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Etienne Crete—forex trader and no-nonsense educator—joins for a straight-talk YouTube interview about how he actually approaches the market. If you’re new to FX or just tired of hype, you’ll appreciate how Etienne frames trading as a craft: pick a process, master yourself, and let the probabilities play out. He keeps it simple: trade currency pairs, focus on what the chart shows, and build a lifestyle where trading fits your day instead of running it.
In this piece, you’ll learn the core of Etienne’s strategy: why he favors technicals over “predicting” fundamentals, how he sizes risk (think ~1% or less per trade), and why diversification across pairs and timeframes matters. We’ll cover timing vs process, handling losing streaks without blowing up, and how algos can execute your plan when life pulls you away from the screens. By the end, you’ll have a lean, beginner-friendly blueprint you can adapt to your own routine—clear rules, realistic expectations, and a mindset that keeps you in the game.
Etienne Crete Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Core Philosophy: Process Over Prediction
Trading gets easier when you stop trying to call the next candle and just execute a repeatable plan. This section explains the mindset that keeps Etienne consistent through market noise and news spikes.
- Trade your plan, not your opinion; if there’s no setup, do nothing.
- Define “edge” as a checklist that can be executed the same way every day.
- Track every trade by setup type so you can double down on what actually works.
Market Selection & Timeframes
Focus on where your edge is clearest and your lifestyle fits. Here’s how to pick the right pairs and zoom levels so you aren’t forcing trades.
- Build a watchlist of 8–12 liquid FX pairs you know well (e.g., majors/crosses with tight spreads).
- Higher timeframes (H4/D1) define bias; M30–H1 timeframes execute entries.
- Trade during your chosen session only; if you miss the window, you miss the trade.
Set up Archetypes (What He Actually Trades)
Clarity beats complexity. Use a small set of repeatable patterns so decisions are quick and binary.
- Breakout-retest of well-defined structure (prior high/low, range boundary, trendline).
- Pullback to moving average zone with confluence (e.g., 20/50 EMA area + prior structure).
- Momentum continuation after a clean flag or wedge resolved on H1.
- No trade if the level isn’t obvious on H4/D1 or if the candle structure is messy.
Entry Triggers You Can Screenshot
Entries are mechanical, so they can be automated or delegated. This turns “I think” into “I press.”
- Wait for the price to break and close beyond the level on your execution timeframe.
- Enter on the first retest that prints a rejection candle (wick into level, close away).
- If missed, enter on a limit at the midpoint of the rejection candle; cancel after two bars if unfilled.
- One setup = one entry; avoid stacking unless the plan explicitly allows scale-in rules.
Risk Per Trade, Position Size, and Hard Stops
This keeps you in the game long enough to let the edge show up. Numbers matter.
- Risk 0.5%–1.0% of equity per trade; never exceed 1R on any single idea.
- Position size = (Account × Risk%) ÷ (Stop distance in pips × pip value).
- Initial stop goes beyond invalidation: structure high/low or 1.2× ATR(14), whichever is wider.
- Daily loss cap: 2R. Weekly loss cap: 6R. Hit it? Stop trading and review.
Profit Targets and R Management
You don’t need to predict the top—just capture asymmetric payoffs consistently.
- Minimum RR: 1.5R. Ideal targets: 2R–3R when trend is intact.
- First scale at 1R only if the setup’s historical stats justify it; otherwise, hold for full target.
- Move stop to breakeven only after a clear structure shift in your favor (e.g., a new higher low).
- Trail behind swing structure or a multiple of ATR; never widen a stop.
Trade Management: What To Do After You’re In
Most traders over-manage winners and under-manage losers. Fix both with rules.
- No discretionary interference during the first two candles after entry.
- If the price stalls at the first trouble area (FTA) for two full bars, reduce the size by 25% and keep the plan.
- If a news spike tags your level but structure holds on H4, re-evaluate—not revenge trade.
Multi-Pair Diversification Without Overlap
Maximize opportunity while avoiding correlated pain. This is how to spread risk smartly.
- Max 3 concurrent positions; max 2 that are highly correlated (e.g., USD exposure).
- If two setups are similar, pick the cleaner chart or split risk 0.5R + 0.5R.
- Do not open a new trade that pushes total open risk beyond 2R.
Pre-Session Routine (15 Minutes)
Your edge starts before the first click. This is the checklist that keeps you consistent.
- Mark HTF bias (H4/D1): trend up, down, or range; note key levels you can draw with a ruler.
- Predefine one or two A-setups for the session; write the exact trigger and stop/target.
- Set price alerts at the level; if the alert doesn’t ring, you don’t go hunting.
Post-Trade Review That Actually Improves P&L
Review is where random becomes repeatable. Keep it simple but relentless.
- Log: setup type, screenshots (entry, exit), R result, and a one-line lesson.
- Tag each trade (breakout-retest, pullback-MA, flag) and review weekly win rate and average R.
- Kill or modify any setup with a win rate <40% or avg R <1.2 over 30+ samples.
News, Volatility, and “Do Nothing” Protocol
Sometimes the best trade is no trade. Protecting capital is a position.
- 30 minutes before and after tier-1 events, only execute if your plan explicitly allows it.
- If the spread widens beyond your stop precision, cancel the pending order.
- After a 3-loss streak in the same setup, pause that setup for the rest of the day.
Automation & Alerts (Make the Plan Run Without You)
Rules should be simple enough to codify. Let tools remove hesitation and FOMO.
- Convert entry/exit criteria into alerts (price + candle close beyond level).
- Use a trade copier or script to enforce fixed risk per trade and hard stops.
- Backtest your two main setups over at least 100 samples; only automate what is proven.
Psychology You Can Train
Mindset is a habit, not a mystery. Build it into your day like the gym.
- Define “a good day” as follows: rules, not P&L.
- Use a pre-trade affirmation tied to behavior: “I trade only A-setups at A-levels.”
- End the session with a two-minute debrief: one win to repeat, one mistake to eliminate.
Example Numbers (Plug-and-Play Template)
Put concrete figures on paper so you can start today and refine tomorrow.
- Risk per trade: 0.75% of equity; daily max: 2R; weekly max: 6R.
- Timeframes: Bias H4/D1; execute on H1; confirm on M30 if needed.
- Stops: beyond structure or 1.2× ATR(14); targets: 2R standard, trail if trend accelerates.
- Watchlist: 10 pairs; max open trades: 3; max correlated: 2.
Risk Small, Trade Long: Cap Per-Trade Loss at One Percent
Etienne Crete frames staying power as the real edge: you only get paid if you’re still around next month. Capping each trade at about 1% keeps the account resilient when the market gets choppy or your read is off. Small risk forces better trade selection—you can’t afford to waste bullets on B-setups. It also makes the math of recovery sane; a 3% drawdown needs a modest bounce, not a miracle.
He pairs the rule with clear invalidation so the stop isn’t emotional but structural. Position size flows from the stop distance, not from gut feel, which keeps the 1% cap consistent across pairs and volatility regimes. Over time, the compounding effect of avoiding big dents matters more than nailing home runs. As Etienne Crete puts it, your job is to survive the losing streaks without changing your process—then let the winners do the heavy lifting.
Let Process Beat Prediction: Execute Checklists, Ignore Hot Takes
Etienne Crete builds his edge around repeatable steps, not crystal-ball calls. His day starts with a simple checklist—bias, levels, trigger, risk—that he follows even when the market feels “different.” The checklist kills hesitation and overconfidence alike, because the decision is either green-light or no-trade. When a headline or influencer opinion clashes with his plan, he defaults to the rules he wrote when calm.
Process also means identical execution across pairs and days, so data stays clean and trustworthy. Etienne Crete reviews the stats of each setup, keeps what proves out, and cuts what doesn’t—no narratives needed. If a signal appears without all checklist items, he skips it; if all items align, he takes it without second-guessing. Over time, this turns randomness into habit, reduces emotional swings, and lets the math of his edge do the heavy lifting.
Use Volatility To Set Stops, Targets, And Position Size
Etienne Crete treats volatility as the measuring tape for every trade. When markets expand, he widens stops beyond noise; when they contract, he tightens to avoid dead money. Using an ATR multiple keeps the stop outside normal wiggles without guessing. Targets scale with the same yardstick, so the reward stays proportional when ranges stretch or shrink.
Position size comes last, after the stop is defined by volatility, not before. If the ATR says a wider stop is required, he cuts size to keep risk constant; if the stop is tighter, he allows more size without breaking the risk cap. On momentum days, he’ll let profits run with an ATR-based trail, but never widens a stop once entered. The result is a plan that breathes with the market while keeping Etienne Crete’s risk steady and intentional.
Diversify By Pair And Timeframe, Limit Correlated Exposure
Etienne Crete spreads opportunity without multiplying the same risk twice. He looks across pairs to avoid loading up on one theme—if three setups all hinge on USD strength, he’ll pick the cleanest and skip the rest. Timeframe diversification matters too: higher timeframes define bias while a different execution window captures entries, so a single narrative doesn’t control every position. This keeps the equity curve steadier and prevents a single macro headline from hitting everything at once.
He caps concurrent trades and tracks correlation so overlap doesn’t sneak in through pretty charts. If two ideas are similar, Etienne Crete either splits risk or stands down, because “double exposure” isn’t diversification. He watches rolling correlations and session behavior, choosing pairs with distinct drivers rather than just different tickers. The outcome is simple: more shots on goal, fewer pileups when conditions change, and a portfolio that breathes without breaking when one story goes wrong.
Mechanize Entries And Exits, Review Stats Weekly For Edge
Etienne Crete treats execution like a script: the candle closes, the rule fires, the order goes in—no room for second-guessing. He uses fixed triggers for entries and predefined conditions for exits, so the same setup looks identical on Monday and Thursday. By removing improvisation, he protects the edge from mood, headlines, and fear of missing out. Automation and alerts help him follow the plan even when life interrupts the screen.
Every week, Etienne Crete audits the numbers to keep the machine honest. He checks win rate, average R, and distribution by setup to see what’s earning its keep. If the stats slip, he trims the rule or parks the setup until it proves itself again. That steady loop—mechanize, trade, review—turns a personal hunch into a repeatable, scalable process.
Etienne Crete’s core lesson is simple: build a plan you can run every day and protect your downside so you’re still around when the good trades show up. He treats trading like a craft with uneven cash-flow—some weeks or months will be down—and he plans for that reality with small risk and safety nets instead of chasing constant gains. The mindset shift is to zoom out, judge results weekly or monthly, and avoid letting daily P&L push you into bad decisions.
Execution is where that philosophy becomes money. Etienne favors mechanical, rules-based entries and exits—often automated—so the computer enforces the plan when life pulls him off the screen. He preps in the morning, defines levels and conditions, and then lets algos take the same trades he would have taken manually. The discipline isn’t just in clicking; it’s in resisting the urge to turn systems off during drawdowns and trusting historically tested stats to carry the edge.
Finally, he keeps the toolkit practical: you don’t need a war-room setup to trade well—consistency beats gear. Focus on clean trends and obvious levels, start small, size by structure, and accept that losses are part of the business. With those rules, a laptop and a checklist can be enough to do the work and compound steadily over time.
