> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.2/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.2/user-guides/copy-trading.md).

# Copy trading

Copy trading places the same buys and sells as another trader into a separate copy wallet that you fund and cap. This guide covers setting up a copy from a trader's wallet, starting it, and the limits and controls that keep it bounded. For how the pieces fit together, see [Copy trading](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/trading).

{% hint style="info" %}
You need to be signed in with a wallet to copy a trader. Copies spend from a dedicated copy funding account, never your main wallet, and you set a budget and a per-trade limit before anything runs.
{% endhint %}

#### Find a trader to copy

You open the setup from a trader's wallet, in either of two places:

* **Top traders** or **Holders**: on a token's trade page, open the tab below the chart, then hover or focus a trader's wallet to open its card. The card shows the trader's public stats, such as copiers and win rate, with a **Copy trade** action.
* A **wallet profile**: press **Copy trade** in the profile header.

**Copy trade** appears only for wallets on a chain where copying is available. If you are signed out, pressing it opens the sign-up dialog first.

#### Set up the copy

Pressing **Copy trade** opens the **Copy trade settings** modal. Work down the form; every field has a short explanation under it.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Choose how the copy follows the trader**

Pick a **Copy mode**. **Copy next trade only** copies one trade, then pauses automatically. **Copy all trades** copies every trade until you stop it. Leave **Smart Copy** on to skip tokens flagged as risky, such as honeypots, mutable taxes, and low liquidity locks.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Confirm the funding wallet and asset**

Under **Funding**, confirm the wallet your copies draw from, the **Funding network**, and the **Pay asset** (a native coin or USDC). If the funding network is different from the trader's, a note reminds you the copy may fill at a different price than the trader.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Set your budget and per-trade size**

**Total budget** is the most you put toward copying this trader; copying stops once it is used up. Leave it blank for no overall limit. **Amount per trade** caps what a single copied trade can spend and must be at or below the total budget. **Daily cap** is optional and pauses copying for the day once that much has been spent.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Set take profit and stop loss**

**Take profit** and **Stop loss** are percentages that close a copied position automatically once the price moves that far from your entry. Both come pre-filled. You can clear them, but a copied position then only closes when the trader sells.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Clearing both take profit and stop loss is high risk: a copied position stays open until the trader sells it. The modal shows the same warning when both are empty.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Adjust slippage and optional filters**

**Slippage** sets how much price movement you accept on a copied fill. Press **Show advanced settings** for a **Min market cap** and **Max market cap** range and the **Copy sells** switch. Copy sells is on by default, so your copied position sells when the trader sells.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Review the fees and start**

The fee breakdown lists every fee that can apply, including the standard trading fee on each copied trade and a performance fee that is charged only when a copied position closes in profit, never on a loss. The performance fee, and the share of it that goes to the trader you copy, are shown here before you start. Review it, then press **Start copying**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
A performance fee applies only when a copied position closes in profit, so no profit means no fee. See [Fees & Pricing](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/fees-and-pricing) for the current rates.
{% endhint %}

#### Start copying

Pressing **Start copying** creates the copy. What happens next depends on the trader's chain.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Other supported chains" %}
The copy activates as soon as you press **Start copying**, and a "Copy started" message confirms it. To give it a budget to trade with, open your copy trading view and send funds to your copy funding address (see Manage your copies below).
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Solana" %}
Copying a Solana trader takes two more steps after **Start copying**: you authorize the copy with your main wallet, then deposit your copy budget. Follow Authorize and fund on Solana below.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

#### Authorize and fund on Solana

Solana copies run from a dedicated copy funding account that you authorize once and then top up. You only repeat the authorization if you revoked it, or if you set a higher per-trade limit than you previously authorized.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Authorize copy trading**

The **Authorize copy trading** screen lists the exact limits it will enforce: **Max per trade** and **Total budget**. Press **Authorize with main wallet** and sign the request. This authorizes copies within those limits only, and funds only ever return to your main wallet.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Deposit your copy budget**

The **Deposit your copy budget** screen shows your copy funding address with a QR code and a copy button. Send SOL to it, or press **Copy** and deposit from elsewhere. This balance is what your copies spend, never your main wallet.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Start copying**

Press **Start copying** to activate the copy. You can also press **Deposit later** and fund the account afterward from your copy trading view.

{% hint style="success" %}
A "Copy started" message confirms the copy is live. The copy then appears in your copy trading view with the trader, its mode, and how much it has spent.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

#### Where your copy budget lives

Copy trading is built so your main wallet is never spent by an automated trade:

* Copies spend only from a dedicated copy funding account for each chain, never your main wallet.
* You set the ceilings. **Total budget**, **Amount per trade**, and the optional **Daily cap** stop or pause copying when a limit is reached.
* Funds return to your main wallet automatically when copying ends, and any time you withdraw from the copy funding account.
* **Smart Copy** screens out tokens flagged as risky, and your take profit and stop loss close positions automatically at the levels you set.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Copied trades run automatically, without a confirmation for each one. Your caps and your take profit and stop loss are what bound them, so set them deliberately.
{% endhint %}

#### Manage your copies

Open your copies from your portfolio's **Trades** tab, on the **Copy trading** tab, or from **Account & Security** with **View copy trading**. **Active copies** lists each copy with its mode, status, spend, and per-trade limit. **Copy history** shows every copy that fired, including any that were skipped and why. Each active copy gives you:

* **Manage** to change its budget, caps, take profit, stop loss, slippage, or market cap filters. The copy mode and the funding wallet are fixed once a copy is created.
* **Pause** and **Resume** to hold copying and pick it back up.
* **Stop** to end a copy permanently. Open positions stay in your wallet.
* Fund and withdraw the copy funding account. Withdrawals return to your main wallet.

**Controls in Account & Security**

Open **Account & Security** from your profile menu. The **Copy trading** card gathers the account-level controls.

![The Copy trading card in Account & Security, with the automatic-move toggle and Revoke authorization](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ZeroTick-Trade/Public-Assets/2e6995eabfe14239fd7ead6ac3785fe21c7dc747/docs/guides/trading/copy-trading/08-security-card.png)

* **Move funds between copy wallets automatically** is off by default. Turn it on to let ZeroTick move your copy balance to another network when a copied trade needs funds there. Changing it may ask for your 2FA code.
* **Revoke authorization** cancels the signed Solana authorization. New Solana copies pause until you authorize again.

<details>

<summary>Why was a copied trade skipped?</summary>

A copy is skipped, not failed, when a trade falls outside your settings: not enough funds in the copy account, a daily or total cap reached, a token outside your market cap range, Smart Copy flagged the token, or you no longer hold the position. In your copy history, hover a skipped copy to see why.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I change the mode or funding after starting?</summary>

No. The copy mode and the funding wallet are fixed once a copy is created. You can still change the budget, caps, take profit, stop loss, slippage, and market cap filters from **Manage**. To switch mode or funding, stop the copy and set up a new one.

</details>

Copy trading places real trades on public chains automatically, and executed trades cannot be reversed. Copying a trader is not advice to follow that trader, and past results do not predict future ones. Read the [Risk & Legal Disclaimer](https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/risk-and-legal-disclaimer) before you start.

#### Related guides

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Placing a trade</strong></td><td>How market and limit orders, take profit, and stop loss work when you trade yourself.</td><td><a href="https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/placing-a-trade">https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/placing-a-trade</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Execution presets</strong></td><td>Set priority, tip, slippage, and MEV for P1, P2, P3, and the Fast preset.</td><td><a href="https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/execution-presets">https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/execution-presets</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Instant trade</strong></td><td>Set your Instant Buy amount and buy any token in a single click.</td><td><a href="https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/instant-trade">https://zerotick-trade.gitbook.io/documentation.v1.1/user-guides/instant-trade</a></td></tr></tbody></table>