How to Manage Positions: Take-Profit, Stop-Loss, and Trailing Stop
Set automated exit strategies on your futures positions to lock in profits and limit losses without watching the screen.
Take-profit and stop-loss orders are how a position is managed when you are not watching it. Both are set from the position itself, both can be changed while it is open, and a trailing stop follows price in your favour while holding its distance. Setting them at the moment you open is the habit worth building — afterwards, the market decides when you get the chance.
Before you start
- An open position.
- A loss you have already decided is acceptable, expressed as a price rather than a feeling.
View Your Open Positions
Open the Futures tab and scroll down to the Positions section. Each open position shows the symbol, direction (long/short), entry price, mark price, unrealized P&L, margin used, and liquidation price. Tap any position to expand its management options.
Set a Take-Profit Order
Tap 'TP/SL' on your position row to open the profit and loss settings. Enter your Take-Profit price: the level at which you want to automatically close the position and lock in gains. You can set the target as a specific price or a percentage return on your margin.
Set a Stop-Loss Order
In the same TP/SL panel, enter your Stop-Loss price: the level at which you want to automatically close the position to limit losses. For a long position, set the stop-loss below your entry price. For a short position, set it above. A good rule of thumb is to risk no more than 1-2% of your total account per trade.
Use Trailing Stop
A trailing stop follows the price as it moves in your favor and triggers if the price reverses by a specified amount. Set the callback rate as a percentage. For example, a 2% trailing stop on a long position will move up with the price and trigger a sell if the price drops 2% from its peak.
Monitor and Adjust
You can modify or remove TP/SL and trailing stop settings at any time while the position is open. As market conditions change, consider adjusting your stops to protect accumulated profits. Moving a stop-loss to your entry price after a favorable move ensures a break-even worst case.
Risk Disclaimer
Futures trading involves significant risk. Leveraged positions can result in losses exceeding your initial investment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Only trade with funds you can afford to lose. This tutorial is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
If something goes wrong
- The stop-loss did not fill at the level you set.
- A gap or a fast move can carry price through the level. Stops limit exposure; they do not guarantee an exit price.
- A trailing stop closed the position earlier than expected.
- The trail distance was tighter than ordinary volatility on that contract. Widen it, accepting that you give back more before it triggers.
- Take-profit and stop-loss both showing after one filled.
- The other cancels automatically. Refresh before cancelling anything by hand.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I set take-profit and stop-loss at the same time?
- Yes, and it is the normal way to leave a position unattended.
- Do these orders cost extra?
- They are charged as ordinary trades when they execute, at the applicable fee rate. Placing them costs nothing.
- What does a trailing stop follow?
- The best price reached since you set it, keeping your chosen distance behind. It never moves against you.