Followme has released its 2025 Mid-Year Trading Report, offering a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of evolving trading behaviors and global retail trends based on real performance data from 17,727 active trading accounts. Covering user structure, capital flow, trading behavior, and asset preferences, the report sheds light on the shifting dynamics of copy trading, gold speculation, and risk appetite across the community.
Key Highlights from the Report
- Copy trading outperforms: 47.27% of copy trading accounts ended in profit, compared to heavy losses in self-directed accounts.
- Gold trading becomes rational: XAU/USD trading losses dropped 60% YoY, with users showing greater risk awareness.
- Capital flow signals pain points: 67.47% of users are net depositors; decreased withdrawals reflect hidden trading losses.
- High-frequency ≠ high profit: Self-directed trades made up 80% of volume but underperformed in efficiency and returns.
- Small accounts dominate, but large accounts are more resilient: Most users have less than $1,000 in capital; higher-capital accounts show better stability and risk control.
Copy Trading Leads in Profitability and Stability
In H1 2025, Followme recorded 17,727 active trading accounts, achieving an average win rate of 67.6%, a 2.5% increase from 2024. Profit-generating accounts earned an average of USD 36.41, while losing accounts averaged losses of USD 72.02, maintaining a stable win-loss ratio of 1:2.
Among the three core trading types—self-directed, copy trading, and signal provider accounts—copy trading proved the most stable, with 47.27% posting net profits and an average net gain of USD 322. In contrast, self-directed traders faced average losses of USD 3,236, while signal providers also posted negative returns, averaging a loss of USD 1,297.
“Although copy trading outperforms self-directed trading, selecting the right signal providers remains crucial. High-quality, consistent providers help investors bypass emotional pitfalls and technical barriers for more sustainable results.”
*Copy Trading Accounts: Only accounts that both follow the opening and closing of trades are counted.
Interestingly, signal providers averaged 88 lots per account, significantly higher than the 12-lot average of self-directed traders, indicating a more aggressive and frequent approach.
Capital Flow Signals Trading Challenges Beneath the Surface
Total deposits across all active accounts reached USD 195 million, with average deposits of USD 11,058—mostly unchanged from 2024. However, withdrawals dropped 7% YoY, totalling USD 149 million, with an average withdrawal of USD 7,867 per account.
On the surface, this may imply capital retention amid uncertainty. However, deeper analysis suggests that many net depositors are in a loss position. These users may be unable to withdraw due to depleted balances or repeatedly adding funds to cover losses.
From the perspective of account structure, small-capital accounts (≤ USD 1,000) continue to be the main user base on the platform, making up over half of all users. These accounts tend to have limited risk tolerance and are more prone to capital erosion.
In contrast, mid- and high-capital accounts exhibit more stable fund flows. Accounts with balances over USD 10,000 showed greater resilience and risk control, reflecting more strategic behavior.
Withdrawal Patterns Reflect Strategic Maturity
Followme users’ net withdrawal behavior (W = Deposits − Withdrawals) exhibits a highly structured pattern, reflecting the psychological responses and strategic behaviors of different types of traders under profit and loss conditions.
About one-third (32.5%) of accounts are in a net loss position, with over 8% classified as deep loss accounts (net withdrawals below USD -5,000), indicating that some users are facing severe capital drawdowns and strategy failures.
In contrast, nearly 20% of accounts have achieved steady profitable withdrawals (net withdrawals above USD 1,000), among which 2.13% realized substantial profit cash-outs, demonstrating clear strategy execution and risk control capabilities.
Significantly, the largest group consists of small-profit cash-out users (0<W<1,000), accounting for 41.44%. These users tend to take modest profits and trade cautiously, representing the most stable traders with strong compounding potential.
Self-directed vs. Copy Trading: Frequency vs. Efficiency
A total of 15.2 million trades were executed on Followme in H1 2025—80% were self-directed, despite the 4:1 trade volume advantage, self-directed trades were less efficient. Only 47.27% of copy trades ended in profit, outperforming their self-directed counterparts.
This underscores a key trend: trading frequency alone does not equal profitability. Many losing accounts showed high activity but lacked strategy, leading to blind trades and mounting losses. Profitable accounts, by contrast, executed 25.3% more orders and traded 62.7% larger position sizes, pointing to precision, structure, and sustainable planning.
Gold Trading Becomes Rational: Losses Plunge 60%
With gold (XAU/USD) surging amid global risk-off sentiment and a weaker U.S. dollar, it remained the most traded asset on Followme, involving 14,817 accounts. In total, XAU/USD trades hit 1.05 million lots across 9.4 million trades, accounting for 85.7% of platform volume.
While gold remained popular, traders demonstrated far greater discipline:
- Total XAU/USD losses fell to USD 15.5 million, down from USD 38.6 million YoY
- Average loss per account dropped 38%, from USD 1,693 to USD 1,048
“This shift signals a growing awareness of risk and strategy, replacing previous patterns of blind, heavy-position gold speculation.”
Winners Trade Smart: Strategic Frequency and Positioning Drive Returns
Profitable accounts consistently outperformed by executing 25.3% more trades and trading 62.7% larger position sizes compared to losing accounts. This pattern highlights that success isn’t about being cautious—it’s about being strategic and decisive. These traders demonstrate robust execution systems and a high level of consistency.
Although losing accounts outnumber winners by 2.1 to 1, the average loss per losing account only exceeds the average profit per winning account by 8.5%. This suggests that many losses result from frequent small stop-outs, rather than a few catastrophic trades.
“Not all high-frequency trading is created equal.While many losing accounts fall into the trap of blind, reactive trading, the winners trade with purpose—combining higher frequency with precise positioning, disciplined execution, and a sustainable strategy.”
The first half of 2025 has tested traders worldwide yet also revealed promising trends: the outperformance of copy trading, smarter capital allocation, and more rational engagement with volatile assets like gold.
“As global retail traders seek smarter tools and insights, platforms like Followme—powered by real trading data and transparent analytics—are uniquely positioned to lead the next evolution of intelligent, community-driven trading.”
This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.
Feed from Financemagnates.com
