MetaQuotes-Demo MT5 Server Timezone, DST Rules and Historical Candle Timestamps

[Abu Farhan]

Hello MetaQuotes Team and MQL5 Community,

I am conducting a read-only data validation project using MetaTrader 5 (MetaQuotes-Demo server), primarily with the EURUSD symbol.

I need clarification regarding the server timezone and daylight saving time (DST) rules to ensure accurate interpretation of historical candle timestamps and trading sessions.

My observations:

• Server: MetaQuotes-Demo

• Symbol: EURUSD

• Observation date: 9 November 2026

• A Python read-only test collected 10 fresh EURUSD ticks over approximately 6 seconds.

• All 10 ticks indicated a timestamp offset of approximately UTC+2 relative to my computer's UTC clock.

• In MT5 Symbol Specification, the EURUSD Quotes and Trade sessions are displayed as 00:00–24:00, Monday through Friday.

• The Specification window does not explicitly identify the timezone used for these sessions.

Could you please clarify the following?

1. What is the official timezone used by the MetaQuotes-Demo MT5 server for EURUSD?

2. Does the server observe daylight saving time (DST)? If so, which DST schedule does it follow?

3. What were the server's UTC offsets immediately before and after 25 October 2026?

4. Are the Quotes and Trade session hours shown in Symbol Specification expressed in the broker's server time?

5. Do historical H4, H1, M15 and M5 candle timestamps reflect the server's historical timezone and DST transitions, or are they normalized to a fixed timezone?

6. Is there any official MetaQuotes documentation confirming these timezone and DST rules?

I understand that a single current offset observation cannot establish historical DST behavior.

I would appreciate confirmation from a MetaQuotes representative or a reference to official documentation, if available.

Thank you for your assistance.

[Eleni Anna Branou]

The Metaquotes demo server uses GMT+2 in the winter and GMT+3 in the summer.

[Sergey Golubev]

MetaQuotes-Demo account should not be used for trading and testing; more: post #1 - 
https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/519552#comment_60636970