Mohammed Albadi on trading, risk and the journey to becoming a full-time trader
For Exness Team Pro Mohammed Albadi, trading is only one part of a life shaped by markets, business, education, and a passion that often surprises people: classic cars.
Over time, his approach has developed across different trading styles and market conditions, with experience reinforcing the importance of technical and fundamental analysis, risk management, psychology, and self-control.
In this Q&A, Mohammed discusses his approach to the markets, volatility and major economic events, the trade that changed the direction of his career, and the importance of protecting capital.
What does your trading approach look like today?
My approach brings together technical and fundamental analysis. I have studied and worked with different methods over time, including classic analysis, harmonic patterns, and SMC.
I consider the instrument and the conditions before deciding how to approach a trade. I wouldn't expect the same idea to work in every situation.
Experience also changes the way you look at markets. As you develop, you become more aware that trading is not only about finding an entry. The way you manage the trade, the capital behind it, and your own reactions all matter.
Is there anything about your life outside trading that might surprise people?
People sometimes assume my whole life is trading, training, and offices, but I have a big passion for cars.
I collect classic cars and currently have 28 of them. It is something people are often surprised to learn about me because it shows another side of my life.
Trading can become very consuming, so I think having interests outside the markets is important. For me, cars are one of those passions.
How important is risk management to your trading?
I need to think about what I could lose before entering a position. Looking only at the potential profit leaves out a large part of the decision.
That means thinking about margin, stop out, position size, and the amount of capital exposed.
Broker protections can also form part of that environment. Features such as negative balance protection and 0% stop out are relevant because they add another layer to how trading risk is managed.
The objective is not simply to find opportunities. It is also to remain able to trade when the next opportunity appears.
How do different trading styles affect the conditions you need?
The conditions that matter can change according to your trading style. For a trader who is scalping, for example, costs and execution can become particularly important because positions may be opened and closed frequently and the targeted price movements can be relatively small.
A swing trader may look at the market differently because positions can remain open for longer periods. That is why traders need to understand their own style before deciding which conditions matter most to them. There isn't one approach that fits everybody.
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How do you approach major news and periods of volatility?
I pay attention to major releases such as CPI and Non-Farm Payrolls. Around those events, price movements and trading conditions can change quickly. Seeing movement is not enough of a reason to enter a trade.
These periods can bring opportunities, but they also bring risk. Markets may move quickly, spreads and conditions can change, and a trader needs to understand what is happening rather than simply react to movement.
I want to consider the release beforehand, while I have time to think, rather than decide what to do as the market is reacting. If you know an important release is approaching, you can decide in advance how you want to approach it rather than making an emotional decision after volatility has already arrived.
Was there a particular trade that changed your career?
Yes. Around three years ago, I had a gold trade that changed the direction of my life.
I was trading with capital of around $4,000 and made approximately $45,000 in profit from that trade. It became a turning point for me and contributed to my decision to open offices and move into trading full time.
But I don't think one exceptional result should become the expectation for trading. A memorable trade can change your circumstances, but a career has to be built around much more than one outcome.
Trading still requires risk management, discipline, experience, and the ability to handle losses as well as profits.
What role does psychology play in trading?
Psychology and self-control are essential because the market constantly puts your emotions under pressure. A trader can have technical knowledge and understand the market but still make poor decisions if emotion takes control.
That is why knowing yourself is important. You have to recognise what happens to your thinking when you make money, when you lose money, or when the market suddenly becomes volatile.
Excitement can affect judgement just as much as fear. The goal is to remain controlled enough to follow the approach you have chosen rather than allowing one moment in the market to dictate what you do next.
How do broker conditions fit into your overall approach?
A broker is part of the trading environment, so I look at the conditions that affect how I trade in practice.
That can include spreads, execution, margin conditions, withdrawals, and risk-management features. Different factors become more or less important depending on whether somebody is scalping, swing trading, or using another approach.
Negative balance protection and 0% stop out are also important features to consider as part of the overall risk framework. They do not replace responsible risk management, but they can complement the controls a trader applies personally.
The important thing is to understand the conditions rather than focus on a single feature in isolation.
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Why are withdrawals important to a trader?
Trading capital has to remain accessible. Making a profit on a platform is one part of the process; being able to withdraw funds is another.
That is why withdrawals are one of the practical factors traders consider when evaluating their overall experience with a broker.
Capital management also requires discipline. A trader needs to think about how much money remains available for trading, how much is withdrawn, and how that fits into their wider financial decisions.
What have the markets taught you about self-control?
Markets can create very strong reactions. A large move, a profitable trade, or a loss can all affect the next decision if you allow them to.
Self-control means being able to separate what just happened from what you should do next. The fact that one trade worked does not mean the next one will. The fact that one trade lost does not mean you need to immediately recover that loss.
That is where experience becomes important. You begin to understand that individual trades are part of a much longer process.
How do you view the way trading is presented on social media?
Social media is a major part of how people encounter trading today, but it can also shape expectations.
It is easy to focus on visible outcomes and successful moments without seeing the work, risk, losses, and discipline behind them. Traders need to be careful not to let what they see online dictate their own decisions.
Every trader has a different level of experience, capital, risk tolerance, and approach. What someone else posts should not replace your own analysis and risk management.
What would you want developing traders to focus on?
Build knowledge across the different parts of trading rather than looking for one shortcut.
Technical analysis matters, but so do fundamentals. Understanding volatility matters, but so does knowing when important events such as CPI or NFP are approaching. Your trading style matters, but so do the costs and conditions associated with it.
Above all, risk management and psychology have to be part of the process.
Trading can create important opportunities, and it has certainly changed my own life. But one result is not a complete trading career. Long-term development comes from continuing to learn, managing risk, controlling your reactions, and understanding the markets you choose to trade.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The information, data, prices, and market conditions presented in this article are accurate as of the publication date and may change over time. Your capital is at risk. Please trade responsibly.