We interviewed Alexa, the developer of the high-win-rate, low-drawdown quality EA "InstaFX Evolution"!

Editorial: FirstEAabout to be asked. What kind ofInstaFXEA is it?

Alexa: At first, we were creating an AI with a very large number of parameters and complexity.EAMeanwhile, when I talked to a friend who had never tradedFXabout something like this, they said, “I want to start FX easily if there is something like this.”FXThey said, “I don’t want to use it because I don’t understand it well enough.”EATrading seems easy for anyone who can set the lot just by using something that appears to have good performance even without knowing the details, so I thought it would be better to simplify the parameters and make a package everyone can use, and that becameInstaFX. Since I have been using AI in my work, I wanted to differentiate it from commercially availableAIand EA by using AI for analysis, which led to what we have now.

Editorial: So you built it to be beginner-friendly. Now please tell us the differences betweenInstaFX Evolutionand other

Alexa：InstaFXhad a large-number logic with a major category labeled201711, but when looking at forward tests it was opposite to what the design document predicted. Therefore, we first needed to adjust this logic, and to avoid divergence from backtests, we made all operations start from the opening price. However, operating on the opening price results in 15-minute interval settlements or trades, and I wondered if we could have used trailing stops in the middle of candlesticks or achieved a break-even, but in practice that nearly never happened, so we made it possible to move on ticks. Also, by replacing underperforming logic with alternative or new logic within the posted logic, the finishedEAbecameInstaFX Evolution. Although it is under the umbrella of InstaFX, it is largely a different EA in terms of improvements and added logic.

Editorial:InstaFX EvolutionWhat points would you like to highlight?

Alexa：In the old InstaFX, trades were limited to one position.InstaFXwas organized into three major logics, for example, if Logic 1 took a long position and Logic 2 also decided to go long, Logic 1 would close its position and reopen in the same direction. We received substantial feedback from existing users that, considering fees, repeating in the same direction was wasteful. Including such aspects,series.InstaFX Evolutionis structured with four major logics. They each decide independently, so up to four positions may be held simultaneously. This eliminates the time wasted when only one logic determines a position and you keep dragging that one signal. In backtests, compared with the traditionalInstaFX, profits increased by52%.

Editorial: Beginners may be concerned, but does InstaFX Evolution include martingale or averaging-down?

Alexa：No. It simply runs four logics independently. For example, whether Logic 1 places an order or not and whether Logic 2 places an order or not, they operate separately, so holding a drawdown does not imply triggering averaging-down or martingale.

Editorial: Who is this EA for?

Alexa：It is best for beginners who want to start using an EA, and mid-level traders who want to specify only the lot and leave the rest to run. Of course, for advanced users there is less parameter tinkering, but the stress-free operation is a benefit, so we hope a wide range of traders will use it.

Editorial：InstaFX EvolutionAny caveats when using it?

Alexa：In theory, you could hold four positions in the same direction, so you should set the lot sizes considering the capital and your broker's leverage; otherwise you may be forcibly liquidated during the run. Please operate with sensible lot sizes.

Editorial: Do you have any recommended brokers?                                      

Alexa：GogoJangan users often trade with foreign exchange brokers such asOANDA, so foreign exchange orOANDAmay be good choices.

Editorial：What kind of EA should be paired in a portfolio?EA：I’d like you to pair with trend-following and swing-type EAs. Also, since InstaFX Evolution trades currencies in Euro/Dollar, it would be effective to combine it with other currency pairs beyond EUR/USD.

Editorial：How about running it together with the previous InstaFX?

Alexa：On my Twitter I compared data; there is some overlap since some parts use the same base analytics, but it is not 100% identical; the correlation remains around 0.5. The strategies complement each other and help distribute risk when markets are volatile, so if possible I think usingInstaFX Evolution andInstaFXtogether is beneficial.

Editorial：InstaFX was popular, but if you already own InstaFX, is it okay to purchase InstaFX Evolution and run them simultaneously?

Alexa：No problem.

Editorial：In volatile markets should you stop using EA?

Alexa：In theory, EA itself should have a feature to stop, but for safety one should suspend trading for at least the 30 minutes before and after major indicators or influential statements when markets are likely to be turbulent.

Editorial：Tell us about your FX history and experience.

Alexa：FX investment started around2006, and EA development began around2008.

Editorial：EAWhat sparked its creation?

Alexa：Originally I started with stock investments. A friend mentioned, “these stocks are interesting,” and at that time I had no interest in investments, so I bought as told. The profit grew nearly tenfold the amount I invested, which sparked my interest in investment. Then I became interested in FX, and then began making EA myself.

Editorial：Do you currently trade manually?

Alexa：I hardly trade manually. Mostly it is chart-based testing.

Editorial：You started with martingale-type EAs, but why didn’t you try to create martingale EAs?

Alexa：When I first created EA, I started by testing methods posted on the net. Many online methods are irresponsible, and when implemented as EA they turned into something entirely different. At that time I did not have my own logic, so I considered martingale-type EAs to see how to convert them into profitable systems. However, FX had given me bad experiences with martingale early on, so I did not finish them or sell them as they would become just a pipe dream.

Editorial：Beginners may like averaging-down or martingale EA, please share any cautions or words.

Alexa：Averaging-down and martingale EAs are trades that depend heavily on capital. For example, on a demo account anyone can invest $1 million or $2 million as initial costs, but in reality the situation is different, right?

Editorial：I think only a few traders can invest $1 million.

Alexa：The smaller group, perhaps around510