The Forex Dream provides content for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice.
My Forex Swing Trading Strategy
TFD Fibonacci Swing Strategy
Account & Goal
I’m trading a $100 live account, and my goal is to grow it to $1000 using a swing trading approach.
Pairs I Trade
I focus on these currency pairs:
- CADCHF
- AUDCAD
- USDCHF
- EURGBP
I chose these pairs because they move slower and give me time to think, plan, and wait patiently for clean setups. They help me stay disciplined and avoid emotional trades.
When I see a textbook setup, I’ll also trade these faster-moving pairs and assets:
- EURUSD
- GBPUSD
- USDCAD
- GBPAUD
- GBPJPY
- XAUUSD (Gold)
- NAS 100 (Nasdaq 100 Index)
I don’t force trades with these instruments. They are more aggressive, so I only trade them when all my confluences and rules are aligned. The setup has to be A+, and I only trade the smallest lot size.
Risk Management
I use a risk-to-reward ratio of 1:3.
Before I enter a trade, I always calculate my lot size based on: my account balance, the 1%-5% risk rule, and the size of my stop loss. This way, I stay consistent, emotionally detached, and focused on execution, not just outcome.
I only risk 5% (max) of my account per trade, no matter how good the setup looks. My stop loss is always 50 pips, but I don’t place it randomly. I place my SL just beyond structure, where the trade idea is clearly invalidated. This way, I protect my capital without getting stopped out by normal price noise.
My broker doesn’t allow me to trade smaller than 0.01 lot, so I’m forced to risk $0.10 per pip. With my 50-pip stop loss, 0.01 lot means a $5 risk, which is 5% of my account. I’m not risking 5% because I’m being greedy or want fast profits; I’m doing it so I can trade the minimum lot size available to me because my account is small. This is temporary. I’ll scale down my risk to 1% as my account grows; that’s my reward for staying disciplined.
Take Profit Management
I aim for a minimum 1:3 risk-to-reward ratio on every trade. That means if I risk 50 pips, I’m targeting at least 150 pips in profit.
Where I place my Take Profit (TP) depends on what the market is offering, but I always make sure it’s in line with the structure. I place TP at or just before one of the following:
- order block
- filled imbalance
- liquidity pool (BSL, SSL)
- major swing high/low
- fib level
- key level
- psychological level
If the move offers more than a 1:3, I don’t cut myself short; I’ll hold for more as long as structure supports it.
I don’t move my TP randomly. I set it before I enter the trade, based on what the market is showing me. If price starts stalling near my TP, I may lock in partials or trail my stop just beyond recent structure, but only if it makes sense with the trend and momentum.
I manage TP with discipline, just like I manage my entry and stop loss. No guessing. No greed. Just structure, logic, and control.
My Take Profit & Trailing Stop Management Process
I aim for a minimum 1:3 risk-to-reward ratio, but I also manage the trade step by step as price moves in my favor. Here’s how I manage take profit and my stop loss:
- TP1: +50 pips
- Once price reaches 50 pips in profit, I move my stop loss to breakeven to eliminate risk.
- TP2: +100 pips
- When price hits the next 50 pips (total of 100 pips), I move my stop loss to TP1, locking in 50 pips of profit.
- TP3: +150 pips
- When price hits 150 pips in profit, I either close the full trade or continue to manage it depending on what structure is showing me.
- If structure supports continuation, I keep trailing my stop loss by 50 pips for every new 50-pip move.
How I Decide to Trail or Close
- If price starts slowing down, rejecting key levels, or showing reversal signs, I’ll close the trade at TP3 and take profit.
- If structure is clean and price is still trending strongly, I let it run and trail the stop in 50-pip increments, always placing it behind recent structure.
Timeframes I Use
Higher Timeframe (Daily & Weekly)
I analyze higher timeframes like Daily and Weekly to determine the overall market bias.
Direction Timeframe (4h)
I use the 4-hour chart to identify the current stage of the market, whether price is in an impulse, a retracement, a consolidation, or a reversal.
On this timeframe, I also focus on: Breaks of structure (BOS), Failed swings, Order Blocks (untouched), Liquidity (BSL, SSL, and Swing Points), and Imbalance.
Entry Timeframe (30m, 15m & 5m)
For precise entries, I watch the 30-minute, 15-minute, and 5-minute charts.
Entry Criteria
- I wait for price to retrace into my Fibonacci zone, that’s where I expect price to react.
- Within that zone, I focus on my Points of Interest (POIs):
- Order blocks (including breaker blocks)
- Imbalances
- Buy/sell liquidity
- Swing points
- Fibonacci levels
- Previous key levels
- Psychological levels
Reversal Patterns I Trust
I look for reversal candlestick patterns that support my bias:
- Failed swing
- Strike and reverse (liquidity grab)
- Double bottom/top
How I Enter Trades
- I wait for price to retrace to POIs within my Fibonacci zone.
- When a reversal candlestick pattern that supports my bias forms, I wait for price to retest that pattern.
- Once the retest is confirmed, I enter the trade.
My Top-Down Analysis & Entry Process
1. Higher Timeframe (Bigger Picture)
I analyze the Daily and Weekly charts to determine the overall trend of the market: bullish or bearish. Then I identify the overall stage, whether the market is an impulse, retracement, consolidation, or reversal. This helps me stay aligned with the bigger picture.
2. Direction Timeframe (BUY or SELL)
Once I have my higher timeframe bias, I move to the 4-hour chart to understand the HTF stage of the market. I first identify the trend of the 4h and the current stage of the 4h, whether the price is in:
- an impulse (strong trending move),
- a retracement (pullback within trend),
- a consolidation (sideways movement), or
- a reversal, which can either be a continuation of the HTF trend or a change in direction.
On the 4H, I also look for:
- Breaks of structure (BOS) to confirm continuation or a shift
- Failed swings to spot early reversals or trend weakness
- Liquidity zones where price might hunt stops before moving
- Imbalance zones that price may return to fill
Once I’m clear on the 4H direction, I drop down to the 30M, 15M, or 5M chart to look for a trade only if price retraces into my Fibonacci zone.
3. Entry Timeframe
Inside that zone, I look for my Points of Interest (POIs):
- Order blocks (including breaker blocks)
- Imbalance
- Buy/sell liquidity
- Swing highs/lows
- Previous key levels
- Psychological levels
Then I wait for a reversal candlestick pattern that supports my 4H bias, such as:
- Failed swing
- Strike and reverse (liquidity grab)
- Double bottom or double top (based on bias)
Once that pattern forms, I wait for a retest of the pattern or zone, and that becomes my entry trigger.
I place my stop loss just beyond structure (around 50 pips), so that if price breaks that level, I know the setup is invalid.
I only enter when my confluences and rules are aligned. That means:
- The higher timeframe and 4H bias agree
- Price has retraced to a valid POI in my fib zone
- A valid reversal pattern has formed and retested
- Risk:reward is at least 1:3
If anything’s missing, I don’t force the trade. I wait for everything to line up.



