MT5 hedging vs netting accounts and your trade history

MT5 accounts hold positions in one of two modes. Here is what each changes in your history and how to journal it so the numbers stay right.

Two ways MT5 can hold your positions

	Netting	Hedging
Positions per symbol	One net position per symbol	Several separate positions, including opposite ones
A second buy on the same symbol	Adds to the existing position	Opens a new, separate position
A sell while you are long	Reduces, closes or reverses the position	Opens a separate sell position
Who decides	Your broker, when the account is opened	Your broker, when the account is opened

The mode is a property of the account, set by the broker. Some brokers describe it on their platform pages; for example, Exness states that its MetaTrader 5 uses a hedging mode (checked 7 October 2026). If you are unsure of yours, ask your broker or check the account details.

What it changes in your trade history

Netting: adding to or partly closing a position produces several deals inside one position. A full reversal closes one position and opens another.
Hedging: each entry is its own position with its own ticket, so you can have a buy and a sell on the same symbol open at once, each with its own stop and target.
In both modes MT5 records deals (each execution) and groups them into positions. The History tab can show Positions, Orders or Deals.

Why this matters for journaling

A good journal records one row per closed position, combining partial closes, so that win rate and average result are calculated per trade rather than per execution. If a journal counted deals instead, one trade closed in three pieces would look like three trades and distort every statistic.

AI Trading Journal groups MT5 history by position ID. Partial closes of the same position are combined into one journal entry, and separate hedged positions stay separate.

Journaling tips by mode

Hedging: note why you hold both sides (a hedge, a different timeframe, or a mistake). Review hedged pairs together.
Netting: record planned size changes so you can tell scaling in from averaging down.
In both: note your stop and target on the first order; MT5 keeps them on the order, not on the deal.

See also MT5 trade history not showing if a position looks incomplete, the Python guide to deals and positions, and the Exness MT5 notes.

Prefer not to dig through the History tab? AI Trading Journal reads your closed trades from your own MT5 terminal and saves one entry in your own journal on your PC (and one Notion row, if you connect Notion) per closed position about every 5 minutes, with open and close time, size, prices, stop, target and profit. It is read-only, needs no broker login, and is Windows-only, with a 7-day free trial and a one-time $19.99.

This page is general information. Account modes and menu names vary by broker. It is not trading or investment advice.

The same trades in both modes (hypothetical)

Suppose you buy 1.0 lot of EURUSD at 1.0850, buy another 0.5 lots at 1.0870, then sell 0.5 lots at 1.0890, then sell the remaining 1.0 lot at 1.0900. Here is how each mode records it:

Step	Netting account	Hedging account
Buy 1.0 at 1.0850	Opens a long position of 1.0	Opens position A of 1.0
Buy 0.5 at 1.0870	Adds to the same position: 1.5 at an average price	Opens a separate position B of 0.5
Sell 0.5 at 1.0890	Reduces the position to 1.0 (a partial close)	A sell order opens a new opposite position C of 0.5 unless you close a specific position
Sell 1.0 at 1.0900	Closes the position	Another opposite position unless you close A and B by ticket
Positions in the closed history	One position with several deals	Several positions, each with its own ticket

On a hedging account, closing a specific position is done with that position's close button, not by placing an opposite order, otherwise you end up holding both sides. This is one of the commonest surprises for traders moving from netting to hedging, and it shows up in the history as extra, offsetting positions.

What to record for each mode

Mode	Record these	Watch for
Netting	Planned entry size, each add-on and the reason, average price, the final exit	Averaging down disguised as scaling in
Hedging	Position ticket, whether it is a hedge on purpose, the linked position	Forgotten opposite positions that pay spread and swap on both sides

The cost of hedging by accident

A buy of 1.0 lot and a sell of 1.0 lot on the same symbol leave you flat in price terms, but you have paid the spread on both, and you may pay or earn swap on each leg depending on your broker. If it happens by mistake, the journal shows a position that opened and closed within minutes at no gain, repeatedly. Flag these in your notes so they do not pass as real trades in your statistics.

Counting trades correctly

Count positions, not deals. One position closed in three pieces is one trade.
On a hedging account, count each separate position as its own trade, including the opposite ones.
If you deliberately hedge, consider tagging the pair so that you can review them together and judge the combined result.
Check the first week of a new account against the MT5 History tab. If the number of closed positions differs from the count in your journal, find out why before you trust any statistic.

If positions look incomplete or are missing from the history, see MT5 trade history not showing. If you want to work with the data in code, the Python guide to deals and positions shows how MT5 groups them, and the profit and loss calculator helps you check an individual result.

To see how costs add up across the deals of one position, read MT5 trading costs in the trade history.

Related: MT5 order types explained shows how pending orders appear next to deals and positions.

How scaling out looks on each account type is shown in MT5 partial close in trade history.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between hedging and netting in MT5?

Netting keeps one net position per symbol. Hedging allows several separate positions per symbol, including opposite ones.

How do I know if my MT5 account is hedging or netting?

Your broker sets it when the account is opened. Check the account details or ask your broker.

How does hedging affect my trade history?

Each position has its own ticket and row, so the history shows separate buys and sells on the same symbol.

Does AI Trading Journal work with hedging accounts?

Yes. It records one row per closed position and keeps separate hedged positions separate.

Related guides

Journal each position correctly, automatically

Free for 7 days, no card required. After that, a one-time $19.99 purchase. No subscription. Also on the Microsoft Store.

One-time $19.99, no monthly fee · your MT5 login never leaves your PC · trades go into your own journal on your PC, not through our servers.

Start free 7-day trial