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Alpha Futures Copy Trading: How to Trade Multiple Accounts Simultaneously

Written by Paul

Published on

January 4, 2026

Alpha Futures permits copy trading across your own accounts—a significant advantage over firms like TickTickTrader, Topstep, and others that prohibit this entirely. If you're running 2-3 funded Alpha accounts, copy trading lets you execute once and replicate trades automatically across all positions, effectively tripling your capital deployment without triple execution effort.

But there are critical rules, setup requirements, and violation risks you need to understand before implementing copy trading. Get it wrong and you risk immediate termination across all accounts with profits voided.

Here's exactly how to copy trade Alpha accounts properly, what platforms support it, and the risk management strategies that keep you compliant.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with Alpha Futures and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.

For the absolute latest, check Alpha Futures's website or their help center.

Alpha's Official Copy Trading Policy

From Alpha's help center:

"Copy trading in general is permitted as long as it is a single user executing the trades, and it is the single individual listed on the Alpha Futures Accounts. Automated, Group, and Reverse Trading are strictly prohibited."

What's allowed:

Copying trades across multiple Alpha accounts under your name
Using built-in platform copiers (ProjectX, Tradovate)
Single trader executing all trades personally

What's prohibited:

Copying external signal providers or other traders
Group trading with friends/partners coordinating strategies
Reverse trading (long on one account, short on another)
Fully automated trading systems running 24/7

The key phrase: "single user executing the trades". You must be personally initiating trades on your leader account. The copy function replicates your decisions across follower accounts, but you're the human making those decisions.

Critical Setup Rule: Use Your Smallest Account as Leader

Alpha specifically states: "To avoid complications with copy trading, use your smallest account/one with the least amount of profit or leverage as your leader account."

Why this matters:

If accounts have different leverage limits or buying power, trades may not copy properly. Your $150K account allows 15 NQ contracts maximum. Your $50K account allows 5 NQ contracts maximum. If you trade 10 contracts on the $150K leader account, the $50K follower can't replicate—it exceeds position limits.

Correct setup:

Leader: $50K account (5 contract max)
Follower 1: $100K account (10 contract max)
Follower 2: $100K account (10 contract max)

You execute 3 NQ contracts on $50K leader. Copy software replicates 6 contracts on each $100K follower (2× scaling). All accounts can accommodate their respective positions.

Incorrect setup:

Leader: $150K account (15 contract max)
Follower 1: $50K account (5 contract max)
Follower 2: $100K account (10 contract max)

You execute 12 NQ on $150K leader. $50K follower can't copy (exceeds 5-contract limit). $100K follower can't copy (exceeds 10-contract limit). Trades fail to replicate.

Supported Platforms for Copy Trading

ProjectX

ProjectX includes built-in trade copying functionality. Setup involves designating one account as "Master" and others as "Followers" within the ProjectX interface. Trades executed on Master account automatically replicate to Followers with optional scaling ratios.

Pros:

Native integration (no third-party software)
Reliable replication
Supports ratio scaling (1:1, 1:2, custom)

Cons:

Limited to ProjectX platform users
Requires all accounts on same platform

Tradovate

Tradovate offers trade copying through its platform features, allowing one account to broadcast trades to connected follower accounts.

Pros:

Popular platform with strong mobile support
Clean interface for managing multiple accounts
Supports bracket order copying

Cons:

Copy functionality may require specific subscription tier
Occasional sync delays during high volatility

Important Platform Note

Alpha states: "Please be aware these copying services are provided by 3rd parties, even if they are available directly on your trading platform, so Alpha Futures is not liable or able to fix any issues you may face while using a trade copying software."

Translation: If your copy software glitches and trades don't replicate properly, causing DLL violations or MLL breaches, Alpha won't reverse the damage. You're responsible for monitoring all accounts during live trading.

Position Scaling Strategies

When copying across different account sizes, you have three scaling approaches:

1. Equal Contracts (Conservative)

Execute same contract count across all accounts regardless of size.

Example:

$50K leader: 2 NQ
$100K follower 1: 2 NQ
$100K follower 2: 2 NQ
Total exposure: 6 NQ contracts

Pros: Simple, no math errors, conservative risk
Cons: Underutilizes larger account capacity

2. Proportional Scaling (Optimal)

Scale contracts proportionally to account size.

Example:

$50K leader: 2 NQ (baseline)
$100K follower 1: 4 NQ (2× scaling)
$100K follower 2: 4 NQ (2× scaling)
Total exposure: 10 NQ contracts

Pros: Maximizes capital efficiency, balanced risk across accounts
Cons: Requires accurate scaling configuration

3. Fixed Ratio (Aggressive)

Use predetermined ratio regardless of account balance fluctuations.

Example:

$50K leader: 1 NQ
$100K follower 1: 3 NQ (3× scaling)
$100K follower 2: 3 NQ (3× scaling)
Total exposure: 7 NQ contracts

Pros: Concentrates capital on funded accounts
Cons: Ignores MLL proximity, can breach buffers quickly

My recommendation: Start with proportional scaling. It balances risk appropriately and prevents situations where follower accounts hit DLL while leader stays safe.

Risk Management: The DLL Multiplier Effect

Here's where copy trading gets dangerous: Daily Loss Guards multiply across accounts.

Each Alpha funded account has 2% DLL ($1,000 on $50K, $2,000 on $100K, $3,000 on $150K). Breaching DLL locks trading until 6 PM ET next day.

Scenario without copy trading:You trade one $100K account. Hit -$2,000 DLL. One account locked. Still have capital tomorrow.

Scenario with copy trading (3 accounts):You execute on leader $50K. Copies to two $100K followers. Market moves against you.

$50K: -$1,000 (DLL breach, locked)
$100K #1: -$2,000 (DLL breach, locked)
$100K #2: -$2,000 (DLL breach, locked)

Total loss: -$5,000. All accounts locked until next day. You've lost trading access across your entire Alpha portfolio from one bad trade sequence.

DLL protection strategy:

Set your leader account stop loss at 50% of its DLL.

On $50K leader with $1,000 DLL, set max daily loss at -$500. When $50K hits -$500, manually stop trading. This gives your $100K followers breathing room:

$50K: -$500 (50% DLL used, still tradable)
$100K #1: -$1,000 (50% DLL used, still tradable)
$100K #2: -$1,000 (50% DLL used, still tradable)

You've preserved access across all accounts and limited total loss to -$2,500 instead of -$5,000.

The Reverse Trading Violation Risk

Alpha strictly prohibits reverse trading: "going short on one account, and long on the other is strictly prohibited at Evaluation and Qualified Phase."

Copy trading creates accidental reverse trading scenarios if you're not careful.

Prohibited scenario:

You manually trade $50K account long 3 NQ at 16,250. Your copy software is set to "reverse" on one follower account, shorting 3 NQ at 16,250 on your $100K account while copying long to your other $100K.

This is synthetic hedging—one account wins, others lose. Alpha detects this pattern and terminates all accounts immediately.

Also prohibited:

You disable copy trading temporarily. Manually short 2 NQ on your $100K account. Forget it's still open. Re-enable copy trading and execute long 3 NQ on leader. Now you're simultaneously long and short across accounts.

Prevention: Never manually trade follower accounts. Only execute on leader. Keep follower accounts purely automated via copy function.

Step-by-Step Setup Process

Step 1: Choose Leader Account

Select your smallest funded Alpha account or the one with least accumulated profit. If all accounts are same size, choose the one closest to starting balance.

Step 2: Configure Platform

ProjectX:

Open ProjectX and log into all Alpha accounts
Navigate to Trade Copier settings
Designate smallest account as Master
Add larger accounts as Followers
Set scaling ratio (1:1, 1:2, or custom)
Enable "Copy Entry," "Copy Exit," "Copy Stops"
Test with 1 micro contract across all accounts

Tradovate:

Log into Tradovate with all accounts
Access Trade Copier functionality
Set smallest account as Broadcast source
Configure follower accounts to receive signals
Adjust scaling multipliers per account
Verify bracket orders copy correctly
Execute test trade with minimal contracts

Step 3: Paper Trade Test Period

Before going live, spend 2-3 days testing copy functionality:

Execute 5-10 trades on leader account
Verify all followers replicate accurately
Confirm stops and targets copy correctly
Test during high volatility (ensure no lag)
Verify partial exits copy properly

If any trades fail to copy or sync incorrectly, troubleshoot before live deployment.

Step 4: Set Account-Specific Risk Limits

Configure stop-loss rules on leader account at 50% of its DLL:

$50K leader: -$500 max daily loss
$100K leader: -$1,000 max daily loss
$150K leader: -$1,500 max daily loss

When leader hits this threshold, manually stop trading for the day across all accounts.

Step 5: Monitor All Accounts During Live Trading

Keep all account dashboards visible. Watch for:

Copy lag or failed replication
DLL proximity on any account
MLL proximity (4% EOD trailing buffer)
Discrepancies in P&L between accounts

One glitch can cascade into violations across multiple accounts.

Real Example: Running 3 Alpha Accounts with Copy Trading

My setup:

Leader: $50K (starting balance, 2 NQ typical)
Follower 1: $100K (4 NQ scaling 2×)
Follower 2: $100K (4 NQ scaling 2×)

Trading session:

9:45 AM - Enter long 2 NQ on $50K leader at 16,250
Copy: 4 NQ each on $100K followers
Total position: 10 NQ long 16,250

10:15 AM - Market reaches 16,270 target
Exit 2 NQ on leader (+$800)
Copy: Exit 4 NQ each on followers (+$1,600 each)
Total profit: $4,000 from one setup

11:30 AM - Re-enter long 2 NQ on leader at 16,275
Copy: 4 NQ each on followers
Market drops to 16,265, stop triggered
Leader: -$400
Followers: -$800 each
Total loss: -$2,000

Net session: +$2,000 across 3 accounts from trades executed once on leader.

If I traded each account manually: 3× the execution effort, 3× the screen time, 3× the decision fatigue. Copy trading let me focus on one execution while scaling position size appropriately.

When Copy Trading Makes Sense at Alpha

✅ Good fit for copy trading:

You've passed 2-3 Alpha evaluations and now manage multiple funded accounts
You trade a systematic strategy with clear entry/exit rules
Your win rate supports multi-account deployment
You can monitor all accounts simultaneously during trading hours
Your strategy doesn't rely on quick position flipping or complex adjustments

❌ Poor fit for copy trading:

You're still in evaluation phase (focus on passing first)
Your strategy requires discretionary position management
You frequently adjust stops or add to positions
You can't watch multiple accounts during trading sessions
Your platform doesn't reliably support copy functionality

Alternative: Manual Execution Across Accounts

If copy trading feels risky or your platform doesn't support it reliably, you can manually execute trades across accounts.

Process:

Identify setup on leader account charts
Calculate position size for each account
Execute entry on Account 1, then Account 2, then Account 3 in rapid sequence
Set identical stops/targets on all accounts
Monitor and exit all accounts when target/stop hits

Pros: No software dependency, full control
Cons: 3× execution time, potential for errors, different fill prices across accounts

I've used both methods. Copy trading is superior when it works reliably. Manual execution is safer when platform issues occur or during high-volatility sessions where milliseconds matter for fills.

The Bottom Line: Copy Trading Is Alpha's Competitive Advantage

Most prop firms prohibit copy trading entirely. Alpha allowing it across your own accounts creates genuine scaling opportunity.

Instead of managing $100K, you're managing $250K-$300K deployed capital from single execution points. A $2,000 winning day on one account becomes a $6,000 day across three accounts using identical strategy.

But this advantage comes with multiplied risk. DLL breaches lock all accounts. Reverse trading violations terminate your entire portfolio. Platform glitches during crucial exits can cascade into major losses.

My approach: Start with 2 accounts (leader + 1 follower). Master the copy trading workflow for 30 days. Then add a third account once you're confident in platform reliability and risk management.

Copy trading multiple Alpha accounts is powerful—just make sure you're using it as a scaling tool, not a disaster multiplier.