How do prop firms detect copy trading across accounts?
Quick answer
They compare trades across accounts for matching instruments, directions, sizes and entry and exit times within seconds, and cross-check with identity data such as KYC, payment details and IP addresses. Clusters of near-identical trades on unrelated accounts are the strongest signal.
Detailed answer
A practical detection approach:
- Export trades from all funded accounts.
- Group by instrument and time window, for example entries within 5 seconds.
- Score similarity: same direction, similar size, similar exit.
- Cluster accounts with many matching trades.
- Check identities: shared payment methods, devices or addresses.
- Review manually before acting.
Avoid automated punishment on similarity alone: popular strategies around news can produce coincidental matches. Data completeness matters most. PropExecutor's account report includes every deal with ticket, open and close times, volumes and prices, so cross-account comparison can be done reliably on your side.
Tolerances
Choose sensible thresholds: many matching trades within a few seconds, across several accounts, over several days, is strong evidence. One matching trade around a news release is not. Record the thresholds you use so decisions are consistent.
Review clusters weekly rather than only at payout time, so you can warn traders early and avoid denying payouts that a quick conversation could have prevented.
PropExecutor team · Updated
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