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Duc's Trading Journey

February 25, 2026

He Lost Money in Crypto — Now He Withdrawn $16,000

Trader Snapshot

AttributeDetails

Name

Duc

Nationality

Not specified

Trading Experience

Since 2017 (Approx. 8 Years)

Full-Time Trader

Yes

Trading Style

Intraday Trading

Preferred Sessions

Not specified (Focuses on intraday gold setups)

Funded Trading Firm

Audacity Capital

Current Funded Account

$240,000

Progress Toward Next Target

Continues refining discipline and strategy after achieving a $16,000 payout

Duc's Trading Journey

Summary

Duc, a full-time trader who recently celebrated a $16,000 payout from trading with Audacity Capital. Duc shares his trading journey, strategies, and mindset, offering valuable insights into the challenges and disciplines necessary for consistent profitability.

Key Highlights

  • Trading Experience: Duc has been trading since 2017, starting with cryptocurrency, specifically during the Bitconnect pyramid scheme period where he initially suffered significant losses.
  • Learning and Adaptation: After losses, Duc committed to studying price action, market movements, and various indicators (MACD, RSI). He now primarily uses the ICT (Inner Circle Trader) methodology, focusing on market structure and price action rather than relying heavily on traditional indicators.
  • Asset Focus: Initially traded crypto, gold, and AUD/USD pairs. Currently trades only gold, using intraday strategies due to personal preferences and stamina.
  • Risk Management: Early on, Duc traded with little regard for risk percentage, sometimes risking large sums relative to his account. Over time, he learned to adjust position sizes and cut losses quickly to protect his capital.
  • Trading Style: Intraday trader who closes positions before the end of the day. Avoids trading during sideways markets or consolidation to prevent emotional damage and loss of focus.
  • Psychological Discipline: Duc emphasizes emotional control and self-forgiveness as critical to trading success. He stresses the importance of not dwelling on mistakes and staying focused on the present market conditions.
  • Fundamental Analysis: Avoids trading during major news releases, recognizing these moments as highly volatile and akin to gambling.
  • Daily Routine: Starts the day by checking gaps, overnight price action, and news. Uses TradingView for charting and heavily invests time in back testing (notably tested over 76,000 candles).
  • Trading Tools: Prefers using a computer over mobile devices for trading and analysis due to screen size and functionality. Does not use Expert Advisors or automated tools, placing orders manually.
  • Trading Philosophy: Advocates that sometimes the best trade is no trade, aligning with the idea of patience and discipline in trading.
  • Future Plans: Plans to save profits and eventually purchase his own home, reflecting a long-term financial goal beyond trading profits.
  • Attitude Toward Profits: Prefers to keep profits in the bank for steady income rather than making immediate purchases.
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Timeline of Duc’s Trading Journey

Year

Event/Stage

2017

Started trading crypto; lost money in Bitconnect scheme

2017–2021

Studied price action, indicators (MACD, RSI), and learned ICT method

Early 2020s

Transitioned to intraday trading, focusing on gold and AUD/USD

Recent months

Joined Audacity Capital prop firm, managing $240K account

Present

Achieved $16,000 withdrawal; continues refining discipline and strategy

Core Concepts and Strategies

Concept

Description

ICT Trading Methodology

Focuses on market structure and price action, waiting for confirmation before entering trades

Risk Management

Reducing lot sizes; closing trades quickly when profits hit targets to preserve capital

Emotion Control

Forgiving mistakes, avoiding dwelling on losses, and staying mentally present

Avoiding News Trading

Staying out of the market during volatile news releases to prevent unpredictable risks

Intraday Trading

Prefers closing trades within the day, avoiding overnight positions and fatigue

Backtesting

Intensive historical data analysis to improve trading decisions

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Funded Trader Program

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Psychological Insights

  • Forgiveness and Emotional Control: Duc highlights the importance of forgiving oneself after bad trades to avoid carrying negative emotions into subsequent trading days.
  • Staying Present: He emphasizes living in the moment rather than dwelling on past mistakes, which is crucial both psychologically and technically.
  • Avoiding Over-freedom: Duc warns against having too much free time, as it may lead to making poor trading decisions or distractions.

Advice for New Traders

  • Use a proper setup, preferably a computer, to analyze charts and place trades.
  • Prioritize discipline and emotional control over relying solely on indicators.
  • Study and practice consistently, including extensive back testing.
  • Recognize when not to trade, especially during high-impact news events or unclear market conditions.
  • Understand that trading is a job requiring focus and structure, not casual speculation.

Quantitative Data

Metric/Detail

Value/Description

Trading Experience

Approximately 8 years

Prop Firm Account Size

$240,000

Recent Withdrawal Amount

$16,000

Backtesting Scope

76,000 candles analyzed

Typical Trade Duration

Intraday; max 1.5 days

Early Lot Size (approx.)

4 lots (~$4,000 per position)

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Conclusion

Duc’s trading story is marked by perseverance, continuous learning, and psychological growth. His success with Audacity Capital highlights the significance of disciplined risk management, emotional intelligence, and strategic market engagement. His emphasis on staying present, avoiding impulsive trades during news, and thorough preparation establishes a strong foundation for sustainable trading profitability. Duc serves as a credible example for aspiring traders aiming to transition into full-time trading careers while maintaining balance and long-term financial goals.

Key takeaway

Trading success is not only about technical skills but equally about emotional resilience, discipline, and adapting strategies to changing market conditions.

Certification

Duc payout certificate
14 YEARS OF TRADING LEGACY

Choose The Best Plan

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Celebrating 14 years, 14% OFF For All Programs

Challenge

Trading Period
Unlimited

Designed to reduce stress by removing deadlines 👍 Unlimited trading period for Challenge, Verification and Live stages.

Min Trading Days
4 Days

1st and 2nd Steps:
You only need to trade on 4 different days. A trading day is defined as a day when at least one position is opened.

Live account:
No minimum trading days

🔥 Highest In The Market
Max Daily Loss
7.5%

The Daily Drawdown resets every day at midnight (MT5 server time – GMT+2 / GMT+3 depending on Daylight Saving Time).


It is calculated as 7.5% (5% for Verification and live stage) of the account’s balance or equity at rollover, whichever is higher.


Your equity cannot fall by more than 7.5% (5% for the 2nd step and live stage) in a single trading day. Once the day resets, a new limit is set based on your updated balance or equity, following a static-based model.


Example:


Account balance at rollover: $120,000


Daily Drawdown (7.5%) → $9,000 → Equity must not fall below $111,000 that day.


If equity or the balance rises to $130,000 by the next rollover, the new daily drawdown will be $9,750 (7.5% of 130,000).

🔥 Highest In The Market
Maximum Loss
15%

The Absolute Drawdown (Maximum Drawdown) is 15% (or 10% for the 2nd step and live stage) of the initial account balance and remains fixed throughout the challenge.


If either the daily or absolute drawdown is breached, the account will be terminated.


Example: Account balance: $120,000


Absolute Drawdown (15%) → $18,000 → The account will be closed if equity drops below $102,000.

Profit Target
10%

The profit target is 10% on the Challenge stage and 5% on the Verification stage. Achieving these targets while following the rules will qualify you for a Live account

Profit Share
-

Profit sharing starts at 75%, you can reach up to 90% with consistent performances in line with our scaling plan.

Withdrawal / Payout
-

Once on Live stage, traders can request withdrawals biweekly (every 14 days). After the request is approved, traders will receive the profit share in their wallet on the same day.

Refundable Fee
-

Once traders earn a payout, they'll be eligible for a Reward Bonus equal to the initial registration fee. This will be included with the first payout from the Ability Live.

🔥 Upgraded
Consistency Rule
Not anymore

Not anymore

🔥 Upgraded
News Trading / Weekend Holding
Allowed

You may hold trades over the weekend and trade during news events. Simply avoid opening, closing or adding to positions within 3 minutes before or after any high impact news release or speech, as that can be identified as excessive risk.

🔥 Upgraded
EAs Allowed / Copy Trading
Allowed

EAs are allowed if they follow our prohibited-strategy rules and are not sourced from third-party signals. Please see our prohibited trading practices here.


Copy trading is allowed between your own accounts within Audacity Capital. Copying from an external account is allowed only if the account belongs to you. Third-party copying is not permitted.

Scaling Plans

Select Program:

Select Account Size

stage 1
stage 2
stage 3
stage 4
stage 5
stage 6
stage 7
stage 8
stage 9
stage 10

phase 1

Max Drawdown

$750

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 15%

Daily loss: 7.5%

Profit Target

$500

Based on Balance

Target : 10%

phase 2

Max Drawdown

$500

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 10%

Daily loss: 5%

Profit Target

$250

Based on Balance

Target : 5%

live

Max Drawdown

$500

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 10%

Daily loss: 5%

Profit Target

More than 10%

85%

Less than 10%

75%
Trading Period
Unlimited

Designed to reduce stress by removing deadlines 👍 Unlimited trading period for Challenge, Verification and Live stages.

Min Trading Days
4 Days

1st and 2nd Steps:
You only need to trade on 4 different days. A trading day is defined as a day when at least one position is opened.

Live account:
No minimum trading days

🔥 Highest In The Market
Max Daily Loss
5%

The Daily Drawdown resets every day at midnight (MT5 server time – GMT+2 / GMT+3 depending on Daylight Saving Time).


It is calculated as 7.5% (5% for Verification and live stage) of the account’s balance or equity at rollover, whichever is higher.


Your equity cannot fall by more than 7.5% (5% for the 2nd step and live stage) in a single trading day. Once the day resets, a new limit is set based on your updated balance or equity, following a static-based model.


Example:


Account balance at rollover: $120,000


Daily Drawdown (7.5%) → $9,000 → Equity must not fall below $111,000 that day.


If equity or the balance rises to $130,000 by the next rollover, the new daily drawdown will be $9,750 (7.5% of 130,000).

🔥 Highest In The Market
Maximum Loss
10%

The Absolute Drawdown (Maximum Drawdown) is 15% (or 10% for the 2nd step and live stage) of the initial account balance and remains fixed throughout the challenge.


If either the daily or absolute drawdown is breached, the account will be terminated.


Example: Account balance: $120,000


Absolute Drawdown (15%) → $18,000 → The account will be closed if equity drops below $102,000.

Profit Target
5%

The profit target is 10% on the Challenge stage and 5% on the Verification stage. Achieving these targets while following the rules will qualify you for a Live account

Profit Share
-

Profit sharing starts at 75%, you can reach up to 90% with consistent performances in line with our scaling plan.

Withdrawal / Payout
-

Once on Live stage, traders can request withdrawals biweekly (every 14 days). After the request is approved, traders will receive the profit share in their wallet on the same day.

Refundable Fee
-

Once traders earn a payout, they'll be eligible for a Reward Bonus equal to the initial registration fee. This will be included with the first payout from the Ability Live.

🔥 Upgraded
Consistency Rule
Not anymore

Not anymore

🔥 Upgraded
News Trading / Weekend Holding
Allowed

You may hold trades over the weekend and trade during news events. Simply avoid opening, closing or adding to positions within 3 minutes before or after any high impact news release or speech, as that can be identified as excessive risk.

🔥 Upgraded
EAs Allowed / Copy Trading
Allowed

EAs are allowed if they follow our prohibited-strategy rules and are not sourced from third-party signals. Please see our prohibited trading practices here.


Copy trading is allowed between your own accounts within Audacity Capital. Copying from an external account is allowed only if the account belongs to you. Third-party copying is not permitted.

Scaling Plans

Select Program:

Select Account Size

stage 1
stage 2
stage 3
stage 4
stage 5
stage 6
stage 7
stage 8
stage 9
stage 10

phase 1

Max Drawdown

$750

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 15%

Daily loss: 7.5%

Profit Target

$500

Based on Balance

Target : 10%

phase 2

Max Drawdown

$500

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 10%

Daily loss: 5%

Profit Target

$250

Based on Balance

Target : 5%

live

Max Drawdown

$500

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 10%

Daily loss: 5%

Profit Target

More than 10%

85%

Less than 10%

75%
Trading Period
Unlimited

Designed to reduce stress by removing deadlines 👍 Unlimited trading period for Challenge, Verification and Live stages.

Min Trading Days
No minimum

1st and 2nd Steps:
You only need to trade on 4 different days. A trading day is defined as a day when at least one position is opened.

Live account:
No minimum trading days

🔥 Highest In The Market
Max Daily Loss
5%

The Daily Drawdown resets every day at midnight (MT5 server time – GMT+2 / GMT+3 depending on Daylight Saving Time).


It is calculated as 7.5% (5% for Verification and live stage) of the account’s balance or equity at rollover, whichever is higher.


Your equity cannot fall by more than 7.5% (5% for the 2nd step and live stage) in a single trading day. Once the day resets, a new limit is set based on your updated balance or equity, following a static-based model.


Example:


Account balance at rollover: $120,000


Daily Drawdown (7.5%) → $9,000 → Equity must not fall below $111,000 that day.


If equity or the balance rises to $130,000 by the next rollover, the new daily drawdown will be $9,750 (7.5% of 130,000).

🔥 Highest In The Market
Maximum Loss
10%

The Absolute Drawdown (Maximum Drawdown) is 15% (or 10% for the 2nd step and live stage) of the initial account balance and remains fixed throughout the challenge.


If either the daily or absolute drawdown is breached, the account will be terminated.


Example: Account balance: $120,000


Absolute Drawdown (15%) → $18,000 → The account will be closed if equity drops below $102,000.

Profit Target
-

The profit target is 10% on the Challenge stage and 5% on the Verification stage. Achieving these targets while following the rules will qualify you for a Live account

Profit Share
Up to 90%

Profit sharing starts at 75%, you can reach up to 90% with consistent performances in line with our scaling plan.

Withdrawal / Payout
Same day

Once on Live stage, traders can request withdrawals biweekly (every 14 days). After the request is approved, traders will receive the profit share in their wallet on the same day.

Refundable Fee
Refund

Once traders earn a payout, they'll be eligible for a Reward Bonus equal to the initial registration fee. This will be included with the first payout from the Ability Live.

🔥 Upgraded
Consistency Rule
Not anymore

Not anymore

🔥 Upgraded
News Trading / Weekend Holding
Allowed

You may hold trades over the weekend and trade during news events. Simply avoid opening, closing or adding to positions within 3 minutes before or after any high impact news release or speech, as that can be identified as excessive risk.

🔥 Upgraded
EAs Allowed / Copy Trading
Allowed

EAs are allowed if they follow our prohibited-strategy rules and are not sourced from third-party signals. Please see our prohibited trading practices here.


Copy trading is allowed between your own accounts within Audacity Capital. Copying from an external account is allowed only if the account belongs to you. Third-party copying is not permitted.

Scaling Plans

Select Program:

Select Account Size

stage 1
stage 2
stage 3
stage 4
stage 5
stage 6
stage 7
stage 8
stage 9
stage 10

phase 1

Max Drawdown

$750

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 15%

Daily loss: 7.5%

Profit Target

$500

Based on Balance

Target : 10%

phase 2

Max Drawdown

$500

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 10%

Daily loss: 5%

Profit Target

$250

Based on Balance

Target : 5%

live

Max Drawdown

$500

Based on Initial Balance

Total Loss 10%

Daily loss: 5%

Profit Target

More than 10%

85%

Less than 10%

75%

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