
If you have clicked this blog post, we assume you know what Copy trading is.
Since it has changed the way people invest, allowing beginners and experienced traders to mirror the strategies of top traders.
However, whereas the idea itself is easy to grasp—copy a successful trader and follow his footsteps—the experience isn’t always that simple.
Selecting the wrong trader to copy can result in substantial losses, frustration, and even a total loss of faith in Copy trading. To assist you in making better decisions, we’ve compiled the most common mistakes investors make when choosing traders to copy—and how to steer clear of them.
Let’s move directly to those mistakes without wasting any more time so that you won’t make them when it’s time for you to copy the trade of professionals.
10 Common Copy Trading Mistakes You Must Avoid
- Chasing High Returns Without Checking Risk:
One of the biggest traps in copy trading is getting lured by eye-popping profit percentages. A trader showing 200% gains in three months might seem like a dream, but extreme returns often come with extreme risk.
What to do instead:
- Look at the risk score or drawdown percentage. A trader with a 50% drawdown could wipe out half your capital before recovering.
- Check consistency. Are returns steady over months/years, or was there one lucky streak?
- Compare returns to the market average. If traders outperform Bitcoin’s volatility, they might be gambling, not strategizing.
- Ignoring the Trader’s Strategy:
Not every trading style suits your objectives. Some trade using high-frequency scalping, and others trade for weeks. If you’re interested in low-risk, long-term profit, mirroring a day trader could give you nightmares.
What to do instead:
- Read the trader’s profile. Do they explain their strategy?
- Check trade duration. Are they opening and closing trades in minutes or for days?
- Avoid traders who depend only on their “gut feeling” and have no other proper strategy.
- Overlooking the Trader’s Track Record Length:
A two-week 90% winner is much less reliable than a two-year 60% winner. Short-term winning is often a matter of chance; long-term winning is more likely to be the skill.
What to do instead:
- Opt for at least 6-12 months of documented history from a trader.
- Be suspicious of brand-new traders with sudden spikes—they may be making crazy bets.
- Seek out those traders who have managed well in varying market conditions (crashes, bull runs, sideways markets).
- Copying Too Many Traders at Once:
Diversification is good, but spreading your capital over 20 traders may thin out your profits and make it a nightmare to monitor performance.
What to do instead:
- Start with 3-5 traders max.
- Make sure they have different strategies.
- Track their performance every month and adjust when required.
- Not Checking The Trader’s Capital Size:
A trader handling 500 acts differently from one handling 500,000. Some traders play crazy with small accounts that won’t work with bigger amounts.
What to do instead:
- Search for traders with a reasonable balance (at least 5k+).
- Avoid traders who recently finished an account and opened a new one— this shows bad risk management.
- Forgetting About Fees:
Copy trading platforms charge fees—some charge a commission on profit, others a spread or subscription. A trader’s “awesome returns” may appear less spectacular after fees.
What to do instead:
- Check the platform’s fee structure.
- Avoid traders who charge excessive profit-sharing fees.
- Consider costs when comparing traders.
- Not Testing With a Demo Account First:
Using real money to evaluate a trader’s technique is like purchasing a car without first taking it for a test drive.
What to do instead:
- Use a demo account for at least one month.
- Assess the trader’s performance in live market conditions.
- Only commit real money if you are confident.
- Blindly Following Popular Traders:
Just because a trader has thousands of followers doesn’t make them the best. Some traders become popular from marketing, not results.
What to do instead:
- Don’t look only at follower count; analyze metrics such as win rate, risk level, and consistency.
- Check reviews and forums for unbiased opinions.
- Not placing stop losses:
Even top traders experience losing runs. One losing trade can erase weeks of profit if you mindlessly replicate it without placing stop-losses.
What to do instead:
- Always put stop losses either manually or via platform.
- Vary position sizes so one losing trade does not kill your account.
- Expecting Passive Income Without Monitoring:
Copy trading is not “set and forget.” Markets evolve, and traders must adapt—or fail. Neglecting your portfolio is a recipe for disaster.
What to do instead:
- Examine performance at least once per week.
- Be prepared to discontinue mimicking a trader if their technique no longer works.
In summary, these are common mistakes you must avoid before beginning this type of trading.
Final Thoughts
Copy trading can be a powerful tool, especially if you know how to use it well. Be aware of these typical pitfalls, and you’ll improve your chances of discovering trustworthy traders who share your objectives.
Tip: The best traders aren’t necessarily the ones with the highest returns—they’re the ones who risk-manage and are consistent.
You can make wiser copy trading choices with this knowledge of what to avoid. Good luck investing!
Also Read this blog about “Advantages of Copy Trading“- 7 Key Advantages of Copy Trading for Every Trader






