copy trading definition, pros and cons, similar strategies

Although many people may conflate the concepts of copy trading and mirror trading, these two investment strategies actually differ significantly. While both approaches involve traders tracking and emulating the investment decisions of others, they stand apart in several key respects. On the other hand, mirror trading is more suitable for long-term investment.

As trading decisions are made for you in mirror trading, there’s no risk of making a rash decision that you may later regret. This can help to reduce the stress of trading, as it makes trading a relatively hands-off process. You can simply check the performance of your mirror trading account on a weekly basis and decide whether you want to continue following the algorithm.

The performance and management fees are fixed in MetaTrader 5 marketplace. Copy trading is valuable for novice traders that lack time to create custom trading strategies or perform extensive research. In this case, one merely becomes a copier who replicates the trading behaviour of experienced traders. Copy trading is a type of mirror trading which gives you greater control over your investments.

Copy trading is a variation of mirror trading which gives you greater control of your investments. Whilst mirror trading is entirely automated through algorithms, copy trading allows you to choose a specific trader to follow, either through an automated trade bot or by using a signal service. Although there are several trustworthy mirror trading platforms on the market, there are also many scam platforms around.

mirror trading vs copy trading

The moment an experienced trader opens a position, he will share details and information with other traders. Then traders will decide whether or not to execute this order on their trading account. One way to diversify your portfolio​ further is to find copy traders that trade on different financial instruments​. They could also consider copying traders that use different time frames. One might be a short-term intraday trader and another might be a long-term position trader​ within the stock market,​ where this strategy is most common.

  • This effectively created a money laundering pipeline that went on for several years.
  • The forex market is one of the largest and most liquid globally, making most forex traders incorporate CT in their portfolios.
  • Even though the mirror trading concept was introduced in the 2000s, and applied to only forex trading, it quickly gained traction in different types of markets.
  • Mirror trading involves setting up an automated system that replicates the trades of a selected trader.
  • It is a part of social trading, where a copy trading platform automatically copies trades taken by the trader you are following.

More than that, Copy Trading is available via a proprietary system or a third-party trading software based on the online broker. Some forex trading brokers also offer what Is a copy trading platform educational resources, networking forums and valuable social features. However, it is important to keep in mind that mirror trading is not completely risk-free.

For other traders, copy trading is a great way to stay active in a market when they don’t have the time to commit to trading themselves. Could copy trading or mirror trading help you improve your trading results? Discover how social trading can help you get more from forex and online trading. Find out the best crypto trading bots if you have decided to implement bot trading to invest in cryptocurrencies.

mirror trading vs copy trading

We promise to keep your email safe and will only provide you with carefully selected offers (some 3rd party). Letting someone else worry about the execution allows you to focus on other things and prevents you from making emotional decisions during volatility. MoonXBT is known for its incredible speed of execution, according to its team. If you did not know about this, odds are you would have already stopped copying the trend-following system before a trend shows up.

The rating page comprises details of their past performance, trading options, trading modes, trading statistics, and other valuable information impacting one’s trading decisions. Copy trading requires a powerful trading platform, such as MT4 and MT5. Therefore, traders should first open trading accounts with brokerage firms https://www.xcritical.in/ that possess the right trading tools, financial instruments, and technology. Following its release in 2005, copy trading initially allowed traders to copy particular algorithmic trading strategies designed via automated trading. Designers shared their trading history, which allowed others to replicate the trading activity.

You also have the option to follow multiple traders (i.e. for different currency pairs) depending on the support of the platform. Mirror trading systems are pre-programmed algorithms that can be more reliable than copy trading systems which rely more heavily on human analysis and decision-making. For example, if you want to trade over the USD/JPY pair, the automated mirror trading system will do it without having to consider potential news events or macroeconomic factors. Copy traders would have to take those things into account before initiating a trade. For example, crypto currency service Yieldnodes offers an average return rate of 10% each month. With compounding, a £1,000 investment could turn into £3,138 after a year.

However, it requires skill to figure out which traders to copy, and which ones to ignore. Essentially, you already need to be a good trader yourself, before you would ever be able to really know which traders are solid, and which ones are not. Other considerations include the fees you are paying to the trader and the copy trading platform. There are some key differences between mirror trading and copy trading that make them suited to different types of investors.

Regulation of Copy Trading Vs Mirror Trading is necessary to prevent fraud. The Copy Trading Vs Mirror Trading working capital and client-funded accounts must be kept separate to avoid conducting business with client funds. Any fraudulent behaviour with Copy Trading Vs Mirror Trading is monitored by financial regulators in the jurisdictions brokers are allowed to operate. Compare Investment Platforms brokers for min deposits, funding, used by, benefits, account types, platforms, and support levels. When searching for a Investment Platforms broker, it’s crucial to compare several factors to choose the right one for your Investment Platforms needs. Our comparison tool allows you to compare the essential features side by side.

Make more profit from using proven strategies – Mirroring a proven strategy is the most reliable way to win when it comes to trading, so don’t try innovating on your own. The exact steps depend on the broker you go with, but you’ll be thrilled to know that the mirror trading process is surprisingly simple. Even top-performing traders can experience volatility and sudden drawdowns, making it difficult for follower traders to determine the best course of action.