Copy trading: how to mimic the most effective for profits
The investment universe can be a confusing space for anyone looking to start trading. Tune in to any of the financial media networks for a couple minutes and you'll see why. From global politics to COVID-19, it appears that anything and everything make a difference asset prices.
But it's never late to take control of your financial well-being and explore different trading strategies. Several years back investing seemed too complicated for amateurs. In 2021, financial technology companies have evolved, making trading designed for everyone. And there is a tried-and-tested investment strategy referred to as copy trading. First, let's explain what copy trading is and how it works.
What is copy trading?
Made available from several brokers, copy trading, also referred to as mirror trading or social trading, allows clients to automatically copy the trades of high-profile investors.
Anyone who desires to implement a copy trading strategy should identify someone whose investment philosophy aligns making use of their own. A broker that gives copy trading may have a set of traders and detailed information on the performance.
Copy trading is used even by professional investors. An investment picker who would like contact with cryptocurrencies but doesn't have the time to research a new asset class could make use of copy trading.
Similarly, a crypto investor seeking contact with stocks but who doesn't know how to start could consider a copy trading strategy
There's no magical formula on how best to copy the most effective traders. There's no one-size-fits-all way of determining what constitutes the ‘best'trader.
Most are quick to conclude that the ‘best'trader is the one who generates the highest returns. But, as is the case, high returns may imply increased risk and a greater possibility of large losses. A conservative investor with little room for losses might want to stay clear of traders with unusually large returns.
It's prudent to carefully research brokers that provide copy trading because specific details vary from company to company.
Copy trading basics
How does copy trading work? Let's transfer to greater detail. As a copy trader, you quit some control over your investments. After deciding how much of your portfolio will copy another investor's, all of their trades are automatically copied by your account.
That you do not need certainly to bother about how big is your account as the machine will adjust accordingly. If the trader you're copying has an account size of, say, $100,000 and makes a purchase for $10,000 (i.e. 10% of their portfolio) then the machine will automatically calculate 10% of your portfolio and duplicate that trade – be it a purchase for $50 or $500.
Needless to say, you decide if or when you wish this kind of arrangement to end. If you're unhappy with the option of the investor you copy from, you're free to move on to someone else or quit copy trading.
On another hand, if you're happy and desire to allocate more capital to be copy traded, it can be as straightforward as depositing more cash into your account.
Copy trading shouldn't be confused with copy trading signals. There exists a big differentiation between the 2 – an investor who opts for trading signals will merely be notified of a new trading option via a message or e-mail. Some investors prefer this technique because it gives them your final veto over how their money is allocated.
Basically, if you're searching for the simplest explanation on how best to copy trade, the clear answer is straightforward: the platform does it for you. However, you should do your personal due diligence and keep an in depth eye on those investors you copy (signal providers) and the choices they make, comparing them with your own personal investment goals.
Stock copy trading
If you prefer your portfolio to incorporate stocks, but you never desire to hand-pick them, you can try using an investment copy trading strategy. By becoming a copy trader, you mirror trades of a savvy investor with a demonstrable track record.
You must perform due diligence on an investor you copy or you could find yourself with a portfolio of unknown, highly-volatile stocks.
One tip to maximise an investment copy trading strategy is to check out someone's portfolio and see if their holdings align together with your expectations. New investors must certanly be acquainted with ‘blue chip'stocks, like Disney and Visa. If this is what you are searching for, your research must certanly be relatively straightforward.
If you're searching for dividend growth, then some additional research may be needed to make sure a portfolio consisting of high-yield paying stocks.