What is scalping?
Scalping is a short-term trading strategy that repeatedly accumulates small profits within a short period of time (seconds to minutes). By repeating many small profits rather than one large profit, you may make dozens to hundreds of transactions a day.
Reasons why scalping is popular in coin futures trading:
- 24-hour market operation (opportunities exist regardless of day or night)
- High volatility = sufficient short-term price movement
- Even small fluctuations can turn into large profits with leverage.
Basic principles of scalping
3 golden rules
1. Stop loss is life If you don't set a stop loss in scalping, one big loss will wipe out dozens of profits.
2. Risk:Reward minimum 1:1 Even with scalping, if you set a target that is less than the risk, you will inevitably lose money in the long run.
3. Only in trend direction Enter only in the direction of the current trend. Counter-trend scalping is an advanced area.
Optimized settings for scalping
Timeframe
| bong | Features | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 minute peak | Fast signal, lots of noise | Advanced |
| 5 minute peak | Balanced signal | Recommended for Beginner/Intermediate |
| 15 minutes | Slow but reliable | Recommended for beginners |
Secondary indicator settings
EMA: 9, 21 (quick trend check)
RSI: Period 7-9 (fast response)
Bollinger Bands: period 20, standard deviation 2
Volume bars (check color)
3 scalping strategies
Strategy 1: EMA 9/21 Cross Scalping
The most basic scalping strategy.
Long entry:
- EMA 9 breaks through EMA 21 from down to up (golden cross)
- Check RSI 50 or higher at the same time
- When the price is above the center line of the Bollinger Band
Short entry:
- EMA 9 breaks through EMA 21 from up to down (dead cross)
- RSI below 50
- Price below the Bollinger Band center line
Stop Loss: When the EMA breaks away from the cross.
Profit: 2:1 ~ 3:1 Risk:Reward
Strategy 2: Bollinger Band Bounce Scalping
Effective in sideways markets.
Long entry:
- Price touches the bottom of the Bollinger Band
- RSI below 30
- Appearance of hammer-shaped and doji candles
Short entry:
- Price touches the upper Bollinger Band
- RSI above 70
- Shooting Star and Doji candles appear
Stop Loss: When the band is broken (closed outside the band)
Target: Bollinger Band center line
Strategy 3: Candlestick Patterns + Key Level Scalping
The most precise strategy.
Setup:
1. Check key support/resistance levels on the 5-minute chart
2. Wait when approaching the level
3. Confirmation of reversal candle pattern (Doji, hammer type, control type)
4. Check the direction at the next bar and enter
진입: 패턴 완성 다음 봉 시가
Stop Loss: Pattern low/high + 0.1% buffer
Goal: Opposite side of level or 1:2 risk:reward
Risk management (the key to scalping survival)
One-time loss limit
Limited to 0.5 to 1% of the principal amount
Leverage 10x → Only 0.1~0.2% of principal is exposed to actual risk
Maximum loss per day
Loss of more than 3% per day → Stop trading immediately
Emotional Recovery Deals Create Most Bankruptcies
Rules for consecutive losses
3 consecutive losses → 1 hour rest
5 consecutive losses → Trading halted on the day
Exchanges suitable for scalping
The key to scalping is transaction speed and commission.
| Exchange | Maker Fee | Taker Fee | Fastening speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bybit | 0.01% | 0.06% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| OKX | 0.02% | 0.05% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| bitget | 0.02% | 0.06% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Tip: Fees are much lower if you take a Maker position with a Limit Order.
Common mistakes made by scalping beginners
| Mistake | Results | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Entry without stop loss | One big loss | Required to set stop loss before entry |
| Excessive leverage | Repeat clearing | Start with 5x or less |
| Countertrend scalping | Consecutive losses | Enter only the trend direction |
| recovery deals | accumulated losses | Set daily loss limit |
| Indicator Excess | Overload/Decision paralysis | Within 3 indicators |
Related guides
- How to set up RSI scalping →
- Bollinger Bands Band Strategy →
- EMA moving average →
- Liquidation price calculator →
- Position size calculator →