GM Traders! This is Pip Munch, the trading newsletter that’s more consistent than your trendlines and more caffeinated than your Monday morning. ☕️🚀 

On today’s menu:

• How To Be A Top 1% Trader 😏 

• You CAN'T Ignore These Events 👀 

• How I Passed 4, $100,000 FTMO Challenges 🤑 

• The Bitcoin Distribution Is Wild 🤪 

How To Be A Top 1% Trader 😏 

We’ve all seen the numbers. Only 10% of traders ever get a payout from prop firms. 😬

Most of those payouts? Well, they’re not exactly Lambo money.

So the question is: What are you doing that’s going to set you apart from the 90%? 🤔 

If you’re trying to be in that 1%, you need to start thinking like the 1%. And that means not buying into the usual trading nonsense you see on social media.

Let’s break it down:

1/ Stop Chasing Unrealistic Returns ❌ 

To be honest, nothing triggers me more than influencers who say they’re turning $100 into $100,000. It’s pure lies, deceit and scams.

Can lightning strike? Sure. But it’s like telling your 16-year-old kid that instead of getting a job, you should just buy a lottery ticket every single day.

Madness. 😡 

Here’s the reality check: If the best hedge funds in the world aren’t making those returns, why do you think you can?

Sure, you might catch lightning in a bottle once. But unless your last name is Soros, those kinds of returns come with reckless risk. And risk without proper management isn’t trading—it’s Vegas, baby. 🎲 

The pro traders? They know that hitting consistent, realistic returns is the name of the game. No one’s becoming a millionaire overnight. So next time someone shows you their "10% per month" record, ask them how much they lost last month.

TL;DR: If you're chasing 10% a month, you're gambling, not trading. 

2/ Trading Is a Skill—And Skills Take Time ⏰ 

Do you think a med student 6 months into their program is performing brain surgery? I sure as heck hope not! 🧠 

People spend a decade learning to become doctors, lawyers, or engineers. But for some reason, traders think they can master the markets in 6 months and quit their day job.

Spoiler alert: Trading mastery takes years.

It’s not about luck, hacks or a secret new strategy—it’s about countless hours of screen time, refining your strategies, and most importantly, learning from your losses. Both emotionally and on the charts.

You won’t go from blowing accounts to driving a Lambo in a year. Expecting things to happen overnight is a disservice to yourself, and it will stop you from ever getting there.

TL;DR: Mastering the market is no different than becoming a doctor—it’s a long, long game. 

3/ Have a Game Plan Before You Enter the Trade ✍️

This was one of the biggest breakthroughs in my trading. I got to a point where I literally had every single rule or scenario written down—no room for guesswork. It was like I had transformed myself into a trading robot, and let me tell you, it was liberating.

Pro Top: This video talks about how to trade Monk Mode. 🧘 

The moment you’re in a trade, emotions are your worst enemy. You start second-guessing and overanalyzing, and before you know it, you’re making decisions on the fly.

When I started approaching trading like a pre-programmed algorithm, things became a whole lot easier. No more mid-trade panic, no more trying to “make back” losses. All I had to do was stick to the plan.

And guess what? It works. I’ve passed four FTMO challenges with this strategy, not because I’m some genius trader, but because I stuck to the plan.

TL;DR: If you’re making decisions mid-trade, you’re already losing.

4/ Survive Long Enough to Thrive 🚀 

The best traders know that the only thing that matters is longevity. You can’t have a killer year if you’re blowing up every few months.

Yes, I’m speaking to you account flippers. 😉 

Take it from me. The first two years of my trading consisted of just blowing account after account. 😭 And because prop firms weren’t even a thing yet, I was blowing thousands of dollars in personal accounts.

Remember, risk management isn’t just your best friend. It’s your lifeblood.

That means when you’re in profit, don’t suddenly start doubling down. And when you’re in drawdown, reduce your risk. Your job is to protect your capital first and trade second.

TL;DR: It’s not about the big win—it’s about staying in the game. 

👉️ The Pip Munch Take: Being in the top 1% is about doing things 99% of traders won’t. Be patient. Be disciplined. And, for the love of all things holy, stop trying to double your account in a month.

The key to trading success isn’t about being flashy—it’s about being consistent.

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You CAN'T Ignore These Events ❌ 

At Pip Munch, we believe fundamental analysis is the foundation of trading success. But that doesn’t mean you need to pull your hair out reading economic reports.

We focus on the most important events and do the hard work for you.

Here’s what you need to know for the week ahead:

1/ Canadian CPI on Tuesday 🇨🇦

Expected to dip from 2.7% to 2.5%.

👉️ Why does this matter? Well, CPI is the primary indicator of inflation, and if it keeps cooling off, the Bank of Canada might just keep lowering interest rates.

A lower print would also put pressure on the Canadian Dollar, which could open up some juicy trading opportunities. 🍁

2/ FOMC Minutes on Wednesday 🇺🇸

Set your alarms for 2:00 pm EST. The FOMC minutes are the Fed’s playbook, and traders are going to dissect every line. With inflation falling, will Papa Powell hint at a potential rate cut next month?

The market’s ready to react, and volatility could ramp up fast if there's any whiff of a dovish pivot. 📉

Pro Tip: A September rate cut is likely already priced in. So, as always, do your research to determine whether this might be a buy-the-rumour, sell-the-fact situation.

3/ Japan Inflation on Thursday 🇯🇵

Inflation is expected to creep up from 2.8% to 2.9%, and that tiny bump could lead to big moves in the Yen. 🎢 

The Bank of Japan has been exiting their historically low interest rate environment. If inflation rises, it might just tip them over the edge to hike again. And if that happens, get ready for some wild price action. 💥

Pro Tip: The Japanese Yen is a safe-haven currency. This means that when there’s a lot of fear (stock market crashes, war, pandemics, uncertainty, etc), investors will flood into the Yen. Always have a pulse on market sentiment to gauge where the Yen might be headed.

☕️ Pre-Market Fuel

1. How I passed 4, $100,000 FTMO challenges. I break down my simple strategy in this 23-minute video.

2. The secret to full-time trading.

3. Distribution of Bitcoin supply. This is really cool. How long until Michael Saylor is the richest man in the universe?

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