Most people come to futures trading with dollar signs in their eyes. “10x leverage? T+0 trading? Two-way bets? I can double my account in a week!”
And then reality smacks them in the face.
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70% of futures traders lose long-term.
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20% break even.
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Only 10% make real money—and they don’t do it by predicting markets, they do it by controlling risk.
So, if you’re thinking about starting futures, let me save you some tuition fees (and possibly your marriage).
Rule #1: Don’t Bet Your Family’s Rent Money
Use no more than 20% of your family’s idle funds. Futures aren’t savings accounts—they’re weapons.
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No borrowing.
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No mortgaging your house.
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No touching tuition money.
If you ignore this, you’re not trading—you’re gambling with your future.
Rule #2: Respect the Leverage
In futures, 10% margin = 10x leverage.
That means:
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A 1% move in the market can wipe out 10% of your principal.
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Extreme moves (like 2022’s nickel chaos or negative crude oil in 2020) can zero out your account before you even realize what’s happening.
Leverage cuts both ways—most new traders only see the upside until they’re force-liquidated.
Rule #3: Stop-Loss Isn’t Optional
Here’s the hard truth: in futures, stop-loss is your ticket to stay in the game.
Think of it like paying admission. Lose a little now so you can play again tomorrow. Without it, you’ll be kicked out permanently.
How to Actually Start Without Burning All Your Cash
Stage 1: Simulation Training (≥1 month, ≥50 trades)
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Use Wenhua/Boyi/Kuaiqi simulation software.
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Learn how to draw line orders, set conditional and reverse orders.
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Intentionally create “bad trades” to test your emotions—big gaps, rapid stop-outs. Learn how your brain panics.
Stage 2: Small Real Money (≤$50,000, one product only)
Rules to survive:
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Risk ≤ 1–2% per trade. (For ¥100,000, max loss per trade = $2,000.)
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Only trade liquid contracts (rebar RB, soybean meal).
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Limit yourself to 3 trades per day. No revenge trading, no “break-even” nonsense.
Stage 3: Build a Positive Expectation System (Core)
This is where you stop gambling and start trading:
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Trend-following template: Only go long if price is above the 60-day moving average.
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Risk management: Stop loss if price falls below the MA.
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Math edge: Profit/loss ratio ≥ 3:1, win rate ≥ 35%. That’s all you need to be net positive.
The Mindset Shift That Saves You
Everyone wants the “holy grail strategy.” News flash: it doesn’t exist.
Instead:
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Learn the logic of each product (rebar = steel mill profits, soybeans = USDA reports, crude oil = EIA inventory, gold = real interest rates).
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Mix fundamentals + technicals.
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Build rules you can actually follow.
Futures aren’t about being a genius—they’re about surviving long enough to get consistent.
Final Thought: Don’t Chase “Perfect”
New traders always wait for the perfect entry. Spoiler: it doesn’t exist.
Start small. Take trades. Adjust. Survive.
Your first goal isn’t to make money—it’s to not blow up.
Once you stop thinking about getting rich quick, ironically, that’s when you start making money.
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