This meeting featured an in-depth interview with Fabio Valentini, a top-ranked futures scalper and multiple podium finisher in the Robins World Cup Trading Championship.
Fabio discussed his trading philosophy, risk management strategies, execution models, psychology of trading, and his evolution from pure scalping to incorporating swing and options trading.
The discussion covered detailed statistical and technical approaches to intraday futures trading, performance benchmarks, adaptability, and long-term career plans.
Both host and guest compared trading methods, psychology, and addressed challenges of the industry, providing actionable insights for professional traders.
Action Items
No specific dated action items were stated in the transcript as this was an interview podcast rather than a business or project meeting.
Trading Philosophy & Approach
Fabio prioritizes trading with the direction of market pressure, avoiding high-risk “falling knife” reversals unless statistical conditions and profit for the day allow.
Focuses on intraday futures scalping, mainly on NASDAQ, using hundreds of trades per quarter to build a robust statistical edge and keep drawdown low.
Gains are primarily achieved by compounding profits from smaller, high-frequency trades, not from rare large wins.
Limits daily trades to a maximum of three stop losses to avoid trading in unfavorable conditions.
Risk Management & Performance
Starts risk at 0.25% per trade and only increases risk or scales positions when in profit, to avoid eroding capital during losing streaks.
Drawdown is kept below 20% while targeting triple-digit quarterly returns in competition.
Increases risk cautiously if not on track for podium results in competition environments.
Most performance comes during strong market trends; avoids trading during consolidation.
Execution Model & Technical Analysis
Uses a combination of volume analysis, order flow, price action, and market structure to determine trade entry and exit.
Does not trade initial market reactions; waits for confirmation of volume and momentum before entering.
Employs tools such as VWAP and standard deviations to identify high-probability reversal and profit zones, only taking reversal trades after securing profit.
Trades one asset at a time and avoids simultaneous positions to maintain tight risk controls and focus.
Analyzes using 15-minute and 1-minute timeframes; executes on 15-second or range bars for precision.
Statistical Edge & Adaptability
An extensive database of trades is used to statistically validate models before any strategy changes.
Frequent backtesting is conducted; changes are only implemented after robust historical validation.
Finds that win-rate across different trade models (A, B, C) is similar (around 50-62%), implying that higher execution frequency (rather than bet size) drives returns.
Psychology and Stress Management
Main source of trading stress comes from floating profits and decision points, rather than losses.
Scalping is recognized as high-stress and time-intensive; swing and options trading are being explored for better work-life balance.
Emotional discipline is highlighted—sticking to the trading model is crucial, and anxiety does not disappear with experience but becomes easier to manage.
External pressure from public competitions is used as a tool for mental resilience and setting an example for students.
Industry Observations & Future Goals
Emphasizes the need for greater transparency and professionalism in the trading education industry, separating marketing from real trading performance.
Goals include founding a hedge fund, mentoring young talent, cleaning up industry standards, and focusing on personal health and broader life balance.
Decisions
Fabio will continue evolving his trading models only after rigorous statistical backtesting — ensures adaptability to changing markets without sacrificing edge.
Fabio will diversify into swing and options trading to address time and stress constraints — rationale is to protect health and achieve long-term sustainability.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
Will Fabio’s future focus on building a hedge fund shift his involvement in public competitions or trading education?
How will ongoing developments in options strategies impact his current trading routines and overall performance metrics?
What specific processes or standards does Fabio envision to improve transparency in the trading education industry?