What Is All The Hype About A Trading Edge?

What Is All The Hype About A Trading Edge? In theory, a trading edge is a strategy, observation, or special technique that gives a trader an edge over other traders in the market and helps them make more money. There are a lot of books and papers on different trading techniques, but since many people learn and use the same information, the chances that it will give a trader an edge quickly go down to almost nothing. Finding an edge and understanding what that really means can help you decide if it's worth your time to look for one or if it's even possible or useful. The Common Thought Most people think that an edge is something that a trader knows or uses that gives them an advantage over the market or all the other traders. For example, a trader might think that using a certain indicator (like the Relative Strength Index, or RSI), in a certain way (like making short trades when the RSI is above 84), gives them an advantage over traders who don't use the same indicator in the same way. Many new traders spend years trying out different indicators or different settings for indicators (like a length of 10, then a length of 15, etc.). They also try out different chart settings, like time-based charts, tick-based charts, or volume-based charts, to find the combination that gives them an edge. Getting Your Way Some traders have never heard of the term "edge." When they do, they might start to wonder if they have an edge or if they need to find one. A few rules can help traders find trading edges, if there are any: The edge must be based in reality and can't be based on assumptions. A trader needs to know that an edge might not work all the time. It is possible to make a lot of money with an edge, but then the edge might stop working for a while. If you think you have an edge, you should test it by clearly defining the rules and then applying them to historical market data and "paper trading." A wake-up call In reality, there are traders who think they have an advantage and traders who think they need an advantage. Some traders laugh every time someone talks about an edge while they make another trade that makes them money. In other words, you might find and use an advantage or you might not. Many traders think that good training and instruction give them an edge. In fact, this could be the edge that people looking for an edge are looking for. To trade well, you don't have to compete with the market or other traders. In fact, the opposite is true. Good risk management and a healthy dose of patience are more likely to lead to success in trading. Retail traders often do better when they focus on controlling their own decision-making processes instead of making decisions based on things they can't change. This is not what many new traders will say. If you are one of them, think about this: Traders who think they have an edge will never tell other traders what trade they are about to make. These traders think that if they talk about it, they might lose their edge. Professional traders, on the other hand, won't think twice about telling other traders what trade they are about to make. This is because it doesn't change the potential of the trade if other traders know about it or make the same trade. Prices can change over time based on supply, demand, and investor sentiment as a whole, but just because one investor thinks they have an edge won't change anything. If you are a new trader who is just starting to look for your edge or if you are an experienced trader who has been looking for your edge for years, you should stop. Markets change so quickly that an edge you find today is likely to be useless tomorrow. In the short term, looking for a trading edge might help you make quick money, but it's more likely to waste your time and cause you to miss out on opportunities and money.