ICT Scalping Strategy — 30 to 50 Pips a Day with Daily Bias, OTE & Killzone Timing

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ICT Scalping Strategy is designed to capitalize on short-term price moves and book 30 to 50 pips a day. If you do not want to sit in front of the screen all day looking for setups, this is the model for you — bias from the daily, entries on the lower timeframe, and execution restricted to the London and New York killzones.

In this guide I walk you through the ICT scalping strategy — the four elements, the daily-bias rule, the swing-high / swing-low setup, the lower-timeframe OTE entry, the killzone time filter, money management, the step-by-step trade flow, common mistakes and the FAQ.

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Elements of ICT Scalping Strategy

(I) Directional bias from higher-timeframe institutional sponsorship.

(II) Framing high-probability setups for the run on liquidity.

(III) Highlighting multiple scalping opportunities.

(IV) Determining the highest-probability time of the day.

Implementing the Daily Bias

The daily bias can be either bullish or bearish.

For a Bullish Daily Bias, wait for a Ayunan Tinggi on the daily timeframe to be broken.

Look for a Ayunan Rendah to form without breaking the recent swing low.

When the swing low forms, anticipate the 3rd daily candle high to be swept on the following day or the next day.

For a Bearish Daily Bias, wait for a Ayunan Rendah on the daily timeframe to be broken.

Look for a Ayunan Tinggi to form without breaking the recent swing high.

When the swing high forms, anticipate the 3rd daily candle low to be swept on the following day or the next day.

Framing High-Probability Setups for the Run on Liquidity

After finding the daily bias and the formation of a swing low or swing high, drop to lower timeframes like 1-hour and 30-minute and mark the next possible Manfaatkan Likuiditas.

Draw on liquidity can be in the form of relative equal highs or lows.

Highlighting Scalping Opportunities

After identifying the directional bias and the next possible draw on liquidity, the next step is to frame possible scalping setups on lower timeframes like 30-minute and 15-minute.

In a bullish directional bias, scalping opportunities are marked at the Entri Perdagangan Optimal TIK level of the 3rd daily candlestick of the swing low.

When price retraces back and approaches the OTE level of the 3rd daily candle, look to buy after confirmation like an Pergeseran Struktur Pasar TIK on the lower timeframe.

In a bearish daily bias, scalping opportunities are marked at the Entri Perdagangan Optimal TIK level of the 3rd daily candlestick of the swing high.

When price retraces up and approaches the OTE level of the 3rd daily candle, look to sell after confirmation like an Pergeseran Struktur Pasar TIK on the lower timeframe.

Determining the Highest-Probability Time of the Day

For ICT scalping strategy you have to pay attention to the time of the day.

ICT mentioned to use ICT Killzone timings — specifically the London and New York killzones.

The high or low of the day is expected to form between these killzones.

Money Management

Consider risking 1% of your capital per setup, and gradually work your way to 2% if it meets your risk tolerance.

The strategy targets 30 to 50 pips per setup. With a tight stop beyond the OTE swing extreme, that is typically a 1:2 to 1:3 risk-reward ratio.

Step-by-Step ICT Scalping Trade Flow

This is the exact sequence I run for an ICT scalp trade.

1. Set the daily bias. Bullish — daily swing high broken plus a new swing low without breaking the recent low. Bearish — daily swing low broken plus a new swing high without breaking the recent high.
2. Identify the 3rd daily candle. Bullish — the 3rd daily candle of the new swing low. Bearish — the 3rd daily candle of the new swing high.
3. Mark the OTE level on the 3rd daily candle. 62%–79% Fibonacci retracement of that candle.
4. Mark the next draw on liquidity. Relative equal highs (bullish target) or relative equal lows (bearish target) on the 1-hour or 30-minute.
5. Wait for the killzone. Only execute during London or New York killzones.
6. Wait for price to reach the OTE level. On the 30-minute or 15-minute.
7. Drop to the 5-minute or 1-minute for the trigger.
8. Wait for the lower-timeframe MSS. A clean break in the bias direction at the OTE.
9. Enter on the post-MSS retest. At the post-MSS PD array.
10. Set the stop. Beyond the OTE swing extreme, with a small buffer.
11. Take profit at 30 to 50 pips. Or at the next draw on liquidity, whichever comes first.

Best Pairs for ICT Scalping

ICT scalping works on every major instrument that respects the London and New York sessions — GBP/USD, EUR/USD, USD/CAD, USD/JPY, plus metals such as XAU/USD and XAG/USD.

For traders in the United States who follow the CFTC FIFO and no-hedge rules, the ICT scalping framework maps cleanly onto NQ and ES futures (CME Group) plus regulated forex pairs through US-based brokers. The 09:50 NY-AM macro window and the 10:00–11:00 NY Silver Bullet window are the highest-conviction execution windows.

Common Mistakes Around ICT Scalping

These are the recurring mistakes I see when traders first start using ICT scalping.

1. Trading outside the killzones. The model is built around London and NY killzone delivery. Setups outside the killzones have a much lower hit rate.
2. Skipping the daily bias. Without the daily-bias filter, every retracement looks like an OTE setup. The bias is what flips the OTE from random to high-conviction.
3. Marking OTE on the wrong candle. Use the 3rd daily candle of the new swing — not the most recent daily candle.
4. Entering at the OTE without lower-timeframe MSS. The OTE is the zone — the entry is the post-MSS PD array. Touching the OTE is not a trigger.
5. Targeting too far. The model is a scalping model — 30 to 50 pips is the target. Holding for 100+ pips converts the trade into a swing and breaks the model.
6. Risking more than 1%–2%. Because the setup is high-frequency over a month, even small over-risking blows up the account when a few setups fail in a row.

FAQs about ICT Scalping Strategy

Brief answers to the questions readers ask most often about ICT scalping.

Does ICT scalping strategy work on every asset?

Yes — every ICT concept including the scalping strategy works on every asset class whose price is delivered online on the chart. Test it on a demo account first before going live.

Does the ICT scalping setup appear every day?

As ICT himself mentioned, day trading is not every-day trading. So it is not necessary that the ICT scalping setup will appear every day — but you have to watch and wait for it every day.

What return can I expect from ICT scalping?

It is a scalping strategy — the target is 30 to 50 pips. It may deliver up to a 1:2 risk-reward ratio.

Can I be profitable using ICT scalping?

Before choosing a scalping strategy, analyze yourself — are you a scalp trader, day trader, or swing trader? If this strategy suits your style, yes — you can be profitable using ICT scalping if you learn it properly, apply the concepts, and manage your risk.

What timeframes do I use?

Daily for the bias, 1-hour or 30-minute for the next draw on liquidity, 30-minute or 15-minute for the OTE level marking, and 5-minute or 1-minute for the entry trigger.

What is the OTE level?

OTE (Optimal Trade Entry) is the 62%–79% Fibonacci retracement zone of the most recent impulsive leg — in this scalping model, the 3rd daily candle of the new swing.

Why the 3rd daily candle?

The 3rd daily candle of the new swing is the candle that produces the directional move ICT teaches as the high-probability scalp window. The OTE on that candle is where price retraces back to before continuing.

What killzones do I trade?

London killzone (02:00 AM to 05:00 AM NY time) and New York killzone (07:00 AM to 11:00 AM NY time). The high or low of the day usually forms between these.

Where do I place the stop loss?

Beyond the OTE swing extreme — below the 3rd daily candle low for buy trades, above the high for sell trades — with a small buffer.

Where do I take profit?

30 to 50 pips, or the next draw on liquidity (relative equal high or low), whichever comes first.

How much should I risk per setup?

1% of capital per setup, scaling to 2% only if your risk tolerance allows. Never more than 2% on a single scalping trade.

Does ICT scalping work on indices and gold?

Yes — NQ, ES and XAU/USD all produce textbook scalping setups, especially during the New York AM session and around US economic releases.