Impossible to TP because of spread (workarounds)

Just another pending that got triggered, despite going 7 pips beyond my TP it did not got closed (spread counter gave me a whole 35pip spread, to make matters worse, on an ECN commision broker(!). We all know these scenarios, despite your efforts spread may very well kill you.

Now i tried to configure my EA a bit. For example to have it place an SL 5 pips away when price is 95% near TP (counted from the original entry price level).
Now obviously this does not work either because an SL needs to be "x" pips away, depending on current market conditions (so on a 35pip spread volatility you will not be able to place your SL in current range).

Anyone got a workaround?

Alright i coded a workaround that seems to work so far. Some ideas that i implemented..

#1 95% near TP -> fixed SL "x" above current market price (despite not always able to achieve this paramater because of market conditions).
#2 Trailing TP "x" pips below/above price. (any small fluctuation towards TP will now TP considering the bigger timespan(spread will obviously only be a few seconds 35 pips in the worst scenario)

I noticed i posted this in the general discussion, my apologies.. This is rather platform tech material i guess..

When you open orders in ECN and you end up having profit, there's somebody out there having a loss and they're not liking it. (that's why I say that probability of hitting TP is lower than hitting order that increases your possible losses, atleast on my ECN broker)


It's sort of the same in bucket shops but if there's a enough of losers in the bucket shop on both sides of your entry and enough new offsetting losers come in after you enter, it will seem like the market ignores your trade. It doesn't - as long as losers are coming in help push your trade to profit. In ECN the liquidity is more fragmented and there's more likely some aggressive HFTs there trying to find ways help you lose your money. If you don't like to compete with the best then perhaps sticking to one of the biggest bucket shops makes for easier trading. I don't know for sure but I would imagine.

The critical difference is that in ECN there's have many HFTs, pros, hedge funds, big market makers and so on. Who are you with in bucket shop? Pros, maybe small hedge funds and maybe plenty more dumb retail flow than in ECN where HFT scalp all the flow... The HFTs/short term market makers are probably not as much present as they could eat into bucket shop profits. That's why bucket shop wants to know a bit about you when you sign up, they don't want competing sharks there as they are the shark (bucket shop market maker).

I haven't given up on my ECN broker despite losing a crap-ton. Most of the loss was due to my own mistakes anyway and competing with the best has allowed me to really hone in on what will keep working long term. Problem with bucket shop stuff is that you can find all sort of strategies that work for a while. I'm only interested in things that keep working and work in every market.

What botters me is that it is exactly ECN brokers that use commisions most of the time. One will pay a commision for reduced (raw) interbank spreads.. Yet is seems to spike up to a whole 35 pips on some occasions... Anyway, there are some creative workarounds that can reduce some of the risk here.

buy stop and sell stop breakout strategies is not works during the news..

u will never win as retail trader..

yet..people still dream to reach the rich...lol!

shoot have short positions on GBPNZD with a TP of 2.2865.. Spread blew out bid 2.2856 ask 2.2890 lol mother$&@#ers

I understand your frustration but i rather talk about solutions instead, spreads are a fact. Its our job to reduce the damage on worst case spread scenarios.

they is no solution since the dealer will increase the spread..

the solution that we have is..

gambling !