| Updated: September 15, 2025How to copy a Forex trader
This lesson will cover the following
- What does it mean to copy a trader
- Why is this beneficial
- Possible downsides
Copying a Forex or stock trader may well be the best way to learn how to trade at first. Of course, different people have different learning styles, so this might not be for everyone. Nonetheless, it’s really beneficial for new traders to try this and see how things are done.
What is copying a trader?
We’ve already covered this, but in case you’ve forgotten, here’s a brief overview – copying a trader is a way of directly opening all current and future operations of the said trader. Once you decide to copy a trader, you open all his current trades. If he opens a new one, so do you, and that will continue until you decide you don’t want to follow him any more.
In a sense, copying a trader means investing part of your portfolio in that person. When they open a trade, so do you, and the amount you invest is proportional to the amount you’ve invested compared with their entire portfolio. This means that if their portfolio is, say, US$1,000 and you invest US$100, then for every trade he opens, you will automatically invest 10% of what he invests. If he loses, you lose, and if he wins, so do you. The profits and losses are calculated accordingly.
Different platforms offer this option in different ways. Some allow you to have more control, while others restrict your movements. Usually, you can’t invest your entire portfolio in a single trader.
Why is this beneficial?
If you’ve learned how to pick a trader properly, then we shouldn’t have to explain why this is beneficial. If the trader wins, you win. If you’ve picked a good, experienced or talented trader, you can make a lot through their trades. However, the wrong choice might cause significant losses. Also, there is always risk. Sadly, it’s not as simple as copying a trader and waiting for your bank to call and tell you you’ve just become a millionaire. If it were that easy, everybody would be doing it, don’t you think? That being said, there are still many benefits.
First of all, if you’re good at reading the profiles, you can become one of the many traders who have created people-based portfolios. This means that you won’t invest in stocks or Forex, but in people. If all the traders you’ve picked are good and consistently make a profit, then you will do the same. The problem with this is that it’s hard to establish. Not only that, but it’s also the sort of investment that will require your constant attention. Some traders will be on losing streaks and making bad trades, and sometimes it’s better to shut the whole thing down before it gets out of control. On the bright side, you won’t have to study technical or fundamental analysis. If you’re good at reading profiles, then it’s quite possible to make money this way.
But you don’t necessarily have to rely on those traders to make you money. You can also learn from them. Follow their steps, try to predict their moves, use them for educational purposes. You can even do it using your demo account until the time comes for you to start trading with real money. Learn as much as you can if you want to become a good trader. Copying someone can really help you with that (if they’re good, of course).
Possible downsides
Copying a trader, even if they’re good, can have some negative effects as well. First of all, it might create unrealistic expectations. Many of the platforms have a Top X (where X is a number) section where you can see the top traders. New traders might think that just because these people are in the top list, they will definitely make considerable profits within days. This is not how it works, sadly, and many novice traders are left disappointed (if they’re lucky) or even broke. Don’t fall into the mental trap of creating unrealistic expectations. Always remember that good risk management is always beneficial.
Other problems might also occur, aside from unrealistic expectations. If you start copying traders, you might get lazy and think that it’s fine to just sit back and relax. This is an attitude you should never allow in trading. The field is constantly changing, and you need to change with it. Today’s winners are tomorrow’s losers, so you need to make sure that you’re not stuck with them because you were too lazy and laid-back to notice they were losing you money.
Also, making the wrong choice can lose you a lot of money, so don’t simply trust the stats – test the trader through your demo account first.
Final words
Copying a trader can be both profitable and educational. However, it can also be detrimental to your own development as a trader if you let it. It can also harm your bank account if you’re not careful. Never rely too much on someone. Always remember the risks and that, no matter how good a trader is, he’s bound to make a mistake. You need to notice when things are going down and jump ship.