The Arco Challenge
30 days of demo practice, with a routine and a journal.
One month following the program on an HFM demo account, with a short daily routine and a trading journal that, at the end, shows you with data how you trade. It is free and there is nothing to win except judgment.
- Four weeks, each with a goal
- 30 days
- No sign-up fee or costs
- Free
- Virtual money, real prices
- On demo
- Your record, in writing
- Journal
How it works
Four weeks, one goal each
Each week combines an Academy module with daily practice on demo. None is skipped.
Week 1
Foundations and platform
Get your demo ready and understand every button before you trade.
- Open the HFM demo account and connect it to the platform
- Program modules 1 and 2
- Place practice orders with a stop and a target
- Open your journal and log the first entries
Week 2
Reading the chart
Mark levels and describe the structure every day.
- Module 3: structure, levels and candles
- Mark the EUR/USD and gold levels each morning
- At the close, review what happened at those levels
- Follow the week's economic calendar
Week 3
Risk and plan
Write your plan and size every trade.
- Modules 4 and 5: calendar and risk management
- Define risk per trade and a daily limit
- Use the calculators before every entry
- Write the first version of your plan
Week 4
Trading the plan
Follow the plan on demo without changing it halfway through.
- Module 6: plan and psychology
- Trade only what the plan allows
- Log everything, including the trades you didn't open
- Final review: what you would change in the plan and why
Daily routine
Half an hour, every day
The routine is short on purpose. The hard part isn't doing it for one day: it's doing it for thirty.
- 01
Before opening the chart
Check the day's economic calendar. If there is a high-impact news release during your hours, decide now whether you trade or only observe.
- 02
Mark your levels
Support, resistance and the day's pivots on the markets in your plan. Ten minutes, no more.
- 03
Define the scenario
What would have to happen for you to enter, where the stop would go, how much you risk. If you can't write it down, there is no trade.
- 04
Trade or don't trade
Only what the plan allows, and on demo. A day with no trades also counts as a completed day.
- 05
Close the day in your journal
What you did, what you felt and what you learned. Five minutes worth more than any indicator.
The journal
Six fields, no excuses
It can be a notebook, a spreadsheet or a note on your phone. What matters is that every trade has these six details.
- Date and market
- Day, time and pair or instrument.
- Reason for entry
- Which condition of the plan was met. If there isn't one, write it down that way.
- Risk
- Stop in pips, size in lots and percentage of capital risked.
- Result
- In virtual money and in multiples of risk (R).
- Emotion
- Before, during and after. Honest, in one word.
- Lesson
- A single sentence. What you would do the same or differently.
What it isn't
So there is no confusion
The Challenge is training. What you gain is a written plan and an honest record; nothing more, and nothing less.
- There are no prizes, rankings or money at stake.
- You don't need a real account or to deposit anything.
- There are no buy or sell recommendations: you trade your own plan.
- There are no fixed dates: you start whenever you want and pick it back up if you stop.
Sign-up
Start your Challenge. It's free.
Leave us your details and we'll send you the Challenge guide, the journal template and the steps to open your demo account.
- Four-week guide
- Journal template
- Support by WhatsApp or email
Risk Warning: Your capital is at risk.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the Challenge
How much does it cost?
Nothing. The Arco Challenge is part of the academy and is free. There is no paid sign-up, no premium tiers and no hidden cost.
Are there prizes?
No. There is no prize, ranking or money at stake. The outcome of the Challenge is your written plan, your journal with 30 days of history and the judgment you gain from them.
Do I need a real account?
No. The whole Challenge is done on an HFM demo account, with virtual money. Nobody will ask you to deposit in order to take part or to finish it.
How much time per day?
Between 30 and 60 minutes: the daily routine plus the week's module. You can do it in the morning or in the evening, depending on the market you study.
What happens if I lose on demo?
That's expected, and it's what demo is for. What matters is whether you respected your risk and whether you logged it. A losing streak on demo with a good plan is worth more than a winning streak without one.
What if I don't finish?
You can pick it back up whenever you like; there are no fixed dates and no penalty. If you prefer, book a mentoring session and we'll build a plan to get you back on track.
Does Arco trade for me or tell me what to trade?
No. Arco does not give buy or sell recommendations, does not manage accounts and has no access to yours. The Challenge teaches you to decide with your own plan.