How to actually use bitcoinica?

[speeder]

I tried using bitcoinica...

I had the chance, once, to profit 500 USD

But right now I have a -380 USD account there...



Seemly the spread is too big to daytrade (the thing I was good at all, when I had patience and time I daytraded a lot in mtgox, sometimes competing with bots, and could easily profit there), and it is too sensitive to panic sells, causing stupid forced liquidations...


So, can someone tell me on how to use bitcoinica decently? It is TOO EASY to lose ungodly amounts of money there in a spike downards, and seemly too hard to profit, since in a spike upwards, only the buy price increase, not the sell price.

Or in fact, bitcoinica is the only winner and all users are losers?

[johnj]

1) Set your orders ~10-15% +/- what the market can hold at any given time.  Catch the spikes, get rid if it when it rebounds.
2) Or if you have existing orders, don't forget to set your stoploss orders.
3) Don't leverage everything you have.  at 50% leveraged, the price would have to move 50% away from your favor inorder to force liquidation (i think my rough math is right)

Overall, don't be rambo.  Bank your profits, cut your losses.

[zhoutong]

Or in fact, bitcoinica is the only winner and all users are losers?

That's not true. We have many customers making more than 100% on a single day. (We hope someone can voluntarily post their positions on the forum, because we can't disclose any customer information.)

I'm not supposed to give any detailed trading advice. But here's the general idea for any trading activity:

- Never let forced liquidation be your stop loss orders.
- Control your position carefully and always follow the market trend. (It's easier to follow the trend than to catch the top/bottom.)
- Swap your position intelligently. Change your mind quickly.
- Avoid placing orders when the spread is too large.
- Set your limit/stop orders based on technical support/resistance, and remember to place multiple limit/stop orders with different prices to avoid occasional slippage. (You don't want to close all your position when the price is just 1 cent below the support.)
- Use the intelligent trailing stop orders to earn profits and cut losses using a single order, and prevent reversal in market trend when you sleep.

Generally, traders who are able to utilize all Bitcoinica's features can earn much more on Bitcoinica than on Mt. Gox.

We're always glad to have profitable traders because we hedge their positions at the market as well. That'll be a win-win.

[BitMagic]

Catch the spikes, get rid if it when it rebounds.

And he means the longer-term spikes. Basically, I learned cheaply that Bitcoinica isn't worth short-term trading because of volatility. Grab a position that you like and hold onto it, and don't over-leverage so you have control over when you come in and out of positions. Think a bit longer term with Bitcoinica.

[g2x3k]

WTF !!!!!!! i have one coin @ 6,4 i say it shuld sell at 6,45 ... second later i look it sold at 5,99999 please fix some explanations it sux

all the values change/updates out of sync so not to make head or tail in wtf anything means, and you have 4 methods of placeing advanced orders i only been trying with the limit and from what it says it works oposit ?

been trading on btc-e, mtgox and others with decent success, was to try something new it does look nice and site look and reacts better then most other exchanges so would be great with some introduction of sum sort

[Jessi]

Can not understand why Bitcoinica does not give a detailed instruction HOW to trade and also if you have got questions do not reply to them. As a newbie like I am I don´t have the chance to learn trading on bitcoinica.

Also I am sure, that this kind of extremly up- and down spikes are made by bots and almost bitcoinica.
I would like to see, if Mt.Gox could regulate this a bit and forbid those kind of bots.

@speeder: I guess you are right: after all bitcoinica is  the only winner.

We should give it a new name "bitpanica" is much better. ;-)

[Jessi]

We're always glad to have profitable traders because we hedge their positions at the market as well. That'll be a win-win.

And keep all others uninformed (especially the newbies like me) than you will receive much more! Well done!

[cypherdoc]

WTF !!!!!!! i have one coin @ 6,4 i say it shuld sell at 6,45 ... second later i look it sold at 5,99999 please fix some explanations it sux

all the values change/updates out of sync so not to make head or tail in wtf anything means, and you have 4 methods of placeing advanced orders i only been trying with the limit and from what it says it works oposit ?

been trading on btc-e, mtgox and others with decent success, was to try something new it does look nice and site look and reacts better then most other exchanges so would be great with some introduction of sum sort

someone's frustrated.

[Jessi]

someone's frustrated.

me, too! 

[zhoutong]

Trailing stops work now ?

WTF ? seriously Zhou ?

I didn't change anything. I was revisiting the code and I didn't find any problems. Perhaps it's caused by floats. (Don't worry! Your money isn't saved as floats.)

[Crypt_Current]

Can not understand why Bitcoinica does not give a detailed instruction HOW to trade and also if you have got questions do not reply to them. As a newbie like I am I don´t have the chance to learn trading on bitcoinica.

Also I am sure, that this kind of extremly up- and down spikes are made by bots and almost bitcoinica.
I would like to see, if Mt.Gox could regulate this a bit and forbid those kind of bots.

@speeder: I guess you are right: after all bitcoinica is  the only winner.

We should give it a new name "bitpanica" is much better. ;-)

Full, in-depth documentation is coming soon to Bitcoinica.

[zhoutong]

Can not understand why Bitcoinica does not give a detailed instruction HOW to trade and also if you have got questions do not reply to them. As a newbie like I am I don´t have the chance to learn trading on bitcoinica.

Also I am sure, that this kind of extremly up- and down spikes are made by bots and almost bitcoinica.
I would like to see, if Mt.Gox could regulate this a bit and forbid those kind of bots.

@speeder: I guess you are right: after all bitcoinica is  the only winner.

We should give it a new name "bitpanica" is much better. ;-)

Full, in-depth documentation is coming soon to Bitcoinica.

Confirmed! Yay!

[Crypt_Current]

Catch the spikes, get rid if it when it rebounds.

And he means the longer-term spikes. Basically, I learned cheaply that Bitcoinica isn't worth short-term trading because of volatility. Grab a position that you like and hold onto it, and don't over-leverage so you have control over when you come in and out of positions. Think a bit longer term with Bitcoinica.

YOU!!!  It was YOU that took that big dump earlier, wasn't it??

XD

[Jessi]

I saw that a "live-tour" was promised about some month ago... and?

[notme]

Can not understand why Bitcoinica does not give a detailed instruction HOW to trade and also if you have got questions do not reply to them. As a newbie like I am I don´t have the chance to learn trading on bitcoinica.

Also I am sure, that this kind of extremly up- and down spikes are made by bots and almost bitcoinica.
I would like to see, if Mt.Gox could regulate this a bit and forbid those kind of bots.

@speeder: I guess you are right: after all bitcoinica is  the only winner.

We should give it a new name "bitpanica" is much better. ;-)

I'm a winner.  And, I was long during the drop.  Hopefully some uberbears learned their lesson.

[Crypt_Current]

I saw that a "live-tour" was promised about some month ago... and?

I am working with Zhou on some exciting new features for Bitcoinica in the near future.

[g2x3k]

indeed, i was made it back now still have a question or two bout it but ill figure it

[Crypt_Current]

indeed, i was made it back now still have a question or two bout it but ill figure it

If you need assistance with Bitcoinica, you can PM me and I will respond as soon as I can.

[Crypt_Current]

Can not understand why Bitcoinica does not give a detailed instruction HOW to trade and also if you have got questions do not reply to them. As a newbie like I am I don´t have the chance to learn trading on bitcoinica.

Also I am sure, that this kind of extremly up- and down spikes are made by bots and almost bitcoinica.
I would like to see, if Mt.Gox could regulate this a bit and forbid those kind of bots.

@speeder: I guess you are right: after all bitcoinica is  the only winner.

We should give it a new name "bitpanica" is much better. ;-)

I'm a winner.  And, I was long during the drop.  Hopefully some uberbears learned their lesson.

I was long during the drop too... Scary

[cheat_2_win]

Difficulty trading in Bitcoinica is not due to Bitcoinica itself, rather due to how the margin trading works. So my suggestion would be to learn how margin trading works before using Bitcoinica.

As for me, I am happy with MtGox and have no intention of trying Bitcoinica anytime soon.