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In this interview, Saul Lokier—CEO at The5ers and a veteran forex scalper—breaks down how he actually trades and why his views on prop firms matter. He’s candid about the realities behind payouts, trader behavior, and what keeps people consistent, drawing on years of scanning thousands of accounts and running live trading rooms. If you’re new to markets or switching styles, Saul’s mix of practitioner scars and prop-side data makes him a must-listen.
You’ll learn Saul’s M1 scalping framework step-by-step: set a daily bias, mark supply/demand on H1, refine entries on M5/M1, then manage the whole “setup” as a basket of small positions. He explains why he accepts near 1:1 (even slightly negative) risk-to-reward in exchange for an 80%+ win rate, why TPs sit just before key levels, how aggressive breakeven/scale-outs keep him nimble, and when re-entries make more sense than “letting it ride.” You’ll also hear why, despite his own scalping success, many of the most durable payout earners he sees are swing traders—and how personality, screen time, and expectations should shape your playbook.
Saul Lokier Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
What markets and styles does this playbook target
Saul Lokier is a forex-first, fast-execution trader who prefers EURUSD and USDJPY, applying a supply-and-demand lens and executing on the one-minute/tick chart. The style is session-based scalping that fits traders who want high control, quick feedback, and no overnight exposure.
- Trade primarily major FX pairs (EURUSD, USDJPY) for tight spreads and deep liquidity.
- Use supply & demand zones as your core structure; entries occur around the origin of strong moves.
- Keep the style session-based: open, manage, close—no sleeping with positions on.
Timeframe stack and daily bias
He builds a top-down plan: a daily chart for the day’s bias, hourly to mark levels, and lower timeframes for execution. This compresses “big picture → precise entry” into a repeatable checklist.
- Daily (D1): decide if today skews bullish or bearish; only take trades aligned with that bias.
- H1: Draw the key supply/demand areas you’ll actually trade.
- M5/M1 (or tick): wait for the price to tap your H1 zone and then execute with tight risk.
Entry construction: many small pieces, one setup
Instead of a single big order, Saul breaks entries into multiple mini-positions and manages them as a single setup. This gives flexibility to improve average price, scale out surgically, and keep emotions calmer.
- Split intended size (e.g., 1.0 lot) into 10× mini-orders (e.g., 0.10 each).
- Stagger those minis inside or just around the zone; don’t chase outside your pre-marked area.
- Treat all minis as one setup for target/stop decisions; judge outcome by the basket P&L.
Trade management: active, hands-on, high win-rate mechanics
The core edge is active management—adding into strength, trimming weakness, and re-centering risk to keep a high strike rate even with modest R: R. You work more, but you control more.
- Add to winners inside the same setup as price confirms away from the zone; keep total risk capped.
- Scale out partials near the first opposing micro-level; bank small gains frequently.
- Expect a near 1:1 (or smaller) R: R but aim for 80%+ win rate; tighten exits before obvious levels.
- Use aggressive breakeven once price moves a fixed pip amount (define this per pair volatility).
Risk rules that actually get you paid
He’s frank that scalping is effortful and cost-heavy; structure protects you from death by a thousand cuts. Keep leverage modest, accept frequent small outcomes, and play lots of high-quality reps.
- Always place hard stops just beyond the invalidation of your H1 zone; don’t widen.
- Position with low leverage (≈1:10–1:20 typical among consistent earners), even if more is available.
- Cap session drawdown (e.g., −0.8% per session). If hit, stop trading that session—no exceptions.
- Keep per-setup risk constant across minis; only increase size after an equity milestone.
Session planning: when to trade and when to stop
This method thrives on structure: defined sessions, defined pairs, defined zones. Close the platform when the playbook conditions aren’t there.
- Trade one session you can consistently attend (e.g., London or NY open) for 60–120 minutes.
- Require confluence: D1 bias + fresh H1 zone + M5/M1 trigger; if one is missing, skip.
- Three-strike rule: after three consecutive planned-and-executed losers or scratches, call the session.
What “profitable behavior” looks like at scale
From watching thousands of funded accounts, the consistent earners share traits: they use stops, trade less, hold winners longer, and understand their system deeply. Adopt those behaviors early.
- Use stops on every trade; handle losses cleanly without revenge entries.
- Prefer fewer, higher-quality trades; don’t scalp out of boredom.
- Know your playbook: when it performs, when it doesn’t, and when to stand down.
- Keep leverage modest even when offered high limits.
The scaling pathway if you’re trading with funding
Saul oversees a scaling plan where accounts can double at milestones—so small, consistent gains can snowball into meaningful size. Your job is to trade a process that survives long enough to reach those steps.
- Build a routine that aims for ~10% per milestone, not moonshots; consistency beats spikes.
- Withdraw on schedule and treat payouts as scorekeeping, not lottery tickets.
- Expect stricter reviews as size grows; keep risk tight so scaling doesn’t outpace discipline.
Mindset and fit: why scalping (might) be for you
He openly says scalping isn’t the most “efficient” way—commissions and workload are real—but it can perfectly fit a personality that wants control and closure each day. Choose the style that you can execute sanely for years.
- If overnights stress you, pick a session style and end flat daily.
- Track costs (spread/commissions/slippage) and bake them into targets; your first TP should clear frictions.
- Measure your true edge as (win rate × average win) − (loss rate × average loss) over 100+ trades; don’t rely on one blockbuster.
Concrete execution checklist (use before every session)
Turn the principles into a fast pre-flight so you don’t freeload decisions during live fire. If any item is “no,” you wait.
- Bias set? (D1 direction chosen)
- Zone marked? (fresh H1 supply/demand drawn)
- Trigger timeframe ready? (M5/M1 or tick rules defined)
- Risk defined? (stop beyond zone; max session DD set)
- Entries staged? (mini-orders queued with limits)
- Exit logic fixed? (partials + breakeven rules written)
Size every trade by volatility; cap daily drawdown before entries.
Saul Lokier stresses that your position size should stretch or shrink with the market’s current pace, not your mood. When ATR or recent range expands, he sizes down; when it contracts, he sizes up—always so a standard stop costs a fixed fraction of equity. That way, a single candle or surprise wick doesn’t blow up a day that should’ve been routine.
Before placing any order, Saul Lokier pre-sets a maximum daily drawdown and treats it like a hard circuit breaker. If the limit is tagged, he’s done for the session—no “one more” trades, no emotional recoveries, just a clean shutdown. This forces selectivity on the next setup, because every click risks burning the daily allowance. The result is consistency: volatility adjusts the bet; the drawdown cap protects the bankroll; and together they keep you trading tomorrow.
Diversify by pair, setup, and timeframe; avoid correlated losers.
Saul Lokier points out that many traders think they’re diversified, but they’re really taking the same bet three different ways. EURUSD and GBPUSD often move together; stacking both on the same bias is just doubling exposure, not diversifying. He spreads risk across uncorrelated or less-correlated pairs, and—more importantly—across distinct setup types so one idea doesn’t sink the day.
He also diversifies by timeframe, so not every decision hinges on the same micro noise. A clean H1 supply touch can coexist with an M1 momentum scalp, but they’re managed separately with their own risk budgets. Saul Lokier keeps a simple rule: if two trades would likely lose on the same market move, they count as one risk unit. That discipline prevents “cluster losses,” smooths the equity curve, and lets winners from different buckets pay for the inevitable misses.
Trade mechanics over predictions: zones, triggers, repeatable execution checklists.
Saul Lokier doesn’t waste energy calling tops and bottoms; he builds mechanics that fire the same way every day. First comes structure—mark the supply and demand zones that actually moved price—and only then a trigger like a rejection wick, micro break-of-structure, or defined pullback. If the ingredients aren’t present, he passes, because a skipped trade is cheaper than a forced one.
Execution is a checklist, not a vibe: bias set, level tagged, trigger confirmed, risk placed, exits staged. Saul Lokier treats each step as binary, so there’s no debate mid-trade, just follow-through. This turns trading into manufacturing—repeatable steps, consistent quality control, minimal improvisation—and that’s how he keeps outcomes stable even when markets get loud.
Use defined risk stops; scale out early, re-enter only on confirmation.
Saul Lokier insists that every trade begins with a stop where the idea is objectively wrong—just beyond the level that invalidates the setup, not a random round number. Once the price moves in his favor, he takes a first partial at the first opposing micro-level to clear costs and reduce stress. With some profit banked, he can tighten to break even on the remainder and let the trade work without turning a winner into a loser.
If price pulls back and the original thesis is still valid, Saul Lokier will only re-enter on a new trigger—fresh rejection, renewed structure break, or a clean retest—not because he “wants the trade back.” Re-entries are sized as new risk units, never averaged blindly into weakness. This routine—defined stop, early scale-out, rules-based re-entry—keeps the equity curve smooth and the decision-making unemotional.
Pre-plan session rules: bias, levels, entries, exits, shutdown conditions.
Saul Lokier starts each session with a written plan so decisions are made before the adrenaline shows up. He fixes a directional bias from higher timeframes, marks the exact supply/demand levels that qualify as “tradeable,” and writes down the triggers he will accept—no improvisation mid-candle. This turns the session into execution, not exploration.
He also defines exit logic in advance: first partial at the nearest opposing level, stop beyond invalidation, and a breakeven rule once costs are cleared. A shutdown condition caps damage and noise—hit the daily drawdown, three planned losers, or two missed rules, and the platform closes. Saul Lokier treats that cutoff as sacred; it protects capital, confidence, and tomorrow’s edge. With bias, levels, entries, exits, and shutdown pre-committed, the session stays calm, and the results become repeatable.
In the end, Saul Lokier’s message is simple: build a ruleset that survives real markets and then live inside it. Size by volatility so a standard stop always costs the same; set a hard daily drawdown and honor it; and let a clear, top-down bias funnel you toward only the A-setups. Mark supply/demand on the higher timeframe, execute on the lower, and treat each trade as a basket of small entries you can trim, defend, and exit without drama. Winners pay you through early partials; losers end at the predefined invalidation—no debates, no chasing.
He also hammers the bigger operating system: diversify across pairs, setups, and timeframes to avoid cluster losses; make mechanics beat predictions with checklists; and align style with personality so you can repeat it for years. Keep leverage modest even if you have access to size, track frictions like spreads and commissions, and re-enter only on fresh confirmation—never to “get it back.” Do that, and you’ll trade more like Saul Lokier teaches: consistent process, controlled exposure, and a playbook that turns noisy sessions into repeatable outcomes.
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