One Cancels Other Order (OCO). Have you ever wished you could be in two places at once while trading Forex?
What if the market moves fast, and you want to catch one opportunity, but protect yourself from another?
That’s where something smart comes in, it’s called a One Cancels Other Order (OCO). But what is it really?
Why do Forex traders use it, and how can it save you from losing money or help you make profits even while you’re asleep?
In This Post
What is One Cancels Other Order (OCO) in Forex?
In Forex trading, One Cancels Other Order (OCO) is a smart way of placing two orders at the same time. But this is it, when one of them gets activated, the other one is cancelled automatically.
Let’s say, you’re setting two traps for a mouse, one by the door and one by the window. If the mouse walks into the door trap, you rush to remove the window trap because you have already caught it. That’s exactly how OCO works in Forex.
You place two orders:
- One could be a buy order above the current price (hoping the price will go up)
- The other could be a sell order below the current price (in case the price falls)
As soon as one of those orders gets triggered by the market, the other is cancelled automatically, no stress, no confusion.
Why Do Forex Traders Use OCO Orders?
Forex moves fast. Sometimes too fast. You might miss opportunities or make mistakes if you’re not paying attention 24/7.
That’s why OCO orders are so helpful, they help you manage risk and grab profits even when you’re not watching the charts.
For example:
You expect a big move after a news event, but you’re not sure if it’ll go up or down.
So you place an OCO order:
A buy stop above the current price
A sell stop below the current price
This way, no matter which direction the price goes, you’re ready. And once one side triggers, the other side disappears, so you don’t accidentally get into two trades at once.
Example of OCO in Forex
Let’s say EUR/USD is trading at 1.1000.
You think the price will either:
- Go up to 1.1050
- Or go down to 1.0950
So you place:
- A buy stop order at 1.1050
- A sell stop order at 1.0950
Both are part of the OCO setup.
If the price jumps up and hits 1.1050, your buy order is triggered, and your sell order is cancelled automatically.
If the price drops to 1.0950 instead, the sell order is triggered, and the buy order disappears.
This helps you avoid double trades and keeps your trading clean and smart.
Why OCO is Important in Forex Trading
Below is why using OCO orders makes you a smart trader:
- You control risk better
- You’re ready for any market move
- You avoid messy mistakes
- You save time, no need to sit by your phone or laptop all day
It’s like setting a smart alarm system, it handles the situation for you while you focus on other things.
Conclusion
If you’re serious about learning Forex, One Cancels Other Order (OCO) is something you must know. It’s simple but powerful.
It helps you trade with confidence and stay in control, even when the market goes wild.
And the best part? Once you understand how it works, it becomes one of your best tools as a Forex trader.
Now that you’ve discovered this, you can start using OCO in your trades?