Paper Trading (Forward testing)

For crypto traders and investors new to the game or seeking to hone their skills, paper trading has emerged as a valuable tool for gaining experience without risking hard-earned capital. In this article, we'll delve into the nuances of paper trading, examining its benefits and drawbacks, and providing essential tips to maximize your learning experience with Gainium's paper trading feature.

Benefits of Paper Trading in Crypto

Before we begin, we must address an important question, why should we paper trade? There are numerous benefits:

• Risk-Free Learning: Paper trading is a simulated trading environment where users can practice buying and selling cryptocurrencies without the risk of losing actual money. This provides an opportunity to learn the ropes, test strategies, and develop confidence before transitioning to real-world trading.
• Get familiar with Gainium's platform: As an aspiring crypto trader, it is crucial to understand how to navigate the platform and use its features. Paper trading allows users to become acquainted with Gainium's interface, order types, and technical analysis tools without incurring any financial risk.
• Learn emotional Control: Trading can be an emotional rollercoaster, and developing emotional resilience to cope with market fluctuations is essential. Paper trading provides a testing ground for managing emotions like fear, greed, and frustration, helping traders become more disciplined in their decision-making.

Drawbacks of Paper Trading in Crypto

Though there are many benefits to paper trading, we must also remember the following:

• Lack of Real-World Pressure: While paper trading shields users from financial loss, it also removes the sense of urgency and pressure that comes with real-money trading. Consequently, traders may not fully experience the psychological challenges associated with actual trading.
• Overconfidence: Success in paper trading does not guarantee success in real-world trading. Some traders may become overconfident after a string of paper trading wins, leading to rash decisions and potential losses when they transition to trading with real money.
• Differences with real exchange order execution: In paper trading orders are instantly executed at the triggered price. In live trading, however, orders may be executed at different prices due to slippage, or perhaps the order may not be executed at all during high volume. That's why it's important that the same strategy might yield different results in paper trading and real trading.

Using paper trading in Gainium

To start paper trading in Gainium, switch to Paper mode. You can do so under your account menu in the top bar.

Once you have switched to paper mode, you can go to your exchanges and add a new paper trading exchange. Input the desired amount of USDT, and that's it! You can now trade as if it was real money on your exchange.

Think of the paper trading mode as another account. You can add and remove exchanges; all other functionality remains the same.

Managing your paper trading account in Gainium

You can easily manage your paper trading account from the “Exchanges” menu. There you will find the option of adding new accounts, adding more funds to existing accounts, deleting accounts, and resetting all paper trading data.

Conclusion

Paper trading serves as an invaluable resource for new and experienced crypto traders alike. By embracing the benefits, acknowledging the drawbacks, and employing best practices, you can utilise paper trading as a springboard to a successful and profitable trading career in the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrencies.

Paper trading, a.k.a. forward testing, is when you trade without using real-time any real money. Paper trading is an essential tool for both beginner and experienced traders alike. It allows investors to practice their trading strategies, test different assets, and become familiar with the market without risking actual capital. It also provides a safe environment for those just beginning to learn about crypto or who want to test new techniques before committing real money.