Guides

Learn the rules that matter.

Plain English guides to trading forex, futures and perps: strategies, sizing, sessions and costs, plus prop firm rules like daily loss limits and drawdown.

Trading Psychology for Prop Challenges: Revenge Trading, Tilt and FOMO: Revenge trading and FOMO can end a challenge faster than a bad setup. Spot them early and use rules that stop a bad hour becoming a failed account.
How to Backtest a Trading Strategy Without Fooling Yourself: A good backtest shows how a strategy behaved, after costs, on data it was not tuned on. Here is how to run one and check it against prop firm rules.
How to Write a Trading Plan for a Prop Firm Challenge: A trading plan for a prop challenge fits on one page: what you trade, when, which setups, how much you risk, when you stop, and how you review.
Stop Loss Placement: Structure Stops, ATR Stops and Sizing From the Stop: Put your stop where the trade idea is wrong, check it against ATR, then size from it. Worked futures and forex examples, tied to prop firm rules.
Risk to Reward Ratio, Win Rate and Expectancy: The Math Every Trader Needs: Risk to reward and win rate only matter together. Learn the expectancy formula, break even win rates, and what a daily loss limit does to them.
Candlestick Patterns Explained: What They Show and How to Test Them: What engulfing bars, pin bars, inside bars and dojis show, why context beats the pattern, and how to test candles before a prop firm challenge.
Support and Resistance Trading: How to Draw Levels and Trade Them: How to draw support and resistance zones, trade bounces and breakouts with example rules, and test the idea before a prop firm challenge.
Support and Resistance Trading: How to Draw Levels and Trade Them: How to draw support and resistance zones, trade bounces and breakouts with example rules, and test the idea before a prop firm challenge.
BTC vs ETH Perps: Volatility, Liquidity, Correlation and Sizing: How BTC and ETH perps differ, why the same dollar risk needs different sizes, and why holding both is often one bet.
A Range Trading Strategy for Perps, With an Example Rule Set: An example rule set for range trading perps: how to define a range, enter near the edges, place the stop and know when the range has broken.
A Trend Trading Strategy for BTC and ETH Perps, With an Example Rule Set: A complete example rule set for trend trading BTC and ETH perps, with a worked trade, trailing exit, prop firm sizing and a testing plan.
Mark Price vs Last Price vs Index Price: Wicks, Stops and Liquidation: Mark, last and index price each do a different job on perps. Here is how wicks, stops and liquidation play out on each one.
Perps Order Types Explained: Market, Limit, Post Only, Reduce Only, Stops and Take Profit: What each perps order type does, when to use it, and how maker and taker fees plus slippage change the real cost of every trade.
Perps Order Types Explained: Market, Limit, Post Only, Reduce Only, Stops and Take Profit: What each perps order type does, when to use it, and how maker and taker fees plus slippage change the real cost of every trade.
Perps Liquidation Price Explained, With Worked Examples at Every Leverage: Work out your perps liquidation price at any leverage, see how isolated and cross margin differ, and learn why prop firm limits end trades first.
How to Journal Your Trades: A Practical Trading Journal Template: A journal is only useful if it answers questions. The seven fields that matter, the weekly numbers to review, and the habits a journal exposes.
Prop Firm Discount Codes: How to Pay Less Without Picking the Wrong Firm: The biggest saving is a firm you can pass. How discounts really work, and how to work out the true price of a challenge.
Using Funding Rates When Trading Perps: Costs, Crowding and Limits: Funding is a cost on every perps position held through a funding time. Here is how to calculate it and what it really says about positioning.
Using Funding Rates When Trading Perps: Costs, Crowding and Limits: Funding is a cost on every perps position held through a funding time. Here is how to calculate it and what it really says about positioning.
Prop Firm Payout Rules: What Stands Between Funded and Paid: Passing is the halfway point. The six funded account rules that decide when, how much and how often you get paid.
Why Traders Fail Prop Firm Challenges: 7 Rule Traps: Most failed challenges are not blown accounts. The seven rule traps that end ordinary days, and how to see each one coming.
Why Traders Fail Prop Firm Challenges: 7 Rule Traps: Most failed challenges are not blown accounts. The seven rule traps that end ordinary days, and how to see each one coming.
Gold Futures Trading: GC and MGC Specs, What Moves Gold and How to Size It: GC and MGC specs, the forces that tend to move gold, when it trades most actively, and sizing math that adapts to volatility.
Prop Firm Daily Loss Limit Explained: Soft vs Hard Breach: The rule that ends challenges on ordinary days. How daily loss limits are measured, soft vs hard breaches, and how to trade inside them.
Instant Funding Prop Firms: How They Work and What to Check: Skip the evaluation, pay more, trade under stricter funded rules. How instant funding works and when it is worth it.
Instant Funding Prop Firms: How They Work and What to Check: Skip the evaluation, pay more, trade under stricter funded rules. How instant funding works and when it is worth it.
Trading Crude Oil Futures: CL, MCL and the Weekly EIA Report: CL and MCL specs, what the weekly EIA report measures, when crude moves most, and sizing math that allows for slippage.
The Prop Firm Consistency Rule, Explained With the Math: You hit the target and the challenge still says in progress. The consistency rule, the formula that moves the finish line, and how to plan around it.
Futures vs Forex Prop Firms: How the Rules Really Differ: The same strategy can pass at one and fail at the other. The rule differences between futures and forex prop firms that decide which fits you.
Futures vs Forex Prop Firms: How the Rules Really Differ: The same strategy can pass at one and fail at the other. The rule differences between futures and forex prop firms that decide which fits you.
Order Flow Basics for Futures: DOM, Time and Sales, Footprint and Delta: What the DOM, time and sales, footprint charts and delta show in futures, how absorption looks, and why order flow works best at prepared levels.
End of Day vs Intraday Trailing Drawdown, Explained: Two firms can both advertise a $2,000 trailing drawdown and treat the same trade completely differently. The difference is when the floor updates.
One Step vs Two Step Prop Firm Challenges: Which Is Easier to Pass?: One step promises speed, two step promises room. How targets, drawdown and deadlines change between them, and how to choose using your own numbers.
Volume Profile Trading: POC, Value Area and Example Setups for Futures and Perps: Learn the point of control, value area and volume nodes, then work through two example volume profile setups for futures and perps.
Trailing vs Static Drawdown: Which One Fits Your Trading?: Same trades, same account, opposite result. How each maximum loss floor moves, and how to tell which one your equity curve survives.
Scalping Futures (MNQ, MES and ES): Costs, an Example Rule Set and Prop Firm Rules: Scalping futures lives or dies on costs. See the round turn math for MNQ, MES and ES, an example rule set and how to test it.
Scalping Futures (MNQ, MES and ES): Costs, an Example Rule Set and Prop Firm Rules: Scalping futures lives or dies on costs. See the round turn math for MNQ, MES and ES, an example rule set and how to test it.
How to Choose a Prop Firm That Fits Your Trading Style: The better question is not which firm is best, but which firm's rules your trading survives. A step by step method using your own trade history.
VWAP Trading Strategy: Pullbacks on Trend Days, Reversion on Range Days: What VWAP measures, how to read trend days and range days, and two example VWAP setups with exact rules and sizing on MES.
Opening Range Breakout Strategy: Example Rules, Filters and Sizing for MNQ and MES: A complete example opening range breakout rule set for index futures, with filters, failure cases and sizing math inside a daily loss limit.
Futures Rollover Explained: Contract Months, Expiry and When to Roll: Month codes, expiry dates and roll timing for index futures and crude oil, plus what a roll does to your charts, positions and prop account.
Futures Trading Hours: Globex, the Daily Break, the Cash Session and the Overnight Market: When futures trade, when they are busiest, how the 6pm trade date works, and why the 5pm close matters for prop firm loss limits.
Micro vs Mini Futures: Which to Trade on a Prop Firm Account: Ten micros equal one mini in dollars per point. Here is when micros are the better tool on a prop account, and when fees make minis better.
Are Prop Firms Legit? Risks, Red Flags and How to Protect Yourself: An honest look at the prop firm model: payout risk, rule changes, red flags, green flags and how to protect yourself.
Switching to Perps From Futures or Forex: What Changes: Your setups carry over; your sizing, timing and risk rules change. A translation table and a two week plan.
Futures Contract Specs and Tick Values: ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC and Their Micros: One table of tick sizes and tick values for twelve popular futures contracts, plus worked dollar risk examples for each.
Futures Contract Specs and Tick Values: ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC and Their Micros: One table of tick sizes and tick values for twelve popular futures contracts, plus worked dollar risk examples for each.
Position Sizing for Prop Firm Challenges: How Much to Risk per Trade: Why 1% per trade can be too much on a prop account, and how to size from the rules instead, with the maths for futures and forex.
How to Trade Perps on a Prop Firm Account: A Step by Step Guide: Sizing, rules, reset times and holding costs for perps on a prop account, step by step with the numbers worked out.
How to Trade Futures: A Beginner’s Guide to Contracts, Ticks and Your First Trade: What a futures contract is, how ticks turn into dollars, how margin works, and a first trade on MES walked through step by step.
Your First Prop Firm Challenge: A Step by Step Guide: From before you pay to your first payout: every step of a first prop firm challenge, with the numbers worked out.
Funded Perps Prop Firms: Who Exists and What They Offer: The firms that fund perpetual futures traders, how their models differ, and exactly where each detail comes from.
Trading High Impact News: NFP, CPI and Central Bank Decisions: What happens to spreads and stops at NFP, CPI and rate decisions, a worked slippage example, prop firm news rules in general, and safer approaches.
Prop Firm Glossary: 43 Terms Explained Simply: Every prop firm term you will meet, from activation fee to trailing drawdown, explained in plain English with examples.
Perpetual Futures vs Traditional Futures: What Is the Difference?: Expiry, funding, trading hours and sizing compared, plus what futures perps and TradFi perps mean for prop traders.
Forex Swing Trading Strategy: An Example Rule Set on the 4 Hour and Daily Charts: Swing trade forex with a daily trend filter and 4 hour pullback entries. Example rules, swap and weekend costs, prop firm sizing and testing.
What Is a Prop Firm? A Plain English Guide for Beginners: Prop firms explained from the beginning: challenges, funded accounts, the rules that matter, the real costs and how to start the right way.
What Are Perpetual Futures (Perps)? A Plain English Guide: Perps explained from the beginning: no expiry, funding rates, leverage, liquidation, TradFi perps and trading them with a prop firm.
What Are Perpetual Futures (Perps)? A Plain English Guide: Perps explained from the beginning: no expiry, funding rates, leverage, liquidation, TradFi perps and trading them with a prop firm.
Forex Trend Following Strategy With 20 and 50 Period Moving Averages: Buy pullbacks in a trend defined by the 20 and 50 period averages, trail the stop with ATR, and size for the losing streaks this method brings.
London Breakout Strategy: An Example Rule Set, Sizing and How to Test It: Trade the break of the Asian range at the London open, with example rules, a worked GBPUSD trade, failure cases and prop firm sizing.
Forex Trading Costs: Spreads, Commissions, Slippage and Swaps: Add up spread, commission, slippage and swap per trade, and see how costs move the break even win rate for scalpers and swing traders.
How to Calculate Forex Position Size From Risk and Stop Distance: The lot size formula, the right pip value for USD quoted, yen and cross pairs, and worked examples that stay inside a prop firm daily loss limit.
Forex Currency Pairs Explained: Majors, Minors, Crosses and Exotics: What separates majors, crosses and exotics, how to compare spread against daily range, and which pairs make sense for a prop firm challenge.
Forex Trading Sessions: When Each Pair Moves and When the Prop Firm Day Resets: Tokyo, London and New York session times, which pairs move in each, why the overlap matters, and how the 5pm New York reset affects loss limits.
Forex Pips, Lots and Leverage Explained, With Pip Value and Margin Math: Pip sizes, lot sizes, pip value for USD, yen and cross pairs, and the margin arithmetic behind leverage, with worked examples.
How to Trade Forex: A Beginner’s Guide to Quotes, Orders and Your First Trade: How forex quotes, spreads and orders work, a complete first trade with the numbers shown, and where prop firm rules come in.