Timeframe scaling — swing, intraday, scalp

Same framework. Different speeds.

The top-down framework does not care how fast you trade. It just needs three layers — bias, setup, entry. What changes between trader types is which timeframes fill each slot. Pick the slot set that matches how long you actually plan to hold a position.

Swing trader. You plan to hold trades for days to weeks. Your bias chart is the Weekly. Your setup chart is the Daily. Your entry chart is the 4H. You check charts once or twice a day, not every hour. Stop and target distances are measured in hundreds of pips on forex, or in big percentage moves on stocks and crypto. Position size is smaller because the stop is wider.

Intraday trader. You plan to hold trades for hours and close before the day ends. Bias is the Daily, setup is the 1H, entry is the 15m. You check charts during your trading session — usually a 3-4 hour window. Stop distances are typically tens of pips on forex. This is the default profile for this chapter and works for most people with day jobs and a few hours of focused screen time.

Scalper. You plan to hold trades for minutes. Bias is the 1H, setup is the 5m, entry is the 1m. You are at the screen actively for as long as the session lasts. Stops are tight — single-digit pips. Position sizes can be larger because the stop is so tight, but the cost of being wrong is taken many times per day. Scalping is the hardest profile for beginners — you are paying spread on every trade and the noise-to-signal ratio is the worst at that speed.

Recap: same top-down logic, different timeframe trios. Match the trio to how long you actually hold. Do not skip between profiles.