Expiration
Definition
Expiration is the moment when a binary options trade closes automatically and its result is settled. You set the expiration time yourself when opening the trade — from a few seconds to several hours — and the outcome is decided at exactly that point, with no way to influence it after entry.
How expiration works
When you open a trade you set two parameters: the direction of your forecast (up or down) and the expiration time. At expiration the platform compares the closing price with the entry price. Get the direction right — a win, adjusted by the payout; get it wrong — a loss of the whole trade amount.
Expiration here is rigid: the trade closes automatically at exactly the set moment, and its outcome cannot be influenced after entry. This is the key difference between binary options and ordinary trading, where a position can be closed at any time — here everything hinges on a single pre-chosen point in time.
Short, medium and long
Expirations are usually split by duration — it determines how much of the result is chance and how much is forecast:
| Expiration | Duration | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Short | 5 sec — 5 min | many trades, price noise, higher risk |
| Medium | 5 — 30 min | balance of signal and noise, a calmer working range |
| Long | 30 min — several hours | a trade on a durable move or trend |
Example
A trader works on the M5 timeframe and gets an entry signal. A reasonable expiration here is 10–15 minutes, that is 2–3 candles: enough time for the expected move to play out. Set a 30-second expiration on the same signal and the outcome is decided not by the forecast but by random price jitter inside the candle. The rule is simple: match the expiration to the scale of the chart the signal came from, rather than picking it at random.
Expiration in the terminal
In BinoView Supercharts the expiration time is chosen before entry in a separate field — there are quick presets (1, 5, 15 minutes) and fine tuning. Next to it the platform shows the current payout for the chosen asset, so expiration and payout are seen together and the decision is made on both numbers at once.
How it differs from the timeframe
Expiration is often confused with the timeframe, but they are different things. The timeframe is the scale of a single candle on the chart (M1, M5, H1) — how you look at the market. Expiration is how long your trade lives until it closes automatically. You can analyse the chart on M5 while setting an expiration of either 2 or 20 minutes — these are independent settings. They are linked only by logic: it makes sense to keep the trade's duration in proportion to the scale on which you made the decision.
Frequently asked questions
Can you close a trade before expiration?
No. In binary options a trade lives exactly until the set moment and closes on its own — it is built into the instrument. That is why the expiration time is chosen in advance and deliberately: you cannot change it or settle the result early.
What expiration should a beginner choose?
Start with the medium range — 5 to 30 minutes. Short expirations (seconds) carry too much random price noise; long ones take longer to resolve and need a durable forecast. The middle range balances the two: the signal already means something, and the result comes quickly.
Does expiration affect the payout?
No. The payout is set by the asset and current market conditions — it is the same regardless of which expiration you pick. You see the current payout before opening the trade, but it is not tied to your choice of expiration time.