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SMC is the heart of Forex trading that smart investors use.
The Forex market is continuously volatile, and many investors often experience losses because they do not understand how the market works. One way to better understand price movements is by studying Smart Money Concept (SMC), which analyzes the investment strategies of large investors with massive capital.
What is SMC in the context of Forex?
Smart Money Concept Forex (or simply called SMC) is a trading strategy that focuses on tracking the behavior of financial institutions, central banks, and hedge funds in the foreign exchange market. This concept relies on the understanding that Smart Money has a huge influence on price direction because they trade with enormous amounts of money.
These smart investors do not trade randomly but have clear objectives and leave traces on the price chart. SMC traders learn to read these traces to develop strategies aligned with market movements.
Basic principles of SMC you need to know
SMC is not guesswork but involves using data and logic to find high-probability entry and exit points.
The Four Pillars of SMC
Supply and Demand (Supply and Demand)
This is the fundamental driver of price. Smart Money understands when scarcity (scarcity) or excess (excess) occurs and exploits these situations.
Market Structure (Market Structure)
Refers to the historical movement patterns of prices. Smart Money looks for these patterns to predict whether prices will follow similar ones.
Order Flow (Order Flow)
Analyzing buying versus selling pressure at each moment helps predict the upcoming price direction.
Liquidity (Liquidity)
Smart Money seeks low-liquidity points to enter or exit large positions because their small movements can cause significant price swings.
SMC trading structure you need to understand
BOS (Break of Structure) – Breaking through key levels
BOS occurs when the price breaks through important resistance or support levels, signaling a potential trend change. SMC traders use this as confirmation that the market structure has shifted.
Examples:
CHoCH (Change of Character) – Trend reversal indication
CHoCH indicates that the trend is losing momentum and changing direction. It occurs when the price breaks through swing points in the opposite direction.
Order Blocks – Zones where Smart Money consolidates
Order Blocks are areas on the chart where large investors buy or sell in significant quantities. These zones often see strong price movements. Identifying Order Blocks helps understand where smart money is interested at certain price levels.
Liquidity Grab – Liquidity extraction
When Smart Money enters large buy or sell orders over a short period, it creates a “gap” of liquidity on the chart before the price reverses. This behavior is called Liquidity Grab.
Practical steps for trading SMC with Forex
1. Build a solid foundation by learning the basics
Before trading, understand core concepts like Supply and Demand, Market Structure, Order Flow, and Liquidity. Read books, attend courses, and study SMC trading examples from experienced traders.
2. Choose a longer timeframe
SMC works best on longer timeframes such as Daily or Weekly. Shorter timeframes like 5 minutes (are often filled with noise and are harder to analyze.
) 3. Identify Supply and Demand Zones
Analyze the chart to find reversal points or swings. These areas tend to be important again in the future.
4. Analyze market structure
Determine whether the market is in an uptrend, downtrend, or sideways. Pay attention to key Highs and Lows.
5. Follow Order Flow
Analyze buying and selling pressure on the chart. Indicators like Volume can assist.
6. Wait for signals from SMC
Look for BOS or CHoCH confirmations along with other technical factors.
7. Set Entry, Stop Loss, and Take Profit
Advantages and challenges of SMC
Advantages ✅
Challenges ⚠️
⚠️ Investing always involves risk and may not be suitable for everyone. Always set Stop Loss.
SMC vs Price Action
Both SMC and Price Action provide valuable information, and many traders combine both methods for higher accuracy.
Example of using SMC in trading
Suppose you are viewing the EUR/USD chart on a Daily timeframe and observe:
This indicates that Smart Money might be accumulating positions, and you could consider entering a BUY near that Order Block area, placing a Stop Loss below the recent low, and aiming for the next high as Take Profit.
Important reminders
SMC is not a perfect solution but a framework that helps you understand the market better.
Summary
SMC Forex is an analytical approach that explains how “smart money” operates and can help you make more reasoned trading decisions. Like all trading methods, it requires patience, practice, and proper risk management.
Currently, the Forex market allows various types of investors to trade, whether BUY when expecting prices to rise or SELL when expecting prices to fall, making SMC adaptable.
Finally: Start by learning, practice on a Demo account, and improve step by step. Success in trading does not come overnight but through continuous practice and learning.