Per-Instrument Copy Ratios: NQ ×3, ES ×5 on One Follower

Category: Tutorial | Date: 2026-11-02

One Ratio Per Follower Was Not Enough

A copy ratio scales every leader order on a follower: at ×2, a 1-contract leader trade becomes 2 contracts. That works until the leader trades more than one market. NQ and ES move very different dollar amounts per point, and a follower sized right for one is often wrong for the other. Per-instrument ratios let one follower copy NQ at ×3, ES at ×5 and everything else at its normal ratio.

Example

A follower has a copy ratio of ×1 and two rules: NQ ×3 and ES ×5.

Leader order	Rule used	Follower order
Buy 1 NQ	NQ ×3	Buy 3 NQ
Buy 2 ES	ES ×5	Buy 10 ES
Sell 1 ES (partial exit)	ES ×5	Sell 5 ES
Buy 1 MYM	No rule → copy ratio ×1	Buy 1 MYM

Every copy is still the leader’s order size × a ratio. Rules never size a follower from positions, so adds and partial exits stay in proportion and the follower goes flat with the leader.

Combine It With Cross Order

A rule can also switch the follower to the micro: NQ → MNQ ×5 copies each leader NQ order as five MNQ. See copying NQ as MNQ.

Rules That Keep It Safe

Ratios are whole numbers from 1 to 100.
Rules follow the instrument (NQ, ES), not a contract month, so they keep working after rolls.
A rule can only be changed while the leader and that follower are flat. Each copy is sized with the rule in force when it is sent; changing it mid-trade would size the exit differently from the entry.
Flatten, group Flatten and Protect close a follower’s position whatever its rules.

Set It Up

In the Cockpit, click + Set size per instrument in the follower’s Size × leader column, add one row per instrument, and save. The row then shows the rules in short form, for example “NQ ×3, ES ×5”. Step by step: per-instrument rules guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different copy ratio for NQ and ES on the same account?

Yes. Add per-instrument rules on the follower, for example NQ ×3 and ES ×5. Instruments without a rule copy at the follower’s normal ratio.

What ratios are allowed per instrument?

Whole numbers from 1 to 100.

Do per-instrument ratios apply to exits?

Yes. Every leader order in that instrument, entries, adds and exits, is copied at the rule’s ratio, so the follower stays in proportion and goes flat with the leader.

Why can’t I change a rule while I’m in a trade?

Each copy is sized with the rule in force when it is sent. Changing the ratio mid-trade would size the exit differently from the entry and could leave the follower holding a position the leader has closed.

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