Vanguard+ - Trading Rules and Drawdown
Learn how risk per trade, drawdown rules, and the profit buffer work together.
Max Risk Rule
Feature | Details |
Limit | 1% |
Basis | Initial account balance |
Calculation | Balance minus equity |
Applies To | Total exposure across all open trades |
How It Works
The max risk rule is not calculated per individual trade. Instead, it measures your total floating risk at any given time.
The rule checks the difference between:
Your account balance
Your current equity
If that difference exceeds 1% of the initial account balance, it is a breach.
Key Principle
This rule applies:
Across all open trades combined
Regardless of the number of positions
Regardless of the symbol being traded
Example 1 – Single Trade
Account size: 100,000
Max allowed risk: 1,000
You open a trade and your floating loss reaches:
Equity = 99,000 → Balance = 100,000 → Difference = 1,000 — Within limit
If equity drops to 98,900: Difference = 1,100 — Breach
Example 2 – Multiple Trades
You have 3 open trades:
Trade 1: -400
Trade 2: -350
Trade 3: -300
Total floating loss = 1,050
Balance = 100,000
Equity = 98,950
Difference = 1,050 — Breach
Even though no single trade exceeded 1%, the combined exposure caused the breach.
Example 3 – Profit Then Exposure
Account grows to 103,000
Balance = 103,000
You open trades and floating loss becomes 1,100.
Rule is still based on initial balance (100,000):
Max allowed = 1,000
Even though you are in profit overall — this is still a breach.
Profit Buffer
Feature | Details |
Limit | 3% |
Basis | Initial account balance |
Applied At | Payout request |
How It Works
The profit buffer means that the first 3% of profit on your account is reserved and cannot be withdrawn.
When you request a payout, only profits above the 3% buffer are eligible.
Example
Starting balance: 100,000
Buffer threshold: 3,000
Account grows to 101,500 → No payout available (below buffer)
Account grows to 103,000 → Buffer is exactly met, no withdrawable profit yet
Account grows to 105,000 → Withdrawable profit = 2,000 (105,000 − 103,000)
The 3% buffer remains in place and is never paid out directly — only gains above it qualify.
Trailing Drawdown
Feature | Details |
Limit | 5% |
Basis | Initial balance |
Behavior | Moves upward with equity |
Lock Condition | Locks at initial balance after +5% |
Example
Starting balance: 100,000
Drawdown floor: 95,000
Account grows to 103,000 → Drawdown moves to 98,000
At 105,000:
Drawdown locks at 100,000 (initial balance)
Trading Restrictions
Rule | Description |
EA Trading | Allowed only with add-on |
News Trading | Allowed only with add-on |
Weekend Trading | Allowed only with add-on |
Martingale | Not allowed |
Hedging | Not allowed |
HFT | Not allowed |
Copy Trading | Allowed within same trader accounts |
Key Notes
Risk per trade is strictly enforced
Floating losses count toward drawdown
The profit buffer applies at the point of payout — not during trading
Trailing drawdown behaves similarly to evaluation models
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