Guía Sizing copied trades across different account balances
The fastest way to blow a copied account is to ignore sizing. A one-lot trade that is prudent on a 100,000 master is reckless on a 5,000 slave. Getting the sizing right — so every account takes the same risk, not the same lots — is what makes a trade copier safe to run.
The rule: copy risk, not raw lot size. A trade copier should scale each slave’s position to its own balance and risk tolerance, so a trade sized correctly on the master is sized correctly on every follower — large or small. HFT Forex Copier gives you four sizing modes to do exactly that.
Why identical lots break accounts
Lots are absolute; accounts are not. Copy 1.00 lot from a big master onto a small slave and the same market move that costs the master 0.5% of balance can cost the slave 10%. On a prop account that is an instant breach of the daily loss limit. The problem is not the strategy; it is that raw lot size ignores how much money is actually behind each account.
The four ways to size a copied trade
1. Fixed lot
Every slave trades a lot size you set, regardless of the master. Simple and predictable, but it ignores balance differences, so it only suits accounts of similar size or when you want a deliberate fixed exposure.
2. Multiplier
The slave trades the master’s lot multiplied by a factor you choose (0.1, 0.5, 2.0). Easy to reason about, and good when you know the ratio you want, but you still have to pick the factor to match each account’s size.
3. Balance-proportional
The slave’s lot scales by the ratio of the two balances (or equities). A slave with half the master’s balance takes half the size automatically. This keeps exposure proportional as balances drift, and is the sensible default for accounts of different sizes.
4. Risk-based
The slave sizes to a target risk — a percentage of its own balance per trade, given the stop distance. This is the most robust because it equalises risk across every account rather than notional size, and it adapts to each trade’s stop. It is the mode to use when protecting a strict drawdown limit.
A quick worked example
| Account | Equilibrio | Fixed 1.0 | Balance-proportional | Risk-based (1%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maestro | $100,000 | 1.00 | 1.00 | sized to 1% risk |
| Slave A | $50,000 | 1.00 (too big) | 0.50 | 1% of $50k |
| Slave B | $5,000 | 1.00 (blows it) | 0.05 | 1% of $5k |
Fixed lot puts the same 1.00 on every account and destroys the small one. Balance-proportional and risk-based both keep each account inside sane exposure.
Sizing for prop-firm drawdown limits
Prop accounts add a hard constraint: a daily loss limit and an overall drawdown limit, often 5% and 10%. Size each prop slave with risk-based or balance-proportional sizing so a single copied trade — or a losing cluster — cannot breach the smallest account’s daily limit. This is exactly why per-account sizing matters on the copiador de prop firm, and it pairs with confirming your firm’s rules in which prop firms allow copy trading.
The pitfalls that catch people out
- Minimum lot and rounding. A tiny slave scaled down may round to the broker’s minimum (often 0.01), which can be larger than intended. Check the effective risk on your smallest account.
- Balance vs equity. Decide whether proportional sizing tracks balance or live equity; they diverge when trades are open.
- Leverage differences. Different leverage across accounts changes margin, not risk, but it can block a trade if margin runs short.
- Forgetting the stop. Risk-based sizing needs a stop distance; trades without a defined stop fall back to notional sizing.
Which mode should you use?
For accounts of different sizes, start with balance-proportional. If you are protecting a drawdown limit or want every account to risk the same, use risk-based. Reserve fixed lot and multiplier for same-size accounts or deliberate exposure choices.
How do I copy trades to accounts with different balances?
Use a sizing mode that scales to each account: balance-proportional scales by the balance ratio, and risk-based sizes each account to a set percentage of its own balance. Both keep a small slave from taking a master-sized position.
What is the safest lot-sizing mode for a trade copier?
Risk-based sizing is generally safest because it equalises risk per trade across accounts rather than copying raw lots, which protects strict drawdown limits.
Why did my small account blow up when copying?
Almost always because it copied the master’s raw lot size. A 1.00-lot trade appropriate on a large master is far too big on a small account. Switch to balance-proportional or risk-based sizing.
How should I size copied trades on a prop firm account?
Size so one trade cannot breach the account’s daily and overall loss limits — risk-based sizing tied to a percentage well inside the limit, checked against your smallest account.
Does rounding to the minimum lot matter?
Yes. On very small accounts the scaled lot can round up to the broker minimum, taking more risk than intended. Always verify the effective risk on your smallest slave.