The Volatility 75 Index (V75) is a Synthetic Index created by Deriv: a simulated market whose price is generated by a cryptographically secure random number generator so that it moves with a constant volatility of 75%. It trades 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is not linked to any real company, currency or exchange, and Deriv is the only broker that offers it.
V75 is often confused with the VIX, but they are different things. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) is calculated from S&P 500 option prices and reflects the market’s expectation of US stock market volatility. Deriv’s Volatility 75 does not track the VIX, the S&P 500 or any other market.
Because V75 is only available from Deriv, the broker’s status matters: Deriv is not authorised by the FSCA, and Deriv acts as your counterparty on Synthetic Indices. Our Deriv review sets out which offshore Deriv companies hold South African accounts.
What is the Volatility 75 Index?
Deriv’s Volatility Indices run at fixed levels of volatility, from 10% up to 250%. The number in the name is the volatility Deriv programs into the index, so Volatility 75 swings far more than Volatility 10 but less than Volatility 100 or 250. That level stays constant: there are no quiet sessions or busy news days, only the same statistical behaviour around the clock.
Volatility 75 vs Volatility 75 (1s)
Deriv offers two versions. The standard Volatility 75 Index produces a new price every 2 seconds, while Volatility 75 (1s) produces a new price every second. The 1s version moves through the same volatility in more, smaller steps, so prices change faster on your screen.
How is the V75 price generated?
Deriv says its Synthetic Indices are generated by a cryptographically secure random number generator. There is no order book and no buyers and sellers setting the price, so economic news, interest rate decisions and company results have no effect on V75.
This has a direct consequence for strategy. Deriv itself says that, apart from its Range Break Index, Synthetic Indices may not be well suited to technical indicators, and that any noticeable historical patterns are purely coincidental. Treat any course or signal group that promises a reliable V75 pattern with suspicion.
Volatility 75 trading hours
V75 trades 24/7, including weekends and South African public holidays. Deriv lists Synthetic Indices as open from Sunday 00:00 to Saturday 24:00 GMT, which means the market never closes. South Africa is on GMT+2 all year, so there is no need to convert session times.
There is no “best time” to trade V75 in the way there is for forex or US indices, because nothing changes between hours. Compare that with real markets that follow the London session or the US open, where volume and volatility rise at set times.
Volatility 75 contract specifications
Deriv publishes the contract size, minimum volume, volume limit, minimum spread, maximum leverage, margin requirement and swap for every Synthetic Index on its trading specifications page, under the Derived Indices tab. Look up the Volatility 75 row for your account type before you trade, because the figures differ between accounts and Deriv updates them.
- Leverage: Deriv offers leverage on Synthetic Indices from 1:100 up to 1:4000 depending on the index, far above what you see on regulated forex accounts.
- Minimum volume: the smallest position you can open, in lots. Learn how lot size changes your risk in our lot size guide.
- Spread: your main cost on each trade, quoted in price units.
- Swap: a charge or credit for holding positions open over time, listed separately for long and short trades.
Higher leverage means a smaller deposit controls a bigger position, but losses grow at the same rate. Read how leverage works before you trade any Synthetic Index.
Where can you trade Volatility 75?
Only with Deriv, as at October 2026. Instruments with similar names at other brokers are their own products and do not follow Deriv’s prices. With a Deriv account you can trade V75 on these platforms:
| Platform | How you trade V75 |
|---|---|
| Deriv MT5 | CFDs, with MT5 charts and Expert Advisors |
| Deriv cTrader | CFDs, including copy trading |
| TradingView | CFDs from TradingView charts once you connect your Deriv account |
| Deriv Trader | Options and multipliers in your browser |
| Deriv Bot | Automated options strategies built with drag-and-drop blocks |
Check that Volatility 75 appears in the symbol list for your specific account before you deposit. Use deriv.com only, because clone sites using the Deriv name have been the subject of regulator warnings.
V75 compared with real indices
| Volatility 75 (Deriv) | NAS100 | VIX (Cboe) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it tracks | Random price generator set to 75% volatility | Nasdaq-100 company shares | Expected S&P 500 volatility from option prices |
| Moved by news | No | Yes | Yes |
| Trading hours | 24/7, including weekends | Weekdays, broker hours | Weekdays, Cboe hours |
| Who offers it | Deriv only | Most CFD brokers | Futures, options and CFDs at many brokers |
If you want an index that reflects real companies, see our guide to NAS100.
Risks of trading Volatility 75
- Large, constant swings: V75 is built to move sharply at all times, and with high leverage a small account can be wiped out within minutes.
- Deriv sets the price: there is no independent market price to check against, and Deriv is the other side of your trade.
- No closing bell: a 24/7 market makes it easy to overtrade and chase losses at night and over weekends.
- No edge from news or patterns: Deriv says historical patterns are coincidental, so most “V75 strategies” sold online rest on nothing.
- Offshore protection only: disputes run through Deriv’s own process and The Financial Commission, not South African channels.
If you want regulated, real-market CFDs instead, compare brokers authorised in South Africa.
FAQs
Is Volatility 75 a real market?
No. V75 is a simulated index generated by Deriv’s random number generator. It is not linked to any stock, currency or exchange, and it is not the Cboe VIX.
Can I trade V75 on weekends?
Yes. Deriv’s Synthetic Indices, including Volatility 75, trade 24/7 including weekends and public holidays.
Which brokers offer Volatility 75?
Only Deriv. You can trade it on Deriv MT5, Deriv cTrader, TradingView, Deriv Trader and Deriv Bot with a Deriv account.
What is the best time to trade Volatility 75?
There is none. V75 runs at the same programmed volatility every hour of every day, and Deriv says any patterns in its past prices are coincidental.
Trading CFDs is high risk. Leverage can magnify losses, and you may lose your deposit. Only trade with money you can afford to lose.
