For a sustainable EA, how many trades per year will be needed at least?

[Sky All]

Dear experienced traders, 

How do you think for a sustainable EA, how many trades per year will be needed at least?

I know the important thing might not the amount of the trades,  but it is still an important question to design strategies. 

If you are using many kinds of strategies, you can choose more than 2 choice. 

Thank you in advance and best regards

[Sky All]

Some EA can open many positions at same time. 

If it could open 10 positions at same time and open 1,000 positions per year, than the trades amount should be 100 trades per year. 

[Marco vd Heijden]

This is not about a need of a number of trades.

It eventually has to come out in a profit, no matter how many trades it decided to take. 

There isn't really a number of trades to this.

It depends on the market itself and also on the number of instruments that are traded, on risk reward parameters, on global economic events and a lot of other things.

You are not paid for your number of trades, you are paid for being right.

[Sky All]

Marco vd Heijden:

This is not about a need of a number of trades.

It eventually has to come out in a profit, no matter how many trades it decided to take. 

There isn't really a number of trades to this.

It depends on the market itself and also on the number of instruments that are traded, on risk reward parameters, on global economic events and a lot of other things.

You are not paid for your number of trades, you are paid for being right.

Thank you, Marco. 

I agree with you. 

I want to some analysis by the POV of number of trade. 

[Marco vd Heijden]

Sky L:

Thank you, Marco. 

I agree with you. 

I want to some analysis by the POV of number of trade. 

It also depends on the strategy or trading style used.

If it's a scalper, then it could make many short lived trades with relatively large position sizes.

But when it is a trend follower, then it can take on a smaller single position and hold on to it for as long as possible. 

Then there is breakout, or S&R trading which totally depends on market movements.

And another one is for example volume based trading which is based on market activity.

These differ between instruments and differ in time so it can be hard to analyze if you want to come up with some sort of golden standard.

[Sky All]

Marco vd Heijden:

It also depends on the strategy or trading style used.

If it's a scalper, then it could make many short lived trades with relatively large position sizes.

But when it is a trend follower, then it can take on a smaller single position and hold on to it for as long as possible. 

Then there is breakout, or S&R trading which totally depends on market movements.

And another one is for example volume based trading which is based on market activity.

These differ between instruments and differ in time so it can be hard to analyze if you want to come up with some sort of golden standard.

Thank you so much, Marco. 

You are right.

I'm considering some strategies, some of them only open positions very rarely, like 10 trades per year with high profit and win%. 

I think very less trade may not sustainable. 

[Anak Agung]

It doesnt matter about number of trade, what matter most is percentage of gain from time to time. I'd rather have an EA which trade quietly but profitable, than EA that always trade but losing money and the worst will get margin call. Trade activity is just an additional entertainment

[Sky All]

Anak Agung:
It doesnt matter about number of trade, what matter most is percentage of gain from time to time. I'd rather have an EA which trade quietly but profitable, than EA that always trade but losing money and the worst will get margin call. Trade activity is just an additional entertainment

Thank you, Anak

[Sky All]

Related topic:  For a sustainable EA, how long period back test will be needed at least? (with more than 99% high quality back test data)

[karpiem_diem]

At least 1 succesful trade.