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Fixed Amount vs. Proportional Copy Mode: Which to Choose
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When you start copying a leader on Bybit, one setting decides how big each of your trades will be: the copy mode. It is easy to click past, but it shapes your whole experience, so it is worth a minute to understand the two options.
What the two modes actually do
Fixed amount means every copied trade uses the same set amount you choose, regardless of how the leader sized their own position. The leader opens a trade, and your account opens one at your fixed figure.
Proportional means your trade size scales to match the leader’s sizing relative to their balance. If the leader commits a given share of their account to a position, your account commits the same share of your copy balance. This is the mode that keeps your risk profile in step with the leader’s, which is usually the point of copying in the first place.
The deeper background on how this mirroring works is in how copy-trading works on Bybit.
When fixed amount makes sense
Fixed shines when you want tight, predictable control over exposure per trade. You know exactly how much each position risks because you set the number yourself.
The trade-off is that it can drift out of sync with the strategy. If the leader sizes up on a high-conviction setup and trims on a weaker one, fixed mode treats both the same, so you are no longer copying their judgment about sizing, only their entries and exits. On a small balance, fixed can also bump into minimum order sizes more easily.
When proportional makes sense
Proportional is the more faithful copy. It carries through not just what the leader trades but how much conviction they put behind each one, keeping your risk ratio aligned with theirs whether your account is small or large.
The trade-off is that your per-trade size moves with the strategy rather than staying at a number you picked, so you give up a little manual control in exchange for a truer mirror.
How to choose
A simple way to decide:
- Want the most faithful copy of the strategy, sizing and all? Choose proportional. For most people copying a leader for the strategy itself, this is the natural fit.
- Want firm, predictable control over the exact size of every position? Choose fixed.
Either way, start conservative on the amount or ratio, watch how it feels through a few real trades, and adjust once you have seen it in motion. You can change your settings as you go, so the first choice is not permanent.
To set this up step by step, see how to start copy-trading on Bybit, check our strategy on our verified Bybit profile, or get in touch with questions.