Part of our country guides. Start with where Alpha Capital works, then compare the guides for Canada, Australia, Pakistan, India, Spain, South Africa, and UAE.
Quick answer: New Zealand is on the published country list. Until 25 October 2026, on New Zealand daylight time, the London open is 8:00pm in Auckland and the New York cash open is 2:30am the next morning. The Chatham Islands are 45 minutes ahead of that.
TL;DR: Alpha Capital is open to traders in New Zealand. You buy a forex and CFD evaluation, trade simulated funds in US dollars on MT5, cTrader, DXtrade, or TradeLocker, and request performance fees in USD after you qualify. The account is not a New Zealand dollar balance, and passing does not guarantee income.
Traders in Auckland and Wellington usually need three answers before they pay: is New Zealand accepted, is the balance in New Zealand dollars, and what time do London and New York open on a local clock. Alpha Capital covers the first. The account is in USD. London is an evening session. New York is after midnight.
Note: Evaluations use simulated funds. Performance fees are performance-based. Outcomes are not guaranteed. Confirm the live plan price on alphacapitalgroup.uk before you buy.
Is Alpha Capital open to traders in New Zealand?
New Zealand is on the published country list in the country availability guide. Sign up with your legal name, set New Zealand as your country of residence, and pay with a card or account in that same name. Third-party payments are not accepted.
Before a Qualified Account is issued, or before a performance fee is paid, you complete KYC yourself:
- A valid government-issued photo ID. A passport, driving licence, or national ID card works. Paper-only ID does not.
- A selfie for facial matching.
- No VPN or VPS during the check.
The path for a new purchase:
- Choose Alpha One, Alpha Pro, Alpha Swing, or Alpha Direct. Direct is the Instant Funding path and skips the evaluation.
- Pick MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DXtrade, or TradeLocker.
- Hit the profit target inside the loss rules on One, Pro, or Swing.
- Become a Qualified Trader on a Qualified Account and request performance fees from the dashboard.
Alpha Three is documented for existing accounts. It is not offered for new purchases.
A "$100K account" is a $100K simulated account in USD. It is not NZ$100,000 in a New Zealand bank.
Which platforms and plans can you buy from New Zealand?
| Feature | How it works |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | New Zealand is eligible. KYC is required. The name on the payment must match your ID. |
| Platforms live now | MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DXtrade, TradeLocker. Alpha Trader is marked Coming Soon. |
| Plans for new buyers | Alpha One (1-step), Alpha Pro (2-step), Alpha Swing (2-step), Alpha Direct (no evaluation). |
| Performance split | 80% standard. Optional 90% add-on on eligible plans. Alpha Direct is 90% standard. |
| Banking | Rise, Wise, bank transfer (wire, ACH, or SWIFT), or crypto via Rise. Payment is USD, not NZD. |
Rules, drawdown, and the performance split are the same worldwide. The published platform exception is for the United States, where new traders do not get MT5. That exception does not apply in New Zealand, so MetaTrader 5 is one of the four live platforms. Confirm it is selectable on your plan at checkout. Platform details are on the platforms page.
What time do London and New York open in Auckland?
Mainland New Zealand is on daylight time in October 2026, UTC+13. Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch share that clock. The Chatham Islands are 45 minutes ahead. The United Kingdom and the United States change their clocks. New Zealand does not change again until April 2027.
These times apply until 25 October 2026, while the UK is on British Summer Time and the US is on daylight time. They are for mainland New Zealand.
| Session | Auckland / Wellington |
|---|---|
| London open, 8:00am UK | 8:00pm |
| New York cash open, 9:30am US Eastern | 2:30am the next day |
| US equity cash close, 4:00pm US Eastern | 9:00am the next day |
The 4:00pm row is the US stock-market close, so you can see the session in local time. It is not an Alpha Capital rule that flattens the account at 9:00am.
On 25 October 2026 the UK moves back to Greenwich Mean Time. From that morning, an 8:00am London open is 9:00pm in Auckland. The New York open stays at 2:30am until the US clock change.
On 1 November 2026 the US leaves daylight time. From that day, 9:30am in New York is 3:30am in Auckland, and the 4:00pm US close is 10:00am. London stays at 9:00pm.
Add 45 minutes for the Chatham Islands.
If you can only sit one session, London at 8:00pm or 9:00pm is the one that fits an evening. The New York cash open is an overnight shift. Gold and EUR/USD still move in the London evening, so you do not have to stay up for New York to have a session.
Should a New Zealand trader buy One, Pro, Swing, or Direct?
- Alpha One if you want a single evaluation stage, one minimum trading day, trailing drawdown, and weekend holds on the Qualified Account. Performance fees on One are on-demand only. The standard split is 80%. The 90% add-on is available at purchase.
- Alpha Pro if you want the two-step path. Weekend holds are allowed in both evaluation phases and are not allowed once you are on the Qualified Account. The news window is five minutes before and after on the targeted instrument. The 90% add-on is available on on-demand Alpha Pro at purchase.
- Alpha Swing if you want weekend holds at every stage, including after you qualify, plus the looser news rule. Swing uses a 10% static drawdown and on-demand performance fees only. An evening London session can run into a hold. Read the Swing account and prop firms that allow swing trading before you pick it.
- Alpha Direct, sold as Instant Funding, if you want to skip the evaluation and start on a Qualified Account. The split is 90% as standard. Weekend holding is not allowed, so positions are closed before the weekend. The fee is higher up front. See how Instant Funding starts.
Compare the stages in Alpha One vs Alpha Pro vs Alpha Swing. Loss rules are in Alpha Capital rules explained.
Maximum allocation across One, Pro, Swing, and Direct is $400,000 shared. Existing Alpha Three accounts count toward that same cap.
Does Alpha Capital pay New Zealand traders in New Zealand dollars?
Plan prices, drawdown, and performance fees are in USD. A New Zealand card converts at your bank's rate. Build that conversion into the cost before you call a plan cheap.
The country guide lists Rise, Wise, bank transfer (wire, ACH, or SWIFT), and crypto via Rise. A method being listed does not mean every provider will accept every New Zealand account. Confirm the method inside the dashboard, and keep the receiving name the same as your KYC name.
The country guide says approved requests are paid within two business days. Traders searching for payouts are looking for this performance fee. It is a share of eligible simulated profit, not a salary, and it is not tax advice.
The longer version of the timing is in what a fast performance fee actually looks like.
Can you hold a forex trade over the weekend from New Zealand?
On some plans, yes. Alpha One allows weekend holds on the Qualified Account. Alpha Swing allows them at every stage. Alpha Pro allows them during the evaluation, then stops once you qualify. Alpha Direct does not allow a weekend hold. A hold can still be charged a swap. Check the live rule on the plan you buy. The help article is weekend holds.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use MT5 from Auckland?
Yes. MetaTrader 5 is one of the four live platforms, with cTrader, DXtrade, and TradeLocker. Setup steps are in the MT5 guide.
What time is the London open in Wellington after October?
Until 25 October 2026 it is 8:00pm in Auckland and Wellington. From 25 October it is 9:00pm, because the UK clock goes back and New Zealand stays on daylight time. On the Chatham Islands those opens are 8:45pm and 9:45pm.
Will my New Zealand card be charged in USD?
Yes. The plan price is in USD. Your bank converts it. The performance fee comes back in USD, not NZD.
Is New Zealand accepted?
Yes. New Zealand is on the published country list. Confirm New Zealand as your residence at signup and complete KYC in your own name.
Related reading
- Country availability
- Alpha One vs Alpha Pro vs Alpha Swing
- Alpha Capital rules explained
- Prop firms that allow swing trading
- MT5 on Alpha Capital
- Platforms
Start an Alpha Capital evaluation
Simulated evaluations, simulated funds. Performance fees are performance-based. Outcomes are not guaranteed.
Author: Alpha Capital Research Team · Updated: October 15, 2026
