When it comes to day trading, the question isn’t how much money you can make—it’s how many trades you can make. That’s because your success as a day trader depends largely on how many trades you can execute over the course of a day.
So, how many day trades can you make?
The answer to that question depends on a number of factors, including the size of your account, the number of markets you’re trading, the time frame you’re looking at, and the broker you’re using.
Let’s take a look at each of these factors in more detail.
Account Size
The size of your account will have a direct impact on how many day trades you can make. That’s because the larger your account, the more money you’ll have to work with—and the more money you have, the more trades you’ll be able to execute.
For example, if you have a $10,000 account, you’ll be able to place 10 trades of $1,000 each. But if you have a $100,000 account, you’ll be able to place 100 trades of $1,000 each. And if you have a $1 million account? You’ll be able to place 1,000 trades of $1,000 each. As you can see, account size matters.
“Can I trade with a small account?”
Many people believe that you need a large amount of money to start day trading, but this is not the case. In fact, with a small account, you can actually control your risk more effectively and make more targeted trades.
With a small account, you will need to be more selective about your trades, but if you are disciplined, you can day trade successfully with a small amount of capital.
Number of markets
The number of markets you’re trading will also have an impact on how many day trades you can make.
That’s because the more markets you’re involved in, the more opportunities you’ll have to trade.
For example, if you’re only trading one market (stocks), then you might only be able to make a few trades per day. But if you’re trading multiple markets (stocks and options), then you might be able to make multiple trades per day. Obviously.
The bottom line is that if you want to increase your chances of making more day trades, trade more markets.
The main concept is: can you make many trades per day being profitable and consistent?
Have a look at the result and the number of daily trades from one of the traders followed by JTrader!
Time frame
The time frame you’re looking at will also play a role. Just as the same as the number of markets you’ve chosen to day trade.
Different time frames offer different opportunities—and some time frames are simply better for day trading than others.
For example, if you’re only looking at intra-day charts (like 5-minute or 15-minute charts), then you might only be able to make 5-10 trades per day. But if you’re also looking at daily charts (in addition to intra-day charts), then you might be able to make 20-50 trades per day.
Be sure to learn how to choose the time frame that suits your trading strategy. You can learn with the support of a professional trader. Discover the JTrader trading courses.
Brokerage firm
Finally, the brokerage firm you use will also dictate how many day trades you can make. That’s because different firms offer different numbers of commission-free trades—and some don’t offer any commission-free trades at all.
So, if want to increase your chances of making more day trades, choose a brokerage firm that offers commission-free stock and ETF trading.
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Disclaimer: these articles are for educational purposes only. Market analysis, prices, news, trade ideas, or any other information within this site or the chatroom is not investment advice.