I’ve been copying a trader for three months, and it’s been completely stagnant. The account balance hasn’t changed at all.
I’m debating whether to just pull my funds and look for someone else or if this is a normal phase in copy trading.
Three months of zero movement sucks. Been through this with a few traders I’ve copied.
Really depends on why they’re flat. If they’re staying cautious during crazy market conditions, that’s actually smart risk management. But if they’re just not trading at all? That’s a problem.
I max out at four months before I switch. One trader went flat for six weeks, then crushed it with 12% in two weeks once things settled. Another stayed dead for five months and never bounced back.
Look at their trading frequency and whether they’re explaining the silence. If they’re not trading AND not communicating, pull your money. Too many other traders out there to waste time on dead accounts.
Check their drawdown patterns first. A trader who’s been flat for three months might just be protecting capital during choppy markets - that’s good discipline. Look at their position sizing and whether they’re still posting market commentary. If they’re explaining why they’re staying cautious, they’re still engaged. Radio silence usually means they’ve checked out. Honestly, flat beats losing money every time. I’d rather copy someone making zero than watching my account bleed 2% each month. If their last six months show consistent profits over 8% annually, give them another month.
Past performance beats current streak every time. If they made money before this flat stretch, the market’s probably just garbage right now.
I always give solid traders more rope when things get choppy.
Three months flat is getting sketchy unless they’ve got solid history before this dry spell.
I look for whether they’re still making moves - even break-even trades show they’re engaged. There’s a big difference between trading carefully in crazy markets and just going dark.
Strong past performance plus still active but not profitable? I’d probably wait another month. But if they’ve gone completely silent, they’ve either changed their whole strategy or just checked out.
Two months max then I move on to someone active.