Minimum hold time rules and what they really mean

[Shadow Trader]

Some brokers publish a rule that trades closed within a certain time, often 60 seconds, don't count for bonuses, or may be flagged. Others have a hard minimum hold and reject early closes. A few ban scalping outright in the terms and conditions, though enforcement varies wildly.

Reading the terms sounds dull, but that's where the surprises live. Look for phrases like abusive trading, latency arbitrage, or high-frequency strategies. Vague wording gives the broker wide room to void profits.

A scalper with a 20 second average hold time should check this before depositing, not after a withdrawal gets delayed. Support will usually answer a direct question in writing, and a saved chat transcript or email is worth keeping.

There's also a middle zone: some brokers allow scalping but restrict it on certain account types or during news.

Worth noting that regulated brokers tend to publish clearer policies than offshore ones, though that's a tendency, not a guarantee.

Was the scalping policy read before funding the account, or only after a problem showed up?