Why would a beginner need a large account?

Discussion in 'Trading' started by Blitzjoker, May 30, 2023.

  1. maxinger

    maxinger


    Go trade futures or other leverage products.
    Then you don't need a huge fund in your account.

    If you lost $$$$, you have to top up your account.
    If you lost $$$$ again, you have to top up your account again.
    etc etc etc etc etc
    Better switch to demo trading right away.

    If you earn $$$$, keep the profit in your account.
    Then you can trade with a bigger lot size.
    etc etc etc etc etc
    Then your account will grow exponentially.
     
    #11     May 30, 2023
    Sekiyo likes this.
  2. Handle123

    Handle123

    I believe in taking small account demo, triple it three times than trade micros till you triple it in real time.
     
    #12     May 31, 2023
    zdreg and SimpleMeLike like this.
  3. It is not about amounts.
    It is all about percentages.

    Whenever you see someone talking about amounts you will be able to spot a newbie.
     
    #13     May 31, 2023
    FTDK and murray t turtle like this.
  4. BMK

    BMK

    Yes, but in certain contexts, there is a basic minimum amount that you need, or you won't be able to function.

    In the USA, if you want to day trade, you need to maintain $25K account equity to comply with the PDT rules.

    If you're not day trading, you still need a minimum of $2000 at most brokers in order to have a margin account.

    Yes, I know there are shops where you can start trading futures or forex with only $500.

    But whatever you are trading, you need enough capital to survive a losing streak.

    Some of the most successful models for trading involve strategies that may only produce winning trades like 75% or 85% of the time. But the risk/reward ratio is good enough that even if you trades lose money 15% of the time, you are still making a healthy net profit.

    So that means that in theory, in this example, out of 100 trades, 15 of them will lose money. Can you get through ten or fifteen losing trades without draining your account?

    If not, then you don't have enough capital to employ that strategy.
     
    #14     Jun 1, 2023
    Drawdown Addict likes this.
  5. We can´t do anything about minimum requirements to trade. Either way 25k is not considered a large amount.
    You can see how you are turning to percentages, to explain an algorithm that is profitable, at the end of your text.
    Whilst is true that you can´t trade with 1 coin and you need a minimum amount in your account, once that is set in place all you care about are percentages related to your risk. Like it should be.
     
    #15     Jun 1, 2023
    murray t turtle likes this.
  6. Blitzjoker

    Blitzjoker

    There are no such rules in the UK. Spread betting is commonplace (though not allowed in the USA I think) and allows you to bet cheaply on major indices, Forex pairs, and shares. There is also no tax on profits from spread betting, as it is classed as gambling. If profits were taxed, losses would have to be allowed as expenses which would not sit well with the taxman as far as I understand it. Perhaps we are lucky in the UK in that we can learn to trade comparatively cheaply.

    However, I think a lot of newbies start out thinking that trading is the road to riches, and they need a large account to make it worthwhile. Most find out quickly that neither of those things is true.
     
    #16     Jun 1, 2023
  7. BMK

    BMK

    Spread betting and CFDs are not available in the USA.

    But you can make bets that are very similar using options. The capital requirements are not much, as long as you are not trying to sell naked short options.
     
    #17     Jun 1, 2023
    murray t turtle and Blitzjoker like this.
  8. alistera

    alistera

    Simple economics, until you can successfully trade a small account you are destined to lose your capital with a large account, at least most of the time, however with a small account the time to grow it is measured in years unless you can trade at extreme levels such as 100% per month while at the same time having enough capital for monthly expenses, keeping that last part stable is nearly impossible which is why almost every high leverage with low capital option presented from prop trading to courses will fail, money makes money but time also makes money, what doesn't make money is lack of time and lack of money.
     
    #18     Jun 1, 2023
  9. Blitzjoker

    Blitzjoker

    Yes, clearly you can not make much money with a small account. However, it seems that many beginners, who are optimistically attempting to make a living at trading, do themselves no favours by starting with a large account and losing a lot of it pretty quickly, which is almost inevitable as trading successfully is hard.

    Certainly, once you are a consistently profitable trader (if that ever happens) it would make sense to plough money into your account in order to grow it. Even then, I would think it would be more prudent to grow the account and re-invest the profits. maybe adding extra cash if you have it, rather than trying to live off the proceeds, at least until you had a large enough sum where this was a practical proposition.
     
    #19     Jun 1, 2023
    murray t turtle likes this.
  10. %%
    LOL I'm not a drawdown addict, but certain exceptions apply:D:D
    Actually, so many have made millions , billions with drawdowns in stocks + funds;
    it can pay real well to know the big difference in a drawdown + a loss.
    Speaking of %'s ,so many sell+ buy @ 50% drawdown, one fund in Futures magazine named thier fund ''60% Drawdowns'' LOL. NOT not a huge fund/ but it had some great years + many millions of AUM:caution::caution:
     
    #20     Jun 1, 2023
    Drawdown Addict likes this.