Copy trading is a strategy to help traders diversify their portfolios and minimize risks. You don’t need to be an expert trader or have extensive experience in the financial markets to use this method, nor do you need to have a large investment budget.
Copy trading essentially involves finding a trader who has already been successful in the past, and then copying their future trades exactly, hoping that their success will continue. This makes copy trading a great way to save time, and hopefully, also avoid losses.
How to Find Traders to Copy
If you’re interested in copy trading, the first step is finding traders to copy. This can be done by searching online or through social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn. Alternatively, you can find them through ‘social trading platforms’, online communities where traders can connect with each other and share information. You can use these platforms to find traders who have successful track records and copy their trades.
Once you’ve found a few potential candidates, take a look at their track record to see how successful they’ve been. Also, be sure to read some copy trading reviews or testimonials about the trader/platform before making your decision.
When you’ve found a trader you want to copy, the next step is opening an account with a copy trading platform. These platforms allow you to connect with the other traders and copy them automatically. Some popular platforms include eToro, ZuluTrade, and Tradeo.
How Does Copy Trading Actually Work?
The idea behind copy trading is to lower the time spent researching and implementing trades, meaning you can spend less time watching charts and more time living your life. After picking which traders to copy, it’s mostly a passive trading strategy.
Once you have opted to copy a trader on something like a social trading platform, your money will automatically be invested in the same investment products, in the same proportion. This means you can be totally hands-off if you choose.
At this stage, it’s important to monitor your positions closely. This way, you can make adjustments if necessary and prevent any major losses. Copy trading isn’t without risk, but by following these tips, you can help minimize those risks.
Potential Risks of Copy Trading
Copy trading is a popular way to invest in the financial markets, but it’s not without its risks. Here are some of the main dangers you should be aware of before you start copy trading:
Copy trading can lead to overtrading
If you’re following a successful trader, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and start placing too many trades. This can lead to overtrading, which can quickly eat into your profits. This is because on some platforms, each trade incurs a fee. Make sure you look into all fees associated with the broker you choose.
You could lose money if the trader you’re following starts losing money
Of course, if the trader you’re following starts losing money, you will find yourself at a loss, too. This is why it’s important to diversify your portfolio by following multiple traders with different strategies.
Copy trading involves risk just like any other form of investing
While copy trading does have the potential to generate profits, it’s still a risky endeavor. Make sure you understand the risks involved before you start copy trading.
There’s no guarantee of success
Just because someone has been a successful trader in the past, it doesn’t mean they’ll always be successful. No one has a perfect track record, so don’t expect yours to be flawless either.
Alternatives to Copy Trading
If you’re looking for alternatives to copy trading, there are a few options available. One option is to trade manually, which means that you’ll be responsible for making your own trading decisions. This can be a good option if you have the time and knowledge to do your own research, but it can also be riskier than copy trading since you’re not following the lead of another trader.
Another alternative is to use a trade signals service, which will provide you with recommendations for trades to make. This can take some of the guesswork out of trading, but it’s important to choose a reputable service that has a good track record.
In Conclusion
Copy trading is great if you are relatively new to trading and could benefit from delegating your trading decisions to someone more experienced and successful than yourself. In this way, copy trading can reduce the risk of losing money on your trades, but it’s important to remember that it doesn’t remove the risk entirely.
To keep your money as safe as possible while copy trading, make sure to look into reviews of the platforms and traders that you plan to utilize.