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The Best Forex Trading Strategies for Beginners in Prop Firms

2025-06-02

The Best Forex Trading Strategies for Beginners in Prop Firms

Absolutely — we’ll keep the tone professional and beginner-friendly without using emojis. Here's the continued and expanded blog content:

The Best Forex Trading Strategies for Beginners in Prop Firms

Introduction: So, You Want to Be a Funded Trader?

Have you ever dreamed of trading with tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars — but without risking your own capital? That’s exactly what proprietary trading firms, commonly known as "prop firms," make possible.

Prop firms give skilled traders access to firm-funded accounts. In return, you keep a percentage of the profits you generate, often as high as 70 to 90 percent. But there’s a catch — before they hand over their money, they need to know you can manage it responsibly. That’s where the evaluation challenge comes in.

For beginners, the path can feel overwhelming. You might be thinking:

  • What strategy should I use?
  • How can I meet the firm’s targets?
  • What if I lose money and fail the evaluation?

If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, you’re in the right place. This guide is designed to help beginner traders not only understand the most reliable forex strategies but also apply them confidently in the context of a prop firm.

Understanding the World of Prop Firms

What Is a Prop Firm?

A proprietary trading firm is a company that hires or partners with traders to trade financial markets using the firm’s capital. In forex, this means you trade currency pairs using the firm's money — not your own.

In return, the firm takes a percentage of your profits. If you’re successful, you keep a significant portion and scale up your account over time.

Why Do They Want You to Pass an Evaluation?

Prop firms don’t just hand out money. Most firms require you to pass an evaluation challenge or assessment before you’re funded. This step is designed to prove that:

  • You can generate profits consistently.
  • You manage risk properly.
  • You follow trading rules and stay disciplined.

These evaluations often come with rules such as:

  • Profit target (e.g., make 8–10% profit in 30 days)
  • Maximum drawdown (e.g., don’t lose more than 5% overall)
  • Daily loss limit (e.g., don’t lose more than 2% in one day)
  • Minimum trading days (e.g., trade for at least 10 days)

What Makes a “Beginner-Friendly” Forex Strategy?

Before diving into the specific strategies, it’s important to define what makes a strategy suitable for beginners in a prop firm setting.

Key Characteristics:

  1. Clear Entry and Exit Rules
    Beginners need simplicity. The strategy should clearly tell you when to enter and when to exit a trade.
  2. Risk Management Friendly
    The strategy should naturally encourage small, controlled losses and help you avoid large drawdowns.
  3. Repeatability
    You need a strategy that works again and again — not one that relies on lucky timing.
  4. Realistic Profit Potential
    Some strategies promise huge wins but rarely deliver. You want a system that can realistically meet profit targets without excessive risk.

The 4 Best Forex Trading Strategies for Beginners in Prop Firms

Let’s now go in-depth on the four best strategies that check all the boxes above.

Strategy #1: Swing Trading — Trade Less, Stress Less

Swing trading involves holding a trade for several hours or days to capture medium-term price movements. You’re not glued to your screen all day, but you’re still active enough to meet most prop firm minimum trading day requirements.

Why Swing Trading Works for Beginners in Prop Firms

  • More time to think and plan
  • Lower stress compared to scalping or day trading
  • Easier to manage risk with wider stop losses
  • Fewer trades mean lower chances of overtrading

How It Works

  1. Identify the Trend
    Use a 4-hour or daily chart to determine if the market is trending up, down, or sideways.
  2. Wait for a Pullback
    Once the trend is clear, wait for the price to pull back toward a moving average or support/resistance zone.
  3. Enter the Trade
    Enter once price shows signs of resuming the trend (like a bullish candlestick in an uptrend).
  4. Set Your Stop-Loss and Take-Profit
    Always define your risk before entering. Aim for at least a 1:2 risk-to-reward ratio.

Example

Let’s say the EUR/USD is trending upward on the daily chart. It pulls back to the 50-day moving average and forms a bullish engulfing candlestick. You place a buy trade with a stop-loss just below the candlestick and a take-profit that’s twice the distance of your risk.

Useful Tools and Indicators

  • 50-day and 200-day Moving Averages
  • RSI to confirm overbought/oversold conditions
  • Support and resistance zones

Strategy #2: Scalping — Fast, Focused, and Precise

Scalping is a strategy where you enter and exit trades within minutes, aiming to capture small price movements. It's a high-frequency approach that requires quick decision-making and intense focus.

Why Scalping Can Work in Prop Firms

  • Quickly meets minimum trading day and profit targets
  • Can produce daily profits if done well
  • Works well with tight risk limits (if disciplined)

Challenges for Beginners

  • Mentally exhausting
  • Easy to overtrade
  • Requires strict discipline and fast execution

How It Works

  1. Choose a Liquid Pair
    Stick to pairs with tight spreads like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, or USD/JPY.
  2. Use a 1- or 5-minute Chart
    Look for fast-moving price action, support/resistance breaks, or momentum indicators.
  3. In and Out with a Plan
    Decide your stop-loss, take-profit, and entry point before clicking that button.

Example

You’re watching EUR/USD on a 1-minute chart. Price bounces off a support level and the RSI crosses 30 from below. You buy with a 5-pip stop-loss and a 10-pip take-profit. You exit in 10 minutes with a small profit.

Useful Tools and Indicators

  • Bollinger Bands
  • RSI (for quick momentum shifts)
  • Pivot Points
  • Time and Sales (if your platform offers it)

Strategy #3: Trend Following — Trade With the Flow

This strategy focuses on entering trades in the direction of the prevailing trend. You "ride the wave" until the trend starts to weaken.

Why It Works in Prop Firms

  • Aligns with strong market moves
  • Offers good reward potential with trailing stops
  • Keeps trading simple and structured

How It Works

  1. Identify the Trend
    Use a combination of moving averages and higher timeframe charts.
  2. Wait for Confirmation
    Enter after a pullback and a bounce back in the trend direction.
  3. Let the Trade Run
    Use a trailing stop to stay in as long as the trend lasts.

Example

USD/JPY is in an uptrend. Price pulls back to the 20-period moving average and bounces. You buy and trail your stop-loss just below higher lows.

Useful Tools and Indicators

  • Moving Average Crossovers (e.g., 20 EMA and 50 EMA)
  • ADX to confirm trend strength
  • Price Action (higher highs and higher lows)

Strategy #4: News-Based Trading — Trade the Reaction, Not the Forecast

News trading involves entering trades around major economic announcements like interest rate decisions, jobs reports, and inflation data.

Why It Works in Prop Firms

  • Can create big moves in a short time
  • Helps hit profit targets quickly
  • Shows ability to react to fast market conditions

Risks for Beginners

  • Can be highly volatile
  • Easy to get caught on the wrong side
  • Requires fast reaction time and good order execution

How It Works

  1. Check the Economic Calendar
    Sites like Forex Factory list upcoming events and their expected impact.
  2. Wait for the News Release
    Don’t jump in too early. Wait for the market’s initial reaction.
  3. Trade the Breakout or Reversal
    If price breaks support/resistance decisively, trade in that direction. Or trade the reversal once volatility settles.

Example

The U.S. Non-Farm Payroll report comes in better than expected. The USD strengthens sharply. You wait for the dust to settle and enter a long USD/JPY trade once a clear breakout forms.

Useful Tools and Resources

  • Forex Factory Calendar
  • TradingView Economic Events
  • News feeds or fast brokers for execution

The One Skill That Matters Most — Risk Management

If you take nothing else from this guide, take this: Good risk management beats good predictions. Even if you pick great trades, poor risk control can ruin your prop firm evaluation.

Key Tips:

  • Never risk more than 1–2% of your account per trade
  • Always use a stop-loss
  • Avoid revenge trading after a loss
  • Use a trading journal to track your performance

Position Sizing Formula:

Risk per Trade = Account Size x Risk Percentage
Lot Size = Risk Amount / (Stop Loss in Pips x Pip Value)

How to Choose the Right Prop Firm as a Beginner

Not all prop firms are created equal. Some have strict rules, others offer more freedom. As a beginner, look for firms that offer:

  • Reasonable drawdown rules
  • Support and education
  • Demo accounts or practice evaluations
  • Profit targets you can realistically hit

Popular beginner

-friendly prop firms include iTrader, FTMO, MyForexFunds (MFF), and The Funded Trader — but always do your due diligence before committing.

The Start of Your Prop Trading Journey

Trading for a prop firm is a fantastic way to jumpstart your trading career without risking your own money. But it’s not easy — especially for beginners. It requires discipline, strategy, and a deep respect for risk management.

Start with a strategy that matches your personality. Swing trading may work best if you prefer calm, calculated decisions. If you thrive on fast action, scalping may suit you. Whatever path you choose, remember: consistency and risk control are more important than hitting home runs.

Take your time. Learn the rules. Practice on demo accounts. And when you’re ready, go after that evaluation with a plan — not just hope.

Prove YOURSELF.

Become a PRO.

Traders who pass the challenge will receive LIVE accounts up to $1,000,000 from us and become "iTrader professional traders."

Start right now

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