Scalping vs Swing Trading: Which Copy Trading Style Suits You?

Two Popular Trading Styles

On the ReadiTrades leaderboard, you'll find leaders using different strategies. The two most common are scalping and swing trading.

Scalping

• Trade duration: Seconds to minutes
• Frequency: 10-50+ trades per day
• Profit targets: 5-20 pips per trade
• Risk: Small per trade, high volume
• Best for: Active markets, tight spreads (see spread guide)

Swing Trading

• Trade duration: Hours to days
• Frequency: 2-5 trades per week
• Profit targets: 50-200+ pips per trade
• Risk: Larger per trade, lower frequency
• Best for: Less screen time, patient traders

Which to Copy?

Scalping leaders require fast execution and tight spreads. If your broker has wider spreads, scalping copies may underperform. Check your broker spreads first.

Swing trading leaders are more forgiving of spread differences and execution delays. They're often better for copy trading due to larger profit targets.

Diversify Your Style

Consider copying one scalper and one swing trader to balance short-term and long-term profits. Use proper risk management for both.