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Scaling into a trade means that when you enter the market, you initially enter just a fraction of the total position that you intend to trade and then observe how this initial market entry develops. If the trade works out as intended, then you can enter further positions in the market and take advantage of the price moving in your favour.

For instance, a trader was looking to take EUR/USD up to 1.11900, but was afraid of a near-term movement against him. As opposed to putting on the entire trade right up front, the trader can look to ‘scale in’ to the position. The picture below will illustrate further:

If you wants to trade total position size to be 100k, you can choose to open 25k every 100 pips that EUR/USD moves up. So you can open 25k start the position when the price is at 1.0790, and once moving up to 1.0890, you can add another 25k. This has the added benefit of allowing the gains in the first part of the position to assist in financing the second.

The scale-in approach could have used trade management to assist in the risk management of the trade if the position moves in your favor.

However, there are two different scenarios when you may decide to scale in.

1. When the trade is going against you.

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