Getting started
Manual Trading
Manual trading in the Moonbot terminal allows you to manage each trade independently — selecting the market, direction, and timing for entering and exiting a position. This mode is ideal for learning how the terminal works and understanding the basic principles of cryptocurrency trading.
This section explains how to open a trade in manual mode, monitor its execution, and correctly close the position using the terminal's core tools.
What Is Manual Trading in Moonbot?
Manual trading in Moonbot is a mode where all trading decisions and actions are made by the user. You choose the trading pair, determine the trade direction, place orders, and decide when to exit a position.
Unlike automated trading — where actions are carried out by the terminal according to predefined rules or strategies — manual trading gives full control to the user. This allows you to interact directly with the market and better understand the trading mechanics and interface of the terminal.
Manual trading uses Moonbot’s standard interface elements: market selection, chart, Buy and Sell buttons, and the Orders and Logs windows to monitor trade status. All user actions are immediately reflected in the terminal interface.
Using manual mode helps build a foundational understanding of the trading process and prepares you to explore the terminal’s more advanced features.
Opening a Trade in Manual Mode
To open a trade in manual mode, start by selecting the market you want to trade. Choose a trading pair in the Coin Table and make sure its chart is displayed on the screen.
Next, decide the trade direction — Buy (if you expect the price to rise) or Sell (if you expect the price to fall). This decision reflects your market view and determines how the terminal will act.
To execute the trade, click the corresponding Buy or Sell button in the terminal interface. The terminal will then send the order to the exchange. Once the order is filled, the position becomes active and is displayed in the Orderswindow.
All trade actions in manual mode are performed consciously and under full user control. This helps you focus on learning the trading logic and navigating the terminal.
For a more detailed overview of the trade execution process, interface elements, and order types used in manual mode, refer to the documentation.
Recommended reading:
Trade Monitoring and Closing
After opening a trade in manual mode, its status is displayed in the Moonbot interface. Several key components help you monitor the active position.
The current position appears in the Orderswindow, where you can view order status and confirm the position is open. All related actions — placing, modifying, or filling orders — are also logged in the Logs window, allowing you to verify the terminal’s behavior and interaction with the exchange.
Price changes for the selected pair are shown in the Chart, located in the main terminal window. The chart provides a visual representation of market movement and helps guide your decision to hold or close the position.
To close a position manually, use the appropriate action in the terminal — by clicking either the Sell or Buy button, depending on the trade direction. The terminal will send a closing order to the exchange. Once the order is filled, the trade is considered closed.
Trade results appear in the Orderswindow and are saved in the Reports, where they can be reviewed later for performance analysis.
Stop-Loss and Take-Profit in Manual Trading
In manual mode, Moonbot allows you to use Stop-Loss and Take-Profit to manage risk and lock in profits. These tools let you set predefined conditions for automatically closing a trade.
Stop-Loss is used to limit losses. It defines a price level at which the terminal will close the trade if the market moves against you. This prevents small losses from turning into major ones.
Take-Profit is used to lock in gains. It sets a price level where the terminal will automatically close the trade with a profit, without requiring constant monitoring.
Both tools enhance manual trading by allowing you to define acceptable risk and expected outcome in advance. For beginners, it’s especially important to understand and use these tools consciously — even when trading small volumes.
Using Stop-Loss and Take-Profit reduces the impact of emotions on your trading decisions and promotes a more disciplined and predictable trading process.
For detailed instructions on setting up and using Stop-Loss and Take-Profit in manual trading, refer to the documentation.
Recommended reading:
Practical Recommendations for Getting Started
When starting out with manual trading in the Moonbot terminal, it is strongly recommended to use the smallest possible trade sizes. This allows you to focus on understanding how the terminal operates and how trading mechanics work — without exposing your balance to significant risk.
In the beginning, your main goal should not be financial profit, but rather developing an understanding of the trading process itself: how trades are opened, monitored, and properly closed. This mindset helps avoid common beginner mistakes and builds confidence when working with the terminal.
As you gain more experience and become familiar with the interface, you can gradually move toward more deliberate trading decisions and increase your trade sizes.
Summary of the "Manual Trading" Section
This section has covered the core principles of manual trading in the Moonbot terminal. You’ve learned how to open a trade, monitor its progress, and correctly close a position, along with the basic tools for risk management.
Manual trading helps you understand how the market works and how to interact with the terminal interface. It builds foundational skills for making trading decisions — skills that are essential for moving on to Moonbot’s more advanced features.
In the next section, we’ll explore Detectors and Basic Automated Trading — tools that let you automate part of the trading process and make use of Moonbot’s signal system for a more structured trading approach. These tools build upon the knowledge gained through manual trading.
Recommended Video Lesson
To visually reinforce what you’ve learned about manual trading, we recommend watching the following official Moonbot video tutorial:
