What is IB Trading & How to Master the IB50 Entry Method
Ever see myself or other traders post “IB remains GOATED ” with clean wins on $ES, $NQ, $MYM, or forex pairs? That’s Initial Balance (IB) Trading — one of the highest-probability intraday strategies in futures and forex.
What exactly is the Initial Balance (IB)?
The IB is the high and low price range set in the first 60 minutes of the regular trading session (9:30–10:30 AM ET for U.S. futures/indices).
IB High = highest price in that hour
IB Low = lowest price in that hour
IB50 = the exact 50% midpoint of that range (the “sweet spot” for entries)
This range shows where big players first “balance” supply and demand after the open. It’s NOT random — it’s auction theory in action.
Quick History Lesson
IB trading comes straight from Market Profile, pioneered in the early 1980s by J. Peter Steidlmayer at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT).
Steidlmayer created a way to visualize price + time + volume as a bell curve (the “profile”). The first hour became known as the Initial Balance — the foundation institutions use to decide if the day will trend or rotate.
What started as floor-trader wisdom in the 80s is now a core edge for modern day traders using futures, indices, and even London/NY forex sessions.
The IB50 Entry Method
This is the “IB by Rejection” setup — statistically one of the cleanest edges out there (~70-75% probability in many studies). How it works step-by-step: Wait for the full 9:30–10:30 ET IB to form (or London open for forex).
Watch which extreme forms first (high or low).
Look for a breakout + rejection of that extreme (price pokes out then snaps back).
Enter at or near the IB50 (50% level) in the direction of the opposite side.
Target: the opposite IB extreme (or 1.5–2x the IB range extension).
You can even front-run the 50% slightly (e.g., enter 10:23–10:27) if the candle is closing near it
Why IB50 Works So Well
High win rate on single-direction days (67–75% of the time the market picks a side after the first hour and sticks with it).
Built-in risk: stop usually just beyond the rejected extreme or opposite side of IB.
Works across $ES, $NQ, $MYM, $RTY, $GC, $CL, and forex $USDJPY $GBPUSD $EURUSD (London IB too).
Perfect for scalping micros or swinging bigger size.
Pro tip: Respect the money. Take the 50–150 point winner instead of holding for the moon.
Risk Management & Pro Tips
Only trade when IB aligns
Avoid choppy days or wide-range news days.
Use limit orders near IB50 — don’t chase.
Start small on a funded account
use @edgeful to find IB stats easily
$ES $SPY $SPX $MNQ $NQ $QQQ $RTY $IWM $MYM $YM $DJIA $BTC $BTCUSD $BTCUSDT $ETH $DOGE $XRP #trading #stocks #qqq #mnq #mq #es #mes #spy #spx #bitcoin #crypto #btc #djia #ym #mym #rty #wm #m2k #dxy #usdjpy #forex #eurusd #oil #mcl #cl #ethereum #xrp
Prop firm trading isn’t complicated.
$50k account.
$3k profit required.
$2k drawdown.
Approx 40-50% consistency.
Effectively 1.5r required.
$500-$1000 risk (loss)
$1000-1500 (win)
Strat with 50-60% win rate churns evals and stacks $$ in fundeds.
3-5 trades. Done.
They are games not live accounts. You need to adjust to the rules.
Maaaaaan do I love seeing that button on @TradingLucid....
Can't touch that now so better get on the other accounts....
which have also started well today with @Tradeify
$MNQ $NQ $NDX $NDAQ $SPY $SPX $QQQ $RTY $GC $GOLD $XAU $XAG $SILVER $IWM $MYM $YM $DJIA $BTC $ETH $DOGE $XRP #btc #bitcoin #eth #xrp #doge #mnq #nq #spx #spy #es #mes #nq #mnq #trading #daytrading #futures #nasdaq #scalping #mgc #gc #gold #silver #xau #xag
$MNQ $NQ $NDAQ
This is why we backtest part 2. Lovely start to the week from Globex open to NY AM session.
New strat on $MNQ / $NQ combined with data.
No copy trading earlier, each account individually traded to reduce potential risk of ruin.
powered by @edgeful
$MNQ $NQ $NDX $NDAQ $SPY $SPX $QQQ $RTY $GC $GOLD $XAU $XAG $SILVER $IWM $MYM $YM $DJIA $BTC $ETH $DOGE $XRP #btc #bitcoin #eth #xrp #doge #mnq #nq #spx #spy #es #mes #nq #mnq #trading #daytrading #futures #nasdaq #scalping #mgc #gc #gold #silver #xau #xag
$MNQ $NQ $NDAQ
This is why we backtest.
Putting some new strats in place for prop firm fundeds so I started with $MNQ before sizing up to $NQ.
Nice start to Globex and I am off to bed.
$MNQ $NQ $NDX $NDAQ $SPY $SPX $QQQ $RTY $GC $GOLD $XAU $XAG $SILVER $IWM $MYM $YM $DJIA $BTC $ETH $DOGE $XRP #btc #bitcoin #eth #xrp #doge #mnq #nq #spx #spy #es #mes #nq #mnq #trading #daytrading #futures #nasdaq #scalping #mgc #gc #gold #silver #xau #xag
@jacktradesnq no tbh didn’t warm up properly and also my knees and cartilage probably not great from years of PEDs. I now stretch every day. Was squatting 200-250kg and leg pressing 600-700kg though.
Take a look at John Cena recent videos he says similar, takes a toll as get older.
$MNQ $NQ $NDAQ
This is why we backtest.
Putting some new strats in place for prop firm fundeds so I started with $MNQ before sizing up to $NQ.
Nice start to Globex and I am off to bed.
$MNQ $NQ $NDX $NDAQ $SPY $SPX $QQQ $RTY $GC $GOLD $XAU $XAG $SILVER $IWM $MYM $YM $DJIA $BTC $ETH $DOGE $XRP #btc #bitcoin #eth #xrp #doge #mnq #nq #spx #spy #es #mes #nq #mnq #trading #daytrading #futures #nasdaq #scalping #mgc #gc #gold #silver #xau #xag
@VClouette you’re not going live with Apex bro.
not to be negative but I have seen EVERYONE else who’s had the same then posts they get banned or emails explaining no live.
would never ever use them