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In this interview, Dubai-based multi-asset trader Bernd—an FTMO leaderboard record-holder with over a decade full-time in the markets—sits down to unpack what actually drives consistent P&L. He’s old-school mentored (CME/NYSE floor lineage), new-school in execution, and refreshingly blunt about social-media “trader” noise versus real, verifiable results. You’ll hear why he moved from the shadows to YouTube, how he thinks about credibility (prop certificates as a “driving license”), and why he avoids the account-flipping circus. The vibe is candid, practical, and aimed squarely at traders who want longevity—not lottery tickets.
You’ll learn Bernd’s simple two-step playbook: first, build a directional bias with fundamentals (smart-money/retail positioning, valuation vs. USD/gold/rates, seasonality/election cycles); second, time entries on supply-and-demand zones, executed on the daily chart with fixed dollar risk per trade. He shares the KPIs he actually tracks (think “risk-to-reward first”), why ~2R/month is a realistic benchmark, how he scans 30–40 markets to find the single best opportunity each week, and the mindset guardrails that stop strategy-hopping. If you want a trader’s strategy that scales with capital and sanity, this convo delivers the blueprint.
Bernd Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Core Philosophy: KPIs over “Pips” and Percentages
Bernd runs a process-first playbook. He measures performance in R (risk units) with fixed dollar risk per trade and focuses on compounding via steady risk-to-reward, not flashy win rates or monthly % screenshots. This keeps emotions tied to rules, not money.
- Define a fixed dollar “1R” (e.g., 1% of account per trade).
- Track risk-to-reward as your primary KPI; deprioritize win rate.
- Target ~2R per month on average; judge yourself on 12-month R, not weeks.
- Think in “R” to reduce money anxiety and execution bias.
Market Selection & Bias: Two-Step, Fundamentals then Timing
Each week starts with a directional bias built from fundamentals—retail vs. smart-money positioning, valuation vs. USD/gold/rates, and seasonality/cycles. Only after the “stars align” does execution move to technicals.
- Step 1 (Bias):
- Fade extreme retail positioning; side with producers/commercials.
- Check valuation vs. interest rates (indices), vs. USD/gold (FX, gold).
- Layer in seasonality and the election cycle when relevant.
- Advance only when multiple pillars confirm (“all stars aligned”).
Weekly Workflow: One Best Idea Across All Markets
Bernd scans currencies, indices, commodities—even ags—to find the single best asymmetry for the coming week. This keeps trade frequency sensible and attention focused on A-setups.
- Do your fundamental screen on the weekend; shortlist 1–3 tickers.
- Commit to the top one idea and build your plan around it.
- Aim for ~1–2 quality trades per week; skip the rest.
Setup & Timing: “Big Brother/Small Brother” Zone Framework
Once bias is set, Bernd times using supply/demand zones: the weekly chart is the “big brother” context; the daily chart is the execution “small brother.” This balances higher-timeframe conviction with tighter risk.
- Mark weekly demand/supply to define trend and location.
- Execute on the daily only; ignore intraday noise.
- Place stop beyond the daily zone boundary; entry sits in the zone.
- Let the weekly “big brother” cover your daily “small brother” zone.
Risk & Position Sizing: Dollar-Risk First, Size the Position Second
He never sizes by pips; he sets a fixed dollar risk (1R) and then calculates position size to fit the zone width. This keeps each bet identical in risk, regardless of instrument volatility.
- Lock 1R = fixed dollars (e.g., 1% of equity).
- Determine stop by structure (zone edge), not a fixed pip count.
- Compute position size to fit the stop so max loss = 1R.
- Never widen risk mid-trade; adjust size, not R.
Targets & Exits: Opposing Zone or Structural Objective
Beginners set targets at the next opposing supply/demand zone; advanced traders can hold until the fundamental thesis changes. Keep it rule-based to avoid second-guessing.
- Long from demand → target at next daily/weekly supply.
- If no clean opposing zone, use last swing extreme as a proxy.
- Trail only after first target is paid; never turn a winner into a loser.
- Thesis break (fundamental flip) = immediate flatten.
Performance Benchmarks & Scaling: Earn the Right to Size Up
Bernd’s yardstick is simple: average ~2R per month across a year. Hit the benchmark, then scale capital while keeping 1R constant as a % of equity.
- Benchmark: 24R per year; anything above that is gravy.
- Maintain 1R as a fixed % while increasing account size.
- Scale only after a full 12-month track at/above target.
- Keep risk constant through drawdowns; don’t “win it back” by upping R.
Psychology & Guardrails: Process Protects You
Process focus beats money focus. Thinking in R keeps nerves steady; chasing dollar outcomes invites emotional exits and FOMO entries.
- Ban dollar-thinking during analysis and execution; talk only in R.
- Pre-commit to entry, stop, and target before placing the order.
- Limit to the top idea each week to avoid strategy-hopping.
- Review weekly: Was bias valid? Did execution follow the zone rules?
Start With Fixed Dollar Risk, Then Build Position Size
Bernd starts every trade by locking in a fixed dollar risk—his “1R”—before thinking about entries, stops, or size. This keeps the emotional temperature low and the math consistent across FX, indices, or commodities. If the stop is wider, the position is smaller; if the stop is tighter, the position is larger—R stays the same. That simple discipline lets Bernd compare trades apples-to-apples and judge performance in risk units, not pips or percentages.
To apply this like Bernd, first decide exactly how many dollars you’ll lose if the stop is hit, then back-calc the lot size from your stop distance. Don’t move the stop to fit your ego—resize the position to fit the stop. Keep R constant through wins and drawdowns so your equity curve reflects edge, not mood swings. Over time you’ll think and talk in R, just like Bernd, which is the fastest way to get consistent.
Let Volatility Set Stops, Not Your Hopes Or Ego
Bernd frames risk around the market’s actual movement, not a wishful number. He’ll anchor stops to objective volatility—think ATR or the full width of a demand/supply zone—so random noise doesn’t knock him out. When volatility expands, he widens the stop and shrinks the position; when it contracts, he can tighten the stop and size up. The key is that stops live where the trade thesis truly fails, not where a spreadsheet says the P&L looks pretty.
To trade it like Bernd, measure recent range and place the stop just beyond the structure that defines your idea. If price hits that line, the thesis is wrong—exit without negotiation. Let volatility dictate distance and let fixed 1R dictate size, so the loss is controlled regardless of market mood. This way you’re respecting the tape, not your ego, and giving good trades the room they actually need.
Diversify By Underlying, Strategy, And Trade Duration, Not Tickers
Bernd doesn’t “diversify” by holding five highly correlated FX pairs; he diversifies by economic drivers. That means mixing asset classes (FX, indices, metals, energies) so one macro shock doesn’t sink the whole boat. He also diversifies by strategy—trend continuation from demand/supply zones alongside occasional mean-reversion at extremes—so edge isn’t tied to a single market regime. Finally, he staggers trade duration, holding core swing positions on the daily while allowing quicker tactical exits when structure changes.
To mirror Bernd’s approach, ask three questions before you add a trade: does this underlying respond to a different driver, does this setup use a different edge, and does this position live on a different time horizon? If the answer is “no” to any of those, you’re probably duplicating risk, not diversifying it. Build a basket where EURUSD momentum doesn’t equal DXY beta, and where a gold swing isn’t just a USD short in disguise. Over a month, this keeps your R-profile smoother and your psychology steadier when one theme temporarily stops working.
Trade The Mechanics: Entries, Stops, Targets Preplanned—No Predictions
Bernd treats trading like a checklist, not a guess. Before he clicks anything, he writes down entry location, invalidation level, and target so there’s nothing to debate once the market starts moving. He isn’t trying to predict tomorrow’s headline or the exact candle path; he’s executing a repeatable process. Preplanning lets Bernd judge each trade by “Did I follow the plan?” instead of “Did I win?”, which keeps the feedback loop clean.
To apply this like Bernd, define the zone you’ll trade, the stop that proves you wrong, and the target that pays the thesis—then step away from the chart until price tags your entry. If the market never fills you, that’s a good pass, not a miss. If you’re in and it hits the stop, you close without edits; if it reaches target, you take the money without second-guessing. No moving stops to “see what happens,” no chasing mid-setup, no prediction theater—just mechanics that compound over time.
Define Risk Upfront; Avoid Undefined, Open-Ended Tail Exposure
Bernd keeps his playbook clean by avoiding structures where losses can explode without limit. If the thesis is wrong, his stop is hit and the trade is over—no martingale, no “I’ll hedge later,” no naked short gamma that can snowball. He defines risk at entry, prices the worst-case 1R, and refuses to carry positions whose tails he can’t quantify.
To trade this like Bernd, choose setups with clear invalidation and mechanics that cap downside. Don’t average into losers to “improve” price; reduce size or exit and wait for the next A-setup. If you sell options, pair them with defined-risk structures; if you trade spot or futures, keep stops outside the structure and size to 1R. The goal is simple: survive the rare but inevitable outlier so your edge has time to work, just as Bernd emphasizes in his process.
In the end, Bernd’s message is disarmingly simple: trade a plan you can measure. He fixes 1R in dollars before every entry, lets volatility and structure decide the stop, and sizes the position to fit—never the other way around. Bias is built from fundamentals (positioning, valuation vs. USD/rates/gold, seasonality) and only then translated into clean supply-and-demand zones on higher timeframes. One best idea per week keeps attention on A-setups and kills the urge to manufacture trades.
He judges performance in R, not screenshots, aiming for roughly 2R per month smoothed across a year. Diversification means different economic drivers, different edges, and staggered holding periods—not five clones of the same USD trade. Every position has preplanned entry, invalidation, and target; if the thesis breaks, the trade ends. No predictions, no martingales, no undefined tails. Do that consistently and, as Bernd shows, the compounding takes care of itself while your psychology stays intact.