-go point and the rollback plan.
• Post-cutover support period and how tickets are handled.
• Whether the MetaQuotes or provider platform fee is included or billed separately.
• Decommissioning of MT4 and how long statements stay available.

What are the business risks of a migration, and how do you contain them?

The main business risks are balance or commission errors, clients unable to log in on Monday, disputes over open positions, and an IB network that feels ignored. Each can be contained with preparation rather than technology.

• Reconcile every balance, credit and IB figure between MT4 and MT5 in rehearsal and again at cutover, with finance signing off.
• Set a written go or no-go point on the cutover weekend and a rollback plan that reopens MT4 if reconciliation fails.
• Freeze changes to groups, symbols and IB rules in the weeks before cutover.
• Publish the open-position policy in advance and log every position moved, with prices and swaps.
• Staff support and IB managers heavily for the first trading days and track ticket volume hourly.
• Keep MT4 statements available, read-only, for the period your compliance team requires.

How does FXUP run an MT4 to MT5 migration?

We run the technical side and support the business decisions: audit of your MT4 set-up, MT5 configuration on your own server, an MT5 white label or an MT5 grey label, data migration, reconnection of liquidity, CRM and payments, rehearsals and the cutover itself. If you do not yet have MT5, the MT5 licence guide explains the direct route; as a consulting firm we also handle the MetaQuotes requirements and application for clients, for a fee. For the CRM, we have our own and also work with partner CRMs, and we propose whichever fits your IB structure and integrations. FXUP is an independent firm and is not affiliated with MetaQuotes.

After the audit you receive a written plan with dates, owners and the decisions we need from you, linked to the item-level migration checklist. Clients can test the new front end in advance on the WebTrader demo and the mobile app demo, which run on a real MT5 demo environment.

Questions buyers ask

Not covered here? Ask us on WhatsApp, message @FXUPCK on Telegram or write to [email protected].