> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.metacopier.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.metacopier.io/features/basic-features/risk-limits.md). # Risk limits The Risk Limiter stops copying new trades whenever your account reaches a certain drawdown, helping protect your money and prevent bigger losses. It can also automatically close open positions if your risk limits are hit. You can set it to work on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, depending on what fits your strategy, and you can combine multiple limits for even tighter control.

Risk limit settings

## Settings * **Risk type & period**: Choose the type of drawdown limit and the specific period it applies to. This setting allows you to select how you wish to monitor drawdown - actual, daily, weekly, or monthly - offering flexibility in how you apply risk management strategies over different time frames. * Balance-equity: The reference value is based on **balance**, while risk is monitored using **equity** * Equity-equity: Both the reference and monitoring are based on **equity** * Actual: Risk is tracked from the **current balance**, adapting continuously without relying on a fixed reference point. * Smart reference: The **higher of balance or equity** is used as the reference, with monitoring based on **equity** * **Reset time**: Determine the exact **local time** at which the drawdown calculation period should reset. This feature enables you to align the limiter's operation with your trading schedule or the specific trading session you're most active in, ensuring that the drawdown calculation starts fresh at a time that makes sense for you * **Fullfillment in seconds**: Specify the delay in seconds before the limiter activates once the defined risk limit is reached. Setting this to '0' triggers the limiter immediately upon reaching the drawdown threshold, while a higher value introduces a delay, allowing for brief fluctuations before the limiter takes effect * **Percentage Risk Limit** sets the maximum allowable drawdown as a percentage of the account balance or equity (e.g., 0.1 = 10%). When this limit is reached within the selected period, the system triggers the defined risk control actions. To account for fees or minor fluctuations, consider setting the value slightly below your actual tolerance (e.g., 0.09 instead of 0.1). Set to 0 to deactivate. * **Relative risk Limit:** This option defines a drawdown limit based on the difference between the current balance or equity and the starting value at the beginning of the selected period (daily, weekly, or monthly). When the relative loss reaches the specified amount, the limiter is triggered. Set to 0 to deactivate. Consider setting the value slightly below your actual limit to account for fees and market fluctuations. * **Absolute Risk Limit:** it sets a fixed minimum balance your account should not fall below. When your balance reaches or drops below this value, the system automatically activates the limiter to stop trading or apply your chosen protection. This limit is defined in your account’s currency (for example, 1,000 USD) and stays constant regardless of profits or performance. To account for small market movements or trading fees, it’s recommended to set the limit slightly above your true cutoff point (for example, 1010 USD instead of exactly 1,000). Set to 0 to deactivate. * **Close all open positions:** Enable this option to automatically close all open positions immediately upon reaching the drawdown limit. This feature serves as an essential stop-loss mechanism, providing immediate action to protect your capital during adverse market movements. If this option is disabled, existing positions will remain open, but new trades will not be copied to the slave accounts, preventing further exposure while allowing current positions the potential to recover. * **Fallback limits:** If your main risk limit is reached and you chose not to automatically close all open positions, the system will stop opening new trades. The fallback limits then act as a second layer of protection. If any of these limits are triggered, all open positions will be closed immediately. {% hint style="danger" %} If you have many positions or large lot sizes, the risk limit may be affected by factors like slippage, market volatility, and broker execution latency. To improve effectiveness, consider reducing the lot size. A withdrawal or deposit order will trigger a "reset risk limit" (see below). {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} If you intend to utilize two risk limits, one for the day and one for the current drawdown, we recommend utilizing distinct percentages to differentiate between them effectively. {% endhint %} ## Reset risk limit With this button, you can reset your risk limits, allowing for a fresh start in managing your trading risk. Whether you need to recalibrate your strategy or adjust to changing market conditions, the Risk Limit Reset offers flexibility and control at your fingertips.
## Risk limits per copier The limits described above watch the whole account. If you copy from several masters into one account, a loss caused by one master will therefore also stop the copiers of all the others. A risk limit can instead be attached to a single copier. It is configured exactly like an account limit, but it only measures the positions that this copier opened. Manual trades and the positions of the other copiers are ignored. You find them in the copier dialog, next to the **Features** button. The copier has to be saved before the button becomes available.

Risk limits of a copier

### What happens when the limit is hit * Only this copier stops. The other copiers of the account and your manual trading are not affected. * With **Close all open positions** enabled, only the positions that this copier opened are closed. * The copier stays paused until the limit is reset, either automatically at the start of the next period or manually with the reset button. * The **Actual** risk type re-arms itself as soon as the copier is back in profit, exactly as it does on account level. ### How the loss is measured The reference value is the account balance at the start of the period, the same reference the account limits use. Measured against it is only the result of this copier: its realised profit and loss since the period started plus the floating profit and loss of its currently open positions. Swap and commission are included. Because the reference is shared with the account, a **percentage** limit of a copier is a percentage of the account, not of a share of it. If a copier is only supposed to risk part of the account, a relative or absolute limit is usually the clearer choice. {% hint style="info" %} Account limits and copier limits work independently and can be combined. The account limit remains the hard stop for everything, the copier limit is the finer control for a single master. {% endhint %} {% hint style="warning" %} Within one copier the same rules apply as on account level: each risk type can only be used once, and only one limit per period (daily, weekly or monthly) is allowed. The reset time of the account limits determines the period boundary for the whole account. A copier limit only defines its own reset time if the account itself has no limit of that period. {% endhint %}