What is Scalping Trading Strategy: Types and Benefits (2024)

In this article, we will discuss

• Who are Scalpers?
• How Stock Scalping Works?
• Common Scalping Trading Strategy
• Types of Scalping Trading Strategy
• Best Scalping Strategy
• Scalping Trading Books
• Benefits of Scalping Trading Strategy

If you're a trader looking for a fast-paced and high-risk trading style, scalping might be your perfect strategy. Scalping is a popular trading strategy involving buying and selling financial instruments, such as stocks, currencies, and commodities, in a short period of time with the goal of making small profits on many trades. This strategy can be beneficial for traders looking to make quick profits and are comfortable with high levels of risk. In this blog, you’ll get to know about the different types of scalping trading strategies, such as the 1-minute, high probability, and the best strategies for traders. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the trading world, this blog would be informative and useful for you.

Who are Scalpers?

If you've heard of "scalping," you might wonder who "scalpers" are and how they make money from their trades. Well, scalping is a style of trading used to make money from small changes in price that add up. Scalpers buy and sell often and in small intervals. A scalp trader needs to have a strict plan for when to get out of a trade because one big loss could wipe out all the small profits he has made in the other works. Scalping trading strategy, then, needs discipline, the ability to make quick decisions, and endurance. You can do well as a scalp trader with these traits and the right tools. Scalp traders often like how exciting this type of trading can be. But to make good deals, you need to know how to use the different technical trading techniques to find opportunities to make money on the market.

How Stock Scalping Works?

Scalping is a short-term trading method in which underlying assets are bought and sold several times a day to make money from the price difference. It means buying an asset for less money and selling it for more. The key is to locate assets that are easy to sell quickly and whose prices often change during the day. You can't scalp an asset that you can't sell quickly. Liquidity also ensures that you obtain the best price when you enter or leave the market. Scalpers think that making small deals is easier and less risky because of how volatile the market is. Before the chance is gone, they make small profits. The scalping trading strategy is on the other end of the spectrum. In this type of trading, traders keep their position open overnight and sometimes for weeks or months while they wait for a bigger profit. Scalpers think it's better to make a lot of small profits quickly than to wait for a big one. Stock Scalpers employ three rules to work on the market:

• Lower exposure limits risks: Being on the market for a short time also reduces the likelihood of a bad situation.
• Small moves are easier to get: For a large profit, the stock value has to move a lot, which means there needs to be a bigger difference between supply and demand. Compared to that, it's easier to catch smaller price changes.
• Small changes often happen: Even when the market seems stable, there are small changes in the price of an asset that scalpers try to take advantage of.

Common Scalping Trading Strategy

Since scalping is a type of fast trading, it takes discipline, the ability to make quick decisions, and good analytical skills to succeed. The main thing that sets scalpers apart from other traders is how they use time. An average scalper may use the 5-minute and 15-minute charts. But some people would trade with 1-minute charts or tick charts. Let's talk about scalping trading strategies now.

• Using Stochastic Oscillator

The stochastic oscillator is a momentum oscillator that compares the present value of an asset to the scope of its prices over time. It shows numbers that are between 0 and 100. The goal of using the stochastic oscillator for scalping is to grab changes in the trend. When the %K line, which shows the current price of an asset, crosses the %D line, which shows the price's movement over three periods, from below, and the price is going up, the trader begins a long position. On the other hand, the trade is over when the %K line passes the %D line from above.

• Using Moving Averages as a Scalping Trading Strategy

Moving average lines is another way to do this. Traders make decisions based on two short-term MAs and one long-term 200-period MA. When the long-term MA is going up, traders buy when the 5-period line crosses above the 20-period MA in the direction of the trend. When the long-term MA is going down, on the other hand, traders go short when the 5-period MA passes below the 20-period MA.

• Using the Parabolic SAR Indicator as a Scalping Trading Strategy

Parabolic SAR shows which way the market is going and gives points to enter and leave the market. SAR is an abbreviation for "stop and reversal," a sequence of dots on the price bars. It gives the trader an edge by letting them know which way the underlying is moving. If the dots on the SAR chart move, it means that the trend is changing. When the price of a stock goes up, the dots start to move along with it, at first gradually but eventually catching up. When the dots are below the price bars, the price goes up, which tells traders to enter a long position. On the other hand, when the dots switch places, it means that a trend is about to change.

• Using the RSI as a Scalping Trading Strategy

The Relative Strength Index, or RSI, is a prevalent oscillator that can be used in different time scales. Scalpers can change it to their preferred time frame to find the best time to enter and leave a trend. When the RSI gets close to 30 and then goes up, that's a sign that you should enter a long position. In a situation where the market is going in the wrong direction, the RSI goes up to 70 and then goes down, giving traders a chance to sell the rally.

Types of Scalping Trading Strategy

• 1-Minute Scalping Trading Strategy

A short scalping trading strategy has the benefit of low-risk exposure. There is less likelihood of experiencing unexpected events, like losing money quickly, when one has only brief exposure to the stock market and FX markets. Since a greater supply/demand imbalance is needed before significant price changes occur, little profits and moves are simpler to obtain. Small moves occur much more frequently during a trading session than big ones, according to the theory behind the one-minute scalping strategy. Even though the markets are fairly stable, forex scalpers can profit from small moves. However, big deposits are required to get good returns on short scalps. Additionally, a 1-minute scalper will require quick reflexes, sound judgment, and mental computation. Before aiming for a 1-minute scalping trading strategy, weigh all of your options and skill sets since scalping could also be time-consuming and stressful.

• High Probability Scalping Trading Strategy

A high probability scalping strategy is a scalping method that focuses on finding the most profitable trades by identifying the market conditions that are most likely to produce profitable trades. This strategy is based on the idea that certain market conditions are more likely to have profitable trades, and by identifying these conditions, traders can increase their chances of success. One of the key components of a high-probability scalping trading strategy is identifying the right market conditions. This can include analyzing the price action, volume, volatility, and economic indicators to identify trends and patterns likely to produce profitable trades. Once the market conditions have been determined, traders can then enter into trades with tight stop losses and take profits at key levels. Traders should also be prepared to exit quickly if the trade does not work out as expected.

Best Scalping Strategy

There is no single "best" scalping trading strategy, as different traders have different preferences and risk tolerance levels. However, some strategies are generally considered to be more effective than others. One popular scalping strategy is the "high-probability" scalping trading strategy, which is based on the idea that certain market conditions are more likely to produce profitable trades. The high-probability scalping strategy involves identifying market conditions that are characterized by high volatility and low liquidity. These conditions are often found during the opening and closing of the market, as well as during important economic events, such as central bank announcements and economic data releases. Once you have identified a high-probability market condition, you can enter a trade and set your profit target to a few cents or pips. To limit your losses, you should use stop-losses, which are orders that automatically close a trade when it reaches a certain price level.

Scalping Trading Books

There are many books available on scalping trading strategies that can help traders learn more about the different techniques and strategies used in scalping. Some popular scalping trading books include

• The Complete Guide to Scalping by Carley Garner
• Scalping: The Fast Money by Markus Heitkoetter
• Scalping: Small Quick Profits Can Add Up by Tyler Yell

These books provide an in-depth look at the different aspects of scalping, including technical analysis, risk management, and psychological factors. They also offer practical tips and advice for traders who are new to scalping or looking to improve their results.

Benefits of Scalping Trading Strategy

The main benefits of the scalping trading strategy are as follows:

• Quick Profits

One of the main benefits of scalping is the potential for quick profits. Scalping is a strategy that aims to make small profits on a large number of trades. This means that traders can potentially make a significant amount of money in a short period of time. It's important to note that although the profits may be small, the high frequency of trades can result in a significant overall profit.

• High-Frequency Trading

Scalping involves making multiple trades in a short period of time. This allows traders to take advantage of short-term price movements and volatility in the market. High-frequency trading can also increase the chances of making a profit. This can be beneficial for traders who want to take advantage of short-term market movements and volatility.

• Small Capital Requirement

Scalping can be done with a small amount of capital. Since the goal is to make small profits on many trades, traders can enter trades with smaller positions and still potentially make a good return on investment. This can be beneficial for traders who have limited capital and are looking for ways to make the most of it.

• Low Risk

Scalping is considered a low-risk strategy as trades are usually open for a short period of time, usually a few minutes or seconds. This means that traders can limit their losses by quickly closing a trade if the market moves against them. Additionally, traders can also use stop-loss orders to limit potential losses. This feature is a great tool to minimize the risk in scalping.

• Flexibility

Scalping allows traders to be flexible in their trading approach. It can be used on various markets, such as forex, stocks, and commodities. It also allows traders to adapt to different market conditions, as different markets and securities have their unique characteristics. For example, scalping on the forex market requires a different approach than scalping on the stock market. Traders can also use different scalping strategies for different markets and securities.

• Constant Action

Scalping keeps traders engaged and active in the market, and traders can take advantage of market movements as and when they happen. This can be beneficial for traders who enjoy the fast-paced action of the markets. Traders can be more alert and responsive to the market, which can increase the chances of making a profit.

Conclusion

Given that you are only in the trade for a short time, some people claim that scalping is relatively simple. But in order to successfully scalp, a trader must exercise an extreme amount of discipline. For traders who also have a day job, it is not the recommended technique. In order to be effective at scalping, you would have to learn how to react quickly to market changes and seize opportunities before they pass you by. Building a profitable scalping trading strategy will be aided by utilizing technical trading tools. Upgrade your trading game with Samco's exclusive scalping trading strategies, and open a Demat account today. Sign up now to learn the must-known indicators every trader should know.