Copy Trading: you replicate trades, you keep control

In copy trading your account automatically replicates the trades of a master trader in proportion to your capital. The key difference versus the other models: positions open in your account — you can close them manually, adjust the copy volume or disconnect at any time.

MAM: management with per-account flexibility

In a MAM (Multi-Account Manager) structure, a manager trades a block of accounts from one master account. Allocation can be configured per account — proportional to capital, in fixed lots, or with different risk levels per investor. It is the preferred format when investors want personalised conditions.

PAMM: you hold a share of a pooled account

In the PAMM model (Percentage Allocation Management Module) investor funds are pooled and each investor owns a percentage of the total. Results — gains and losses — are distributed in exactly that proportion. It is the model closest to a fund: simple to understand, less granular in individual control.

How managers get paid: the performance fee

The standard across all three models is the performance fee: the manager charges a percentage of the profits generated, normally calculated against a high-water mark, so they only earn on new profits, not on the recovery of previous losses. Before connecting, verify the percentage, the settlement frequency and whether any additional cost applies.

The risks the statistics do not show

  • Track record is not a guarantee: a master at +40% last year can be at -30% next year. Past performance does not predict future results.
  • Drawdown matters more than return: a strategy with high returns and 60% maximum drawdowns can wipe you out before the recovery arrives.
  • Style risk: martingale or grid strategies can print smooth curves for months and break in a single event.
  • Your horizon is not theirs: if you need the capital short-term, the best strategy in the world can still be wrong for you.

Checklist before connecting your account

  • Review at least 6-12 months of real (not simulated) history.
  • Look at the maximum drawdown and ask yourself whether you could sit through it.
  • Verify the performance fee and how it is calculated.
  • Start with a small allocation and increase it only on your own results.
  • Configure the available risk limits (global stop-loss, copy volume).