XAUUSD M5 Expert Advisor — Complete Parameter Reference for Funded Trader Accounts
This guide covers every parameter in The Impossible Gold EA with its default value, the prop-adjusted value, and what happens if you change it further. A downloadable .set file is included so you can load all prop firm settings in one click.
Why Prop Firms Need Different Settings
Prop firms impose strict rules that personal accounts don't have:
- 5% daily loss limit — one bad day can end your account
- 10% max drawdown — account terminated if breached
- Risk must stay well under limits with buffer room
- Goal shifts from maximising return to consistent profit without breaching rules
The Impossible Gold's default settings are optimised for maximum profit on a personal account. For prop firms, we trade some upside for survival.
Quick Start — Loading the Set File
- Download TheImpossibleGold_PropFirm.set from the product page
- Open MT5 → attach EA to a XAUUSD M5 chart
- In the inputs tab, click Load
- Browse to the .set file → Open → OK
You only need to load it once per chart. MT5 remembers the settings.
Complete Parameter Reference
Strategy Settings
Genetically optimised breakout detection — do not change for prop firm use.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timeframe | M5 | M5 | 5-minute chart. Optimised for Gold's intraday volatility. |
| LookbackBars | 32 | 32 | Bars to define breakout range. 32 = 2.7 hours of consolidation. |
| BufferPips | 2.0 | 2.0 | Pips above/below range before triggering entry. |
| MinRangePips | 10.0 | 10.0 | Minimum range size. Below $1.00 on Gold is noise. |
| MaxRangePips | 1500 | 1500 | Maximum range size. Above $150 = trending, not consolidating. |
| MinScoreToTrade | 70 | 70 | Confidence threshold (0-100). Evaluates ADX, EMA, RSI, ATR. 70 = high-quality setups only. Consider 80 for even fewer but higher-quality trades. |
| MaxHoldBars | 0 | 0 | 0 = no time limit. Set to 60 (5 hours) if your firm has intraday-only rules. |
| CooldownBars | 0 | 0 | Bars wait after a trade. Set 3-6 to prevent revenge trading after a loss. |
Session Filter
Optimised for London/NY overlap — highest liquidity for Gold.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SessionStart | 7 | 7 | 07:00 GMT (London pre-open). |
| SessionEnd | 17 | 17 | 17:00 GMT. For intraday-only firms, consider 16:00. |
| ExcludeStart / End | 12 / 15 | 12 / 15 | No trades 12-15 GMT (London lunch gap). Optimiser found this window is net-losing. |
| BlockMon–Fri | all false | all false | All weekdays profitable. BlockFriday=true avoids weekend gap risk. |
Risk Management — CRITICAL FOR PROP FIRMS
These settings directly control whether you stay within prop firm rules.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RiskPerTrade ⚠️ | 1.5% | 0.75% | CRITICAL. Halved. Worst-case daily = 3 × 0.75% = 2.25% — well under 5% daily limit. Never exceed 1.0% on prop accounts. |
| CompoundAggressive | true | false | CHANGED. Uses starting balance for sizing. Prevents lot size fluctuation from breaching limits after a win streak. Always false for prop. |
| FixedLots | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 = percentage-based (recommended). |
| MinLotSize | 0.01 | 0.01 | Check your prop firm's minimum. |
| MaxLotSize | 10.0 | 10.0 | Safety clamp. Set to your firm's per-trade limit if applicable. |
TP & SL
The 6:1 ratio (TP 180 / SL 30) is the EA's core edge.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TP_Pips | 180 | 180 | $18.00 on Gold. Trailing stop usually exits before TP — this is a max profit cap. |
| SL_Pips | 30 | 30 | $3.00 on Gold. At 0.75% risk, each loss = exactly 0.75% of account. |
| MaxSpread | 50.0 | 50.0 | Won't trade if spread > $5.00. Protects against illiquid periods. |
Trade Management
Trailing stop is live-tuned for real broker conditions.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| UseBreakeven | false | false | Trailing handles profit protection. Consider enabling (Trigger=40) for extra prop safety. |
| BreakevenTrigger | 50 | 50 | Move SL to breakeven after 50 pips (only if UseBreakeven=true). |
| BreakevenOffset | 5 | 5 | Breakeven SL 5 pips above entry (covers spread). |
| UseTrailingStop | true | true | Primary profit protection. SL follows price after trigger. |
| TrailingStart | 10 (live: 25) | 25 | Live-tuned. Prevents premature activation inside Gold's spread zone. |
| TrailingStep | 2 (live: 5) | 5 | Live-tuned. Prevents "Invalid stops" on live Gold brokers. |
Capital Protection — YOUR SAFETY RAILS
These prevent the EA from ever breaching your prop firm's rules.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MaxDrawdown ⚠️ | 0 (off) | 8.0% | CRITICAL. Emergency shutdown at 8% DD. Most firms terminate at 10% — this gives 2% buffer. Set to your firm's max DD minus 2%. |
| MaxDailyLoss ⚠️ | 0 (off) | 4.0% | CRITICAL. Stops trading for the day at 4% loss. Most firms limit 5% — this gives 1% buffer. Set to your firm's daily limit minus 1%. |
| MaxOpenTrades | 1 | 1 | One position at a time. Never increase on prop accounts. |
| MaxTradesPerDay | 5 (live: 10) | 3 | CHANGED. Worst case = 3 × 0.75% = 2.25% — safely under 4% cap. Formula: MaxTrades × Risk < MaxDailyLoss. |
| MaxConsecLosses | 0 (off) | 2 | CHANGED. Auto-pauses after 2 consecutive losses. Resets next day. |
News Filter
Essential for prop firms — news spikes can blow through stops with slippage exceeding planned loss.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnableNewsFilter | false | true | CHANGED. Uses MT5 economic calendar for high-impact USD events. Always enable for prop accounts. |
| NewsMinutesBefore | 30 | 30 | Blocks trades 30 min before events. |
| NewsMinutesAfter | 15 | 15 | Blocks trades 15 min after events. |
Shield Circuit Breaker — #1 Funded Account Feature
The Shield locks in gains. Arms after a profit milestone, then stops trading if you start giving it back.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnableShield ⚠️ | false | true | CRITICAL. Monitors equity and stops trading when DD from peak exceeds trigger. Always enable for funded accounts. |
| ShieldArmPct | 400% | 75% | CHANGED. At 0.75% risk, formula (Risk/7) × 75 = ~8% account growth to arm. For challenges, set 150-200% so it doesn't interrupt your profit target run. |
| ShieldDrawdownPct | 10% | 5% | CHANGED. Triggers at 5% DD from peak. Set to roughly half your firm's max DD rule. |
| ShieldRecovery | 0 (permanent) | 1 (next day) | CHANGED. Shield lifts next trading day. Options: 0=permanent, 1=next day, 2=recovery-based. |
| ShieldRecoveryPct | 50% | 50% | Only used if ShieldRecovery=2. |
Regime Filter (Weekly Chart)
Detects macro trend. Prevents trading against strong weekly trends.
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnableRegimeFilter | true | true | Monitors weekly EMA slope. Keep enabled — trendless markets increase DD. |
| RegimeEMAPeriod | 50 | 50 | 50-period weekly EMA (~1 year). |
| RegimeLookback | 4 | 4 | Slope over 4 weekly bars (~1 month). |
| RegimeMinSlope | 0.30% | 0.30% | Below ±0.30% = FLAT market. |
| BlockCounterTrend | false | false | Trades both directions. Set true for max safety at cost of fewer signals. |
Direction Exclusions & Display
| Parameter | Default | Prop | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy/Sell Exclude zones | all 0 | all 0 | No hour-based direction blocks. |
| ShowDashboard | true | true | Real-time dashboard. Disable on VPS if needed. |
| ShowChartExtras | true | true | EMA lines and trend labels on chart. |
| DebugMode | false | false | Enable temporarily for troubleshooting. |
Prop Firm Cheat Sheet
Quick Formula: MaxTradesPerDay × RiskPerTrade < MaxDailyLoss - 1%
Example: 3 × 0.75% = 2.25% < 4.0% ✓ (1.75% buffer)
| Prop Firm | Daily Loss | Max DD | Set MaxDailyLoss | Set MaxDrawdown | Risk % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | 5% | 10% | 4.0% | 8.0% | 0.75% |
| MyForexFunds | 5% | 12% | 4.0% | 10.0% | 0.75-1.0% |
| The5ers | — | 6% | 3.0% | 4.0% | 0.5% |
| E8 Funding | 5% | 8% | 4.0% | 6.0% | 0.5-0.75% |
| TrueForex | 4% | 8% | 3.0% | 6.0% | 0.5% |
| Funded Next | 5% | 10% | 4.0% | 8.0% | 0.75% |
Q1 2026 Backtest Results — Prop Firm Settings
Test Conditions: 1 Jan – 27 Mar 2026 (Q1) | XAUUSD M5 | $150 starting balance | Every tick (real ticks) | 100% history quality | EA v1.33
Performance Summary
| Metric | Result | Prop Firm Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Total Net Profit | +$154.91 (+103.3%) | $150 → $304.91 in 3 months. Above any challenge target (8-10%). |
| Profit Factor | 1.55 | $437.81 gross profit vs $282.90 gross loss. |
| Recovery Factor | 5.39 | Net profit is 5.4× the max drawdown. |
| Sharpe Ratio | 39.93 | Exceptional risk-adjusted return. |
| Balance DD Max | $26.08 (8.73%) | Under 10% max DD rule — 1.27% buffer. |
| Equity DD Max | $28.76 (12.48%) | Includes unrealised DD. Smaller % on larger funded accounts. |
| Balance DD from Start | $5.17 (3.4%) | Well under 5% daily and 10% total limits. |
Trade Statistics
| Metric | Result | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Total Trades | 165 | ~2.8 trades/day — consistent with MaxTradesPerDay=3. |
| Win Rate | 56.36% | 93 wins, 72 losses. Above 55% threshold for profitability. |
| Short Trades (won %) | 69 (57.97%) | Slightly higher win rate on shorts. |
| Long Trades (won %) | 96 (55.21%) | More longs (Gold trending up in Q1 2026). |
| Average Win | $4.71 | Win/Loss = 1.20:1. +$0.94 expected per trade. |
| Average Loss | -$3.93 | |
| Largest Win | $18.00 | Full TP hit — 12% of starting balance. |
| Largest Loss | -$6.49 | Slightly above standard SL (gap or news spike). |
| Expected Payoff | $0.94 | Over 165 trades = $155.10 expected (actual: $154.91). |
Streak Analysis
| Metric | Result | Prop Firm Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Max Consecutive Wins | 6 ($31.94) | Strong winning streaks boost equity rapidly. |
| Max Consecutive Losses | 7 (-$26.08) | With MaxConsecLosses=2, EA pauses after 2 — remaining spread across days. |
| Avg Consecutive Wins/Losses | 2 / 2 | Consistent alternation — no tilt patterns. |
| Z-Score | 0.85 (60.47%) | Wins/losses alternate. No dangerous clustering. |
Prop Firm Verdict: +103% return with 3.4% max drawdown from starting equity — within all standard prop firm rules. The 8.73% balance DD from peak leaves a 1.27% buffer from the 10% rule. The EA would have passed both the challenge phase (>10% profit) and stayed within funded account rules throughout Q1 2026.
Challenge vs Funded — Different Priorities
Challenge Phase — Need to hit 8-10% profit target within time limit:
- RiskPerTrade: 0.75-1.0%
- MaxTradesPerDay: 3-5
- ShieldArmPct: 300-400% (don't arm too early)
- ShieldRecovery: 1 (next day reset)
- CooldownBars: 0 (maximise opportunities)
Funded Phase — Survival is everything:
- RiskPerTrade: 0.5-0.75%
- MaxTradesPerDay: 2-3
- ShieldArmPct: 150-200% (arm early)
- ShieldRecovery: 0 or 2 (permanent or recovery-based)
- CooldownBars: 3-6 (prevent revenge trading)
Disclaimer: Settings based on typical prop firm rules as of 2026. Firms change rules frequently — always verify your firm's current rules. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Trading involves risk of loss.
The Impossible Gold — mortah.ai | XAUUSD M5 Expert Advisor for MetaTrader 5 | Questions? MQL5 PM or Discord.
