Introduction
At For Traders, our goal is to evaluate each trader's individual skill, consistency, and decision-making. To support that goal, we provide a flexible trading environment that accommodates a wide range of legitimate strategies and tools. This article outlines everything you are permitted to do on the platform, along with any conditions or limitations that apply. Understanding these rules will help you trade confidently and stay fully compliant throughout the Challenge and beyond.
Trading Flexibility
Holding Trades Over the Weekend
You are fully permitted to hold open positions over the weekend at all stages of your trading journey, from the initial Challenge phase through to your Master Account. Weekend holds are unrestricted across all account types.
News Trading
News trading is generally permitted, with specific conditions that depend on your account type.
Forex Challenge Accounts (Fast, Classic, Strike) and their corresponding Master Accounts: Trading during high-impact news events is allowed, but you may not open new trades within a 5-minute window surrounding a high-impact news release - meaning 5 minutes before or 5 minutes after the event.
You are, however, permitted to hold existing positions over the news. Positions opened at any time (with a minimum of 5 minutes prior to the event) that are closed within the 5-minute window before or after the event will have their profits recognized. This rule supports swing traders who plan their positions well in advance.
Trades opened within the 10-minute window surrounding a high-impact news event (5 minutes before to 5 minutes after) will not have their profits counted, but no account violation will be issued.
Crypto and Futures Accounts: Trading during news events is fully unrestricted across all phases for crypto and futures accounts.
Key high-impact news events to monitor include:
FED Interest Rate decisions
FOMC Minutes
CPI (Consumer Price Index)
Non-Farm Payrolls
Unemployment Rate
GDP Growth Rate
Crude Oil Inventories
We recommend checking the economic calendar in your dashboard each morning, or using the Forex Factory calendar and filtering for red-folder events.
Expert Advisors (EAs)
You are welcome to use Expert Advisors that assist and support your personal trading decisions. EAs used as decision-support tools - for example, to alert you to setups, manage partial positions, or apply pre-defined rules under your direct supervision - are permitted.
The key requirement is that the EA must function in support of your judgment, not in place of it. You must remain the decision-maker.
Copy Trading From Your For Traders Account
You are allowed to copy trades outward from your For Traders account. Your For Traders account can serve as a Master account, with trades copied to your own external accounts if desired. This gives you the flexibility to mirror your performance across platforms for personal use.
Allowed Trading Tools and Methods
The platform supports a broad range of trading approaches, provided they reflect independent, skill-based decision-making. The following tools and methods are acceptable:
Manual trading strategies of any style, including scalping (with a minimum 5-second hold), swing trading, position trading, and day trading.
Technical analysis tools such as indicators, chart patterns, and custom scripts used for market analysis.
Expert Advisors configured to support and enhance your personal strategy, as described above.
Risk management tools such as stop-loss orders, take-profit levels, and lot size calculators.
Outbound copy trading, where your For Traders account acts as the signal source for your own external accounts.
Conditions and Limitations
While the above activities are permitted, several important conditions apply:
News Trading Restrictions (Forex accounts only):
No new trade entries are permitted within 5 minutes before or 5 minutes after a high-impact news event.
Profits from trades opened within the 10-minute window around high-impact news will not be counted (no violation issued).
Profits from trades opened at least 5 minutes before the event and closed within the news window are recognized.
Expert Advisor Limitations:
EAs must not trade autonomously on your behalf.
EAs that execute trades without your direct input or approval are classified as automated bots and are prohibited.
The distinction is intent and control: if the EA trades for you, it is not allowed; if it assists you in trading, it is.
Copy Trading Direction:
Copying trades from external accounts into a For Traders account is strictly prohibited.
Only outbound copying (from your For Traders account to external accounts) is permitted.
Minimum Trade Duration:
Every trade must be held for a minimum of 5 seconds before being closed. This applies to all account types and is enforced to prevent High Frequency Trading.
Best Practices
To stay compliant and make the most of the permitted activities, we recommend the following:
Check the economic calendar daily. Before trading, review the day's high-impact news schedule so you can plan your entries and exits around the 5-minute restriction windows on forex accounts.
Configure your EAs transparently. Ensure any EA in use is set to assist rather than replace your decisions. Review its behavior regularly and make sure you understand every trade it supports.
Use the 5-second rule as a guide. Design your strategy with trade durations comfortably above the 5-second minimum to avoid any unintentional violations.
Manage outbound copy trading carefully. If you use your For Traders account as a master source, make sure no external signal is being fed back into your For Traders account, which would constitute prohibited inbound copying.
Trade consistently. Whether you hold positions over weekends or trade around news events, the platform rewards disciplined, repeatable strategies over opportunistic behavior.
Key Takeaways
Weekend holds are allowed at all stages and for all account types.
News trading is allowed; however, forex account holders may not open new trades within 5 minutes before or after a high-impact news event.
Expert Advisors are allowed when used to support your personal trading decisions. Fully autonomous EAs are not permitted.
Outbound copy trading is allowed — your For Traders account can serve as a master source for external accounts.
All trades must be held for a minimum of 5 seconds.
Crypto and futures accounts have no news trading restrictions.