Why MetaTrader 4 still matters in today’s trading landscape

For a platform first released in 2005, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) might seem like a relic of the early retail trading era. Yet, in 2026, MT4 remains one of the most widely used trading environments in the world. You might think that the platform’s relevance stems from nostalgia, but how wrong you would be. 

Since its launch, MT4 has outlived market cycles, regulatory shifts and multiple waves of “next generation” trading platforms that promised to replace it. The platform is still running millions of live trading accounts worldwide, supported by hundreds of brokers and relied on daily by retail forex traders. Even as MetaTrader 5 gains volume leadership, you will still find many MetaTrader 4 broker platforms still continuing to anchor a large share of real-world trading activity.

The staying power of MT4 is not accidental. The platform remains relevant because of its many uses and massive installed user base. Well, this article will go into detail, reviewing some of the reasons this trading platform still remains relevant.

Power and ease of use

One of the greatest selling points of MT4 is the simplicity behind it. For many modern trading apps, users are always bombarded with flashy dashboards and endless tabs. In contrast, MT4 is simple yet functional. Well, for many retail traders, and especially those focused on forex, the streamlined interface and straightforward workflow reduce the barriers to entry.

Now, you might think that this simplicity voids the platform of power, but how wrong you would be. The platform boasts advanced charting capabilities, full customisation options and a myriad of technical indicators. This makes it useful for both professionals and noobs.

MT4 offers many trading tools, including market orders, pending orders and stop orders. Also, its technical analysis capability is among the most appealing features, particularly for beginners. Traders all over the globe rely on its extensive technical analysis tools to make good choices that are well informed. These include:

• 24 analytical objects for price analysis
• 700 paid indicators
• 2000 free custom indicators
• 30 built-in technical indicators
• Over 1000 symbols that can be displayed in 9 timeframes

While other platforms try new things and bring “updates” to MT4, none of them come close to getting the balance between technical sophistication and simplicity that MT4 does. This is one of the reasons that has made the platform a market leader for the last 20 years.

Capitalising on the network effect

By nature, human beings are social creatures. People want to do what other people are doing and want what others have. Basically, it is a convenient way to feel secure. That is the reason many people will flood review sites, not to find out what product is the best, but to know what product is used the most. Well, when it comes to forex trading, if everyone uses a particular trading software, then others will start hopping in.

Data by Gitnux shows that MT4 still holds over 50% market share. Additionally, recent industry data revealed that MT4 remains the dominant platform for retail trading globally, with over 90% of forex brokers still supporting MT4 as their primary interface. In Malaysia, around 78% of retail FX trades are done via mobile apps. Interestingly, MT4’s mobile version has remained among the top choices for on-the-go trading. And even though many brokers offer MT5 platforms, they do so alongside the MT4 platform.

This adoption has translated into huge user penetration, with market sources estimating millions of active MT4 trading accounts worldwide. Because of this huge penetration, any user coming into the market will first think of the service because other businesses use it too.

Speed and stability are core features

In the world of online trading, where the difference between a successful trade and a lost opportunity can be a fraction of a second, every millisecond counts. That’s why the trading platform one is using must be stable and have the perfect execution speed. This is the place where MT4 excels best.

MetaTrader 4 is designed with a lightweight architecture that allows it to run on almost any hardware. Its fast execution speeds allow for trades to be placed and processed quickly. This comes in handy, especially during times of market volatility. Whatever the trade one is doing, whether scalping, swing trading or running automated strategies, MT4’s architecture takes delays to a minimum.

In comparison, many mobile-first and web-based trading platforms are still struggling with latency and connectivity issues. This is mostly seen when trading volumes spike. But with MT4, this level of stability is what keeps traders coming back, especially during high-traffic and high-volatility market conditions.

The rise of MT5 and what it means for MT4

MetaTrader 5 (MT5) was officially launched in 2010 and has been chasing after MT4 since then. Industry research confirms that at the beginning of 2025, MT5 overtook MT4 in trading volume. This marked a generational shift in platform usage. According to Finance Magnates Intelligence, in Q1 of 2025, MT5 accounted for 54.2% of the combined MT4/Mt5 trading volume. MetaTrader 4 took the remaining 45.8%.

This shift reflects MT5’s broader design, unlike MT4, which was built primarily for forex and CFDs. MT5 supports a wider array of tradable assets, including cryptocurrencies, stocks, futures and commodities. It also includes advanced multi-threaded backtesting and analytical tools for qualitative traders. Additionally, MetaQuotes already stopped updates for MT4.

However, with all this superiority by MetaTrader 5, MT4’s continued presence is proof enough that volume leadership alone does not equate to disappearance. Many brokers and traders still prefer using MT4 because their tools, account types, and client demands still centre around it. This has been seen more in forex-focused trading.

In 2026, MetaTrader 4 is still relevant as it was in the early 2010s, not because it is the newest or most advanced platform, but because it answers real needs for brokers and traders. For many traders, MT4 is not just software. It is the foundation of decades-old strategies and familiar workflows that are just too valuable to abandon overnight.

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