← All posts
Guide5 min read · Aug 2026

Risk controls: the guardrails every automated strategy needs

How to set per-trade, per-session and portfolio-level risk limits that protect your capital from a bad run.

Three levels of control

Good risk architecture has three layers: per-trade limits (how much you lose on one position), session limits (how much you lose in a day), and portfolio limits (how much drawdown you tolerate before stopping entirely.

Set them before you start

Risk controls set after a losing streak are emotional, not rational. Set them during the strategy design phase, when you can think clearly about what you would want to happen in a bad scenario.

Test them in simulation

Run the strategy through a simulated drawdown to see how the limits interact. Make sure each layer is wide enough to let the strategy breathe, but tight enough to stop real damage.

Ready to automate?

Try paper trading free — no credit card needed.

Test your strategy with €10,000 virtual funds before committing real capital.