Can You Really Trade for a Living?

Dear Traders,

The market is once again making history. We are seeing another remarkable all‑time high in the S&P 500, and the QQQs are pushing strong as well. A big driver behind this rally is the excitement around crypto and some new regulations easing up.

Just yesterday, on July 17, 2025, Congress passed the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21). This bill lays out a clearer framework for digital assets and crypto trading in the United States. It gives more oversight to the CFTC and eases some uncertainty that has been holding back innovation in crypto.

Traders and investors now have more confidence that regulation is becoming more friendly and predictable. On top of that, the recent jobs data came in stronger than expected, the economy is still creating jobs, and yesterday’s retail sales numbers showed consumers are spending. That’s great news for the economy and for the companies we trade.

Now, if the Federal Reserve actually goes ahead and lowers interest rates later this month, that will pour even more fuel on this fire. Lower rates mean easier borrowing, more spending, and in general, a healthier environment for businesses and traders like us.

In our live chat today, I had a fantastic trading day. I traded Tesla, Coinbase (COIN), and Robinhood (HOOD). Tesla gave me a solid move, and I locked in over $30,000 in profit on that trade alone. COIN and HOOD, both very tied to the crypto market, also made all‑time highs and offered great opportunities.

We went through these trades together in the chat room, and later I recapped everything on our YouTube channel. If you missed it, make sure to join us live in the morning or catch the recap videos. It’s a great way to learn and see real trades broken down step by step.

A big question from the chat room today:

Someone asked, “Andrew, can I trade full‑time for a living?”

It’s a great question, and one I get a lot. My honest answer is the same as always:

The financial market doesn’t deserve your full‑time attention.

I’ve been trading for many years, and I still believe that the best way to trade is to focus just a few hours each day, make your trades, then step away. Spend the rest of your time building your career, your business, your family life, and other passions.

I’m a big believer in part‑time trading as an additional source of income, not as your main source of income. It gives you freedom and lowers the pressure.

But what if I really want to live off trading?

We also had another discussion in the room about whether someone with a $25,000 account can make a living. Let’s do some math together.

If you want to live off trading and take home $5,000 per month after tax, with a tax rate of 30%, you actually need to make about $7,143 per month before tax.

To do that sustainably, your account needs to be large enough to produce $7,143 profit monthly without shrinking.

• A very experienced trader might, in a strong stretch, average 1% a day. At that rate, you could grow a $25,000 account to about $37,000 in a month, then start withdrawing that $7,143 monthly.
• But 1% a day is extremely optimistic. Most traders, even very good ones, average much less after commissions, losses, and all the ups and downs.

Let’s be more realistic. Let’s say you are a good trader, consistent, and after all costs, you average 0.25% a day. That works out to about 5.32% growth per month.

To make $7,143 monthly at 5.32%, you would need around $134,000 in your account.

How long would it take to grow $25,000 into $134,000 at 0.25% per day?
We ran the numbers: 25,000 → 134,000 = about 672 trading days. That’s roughly 2.7 years of consistent compounding at 0.25% per day.

It’s absolutely possible to grow your account, but it takes time, patience, and consistency. And that’s why I tell everyone not to quit your job and trade full‑time right away. Trade part‑time, grow your account, and enjoy the process. Let trading be an additional source of income and freedom, not pressure.

The market is hot, opportunities are everywhere, and we are here every day trading together. If you haven’t joined us on YouTube, come hang out with us live. Watch the recaps, ask your questions, and learn from real trades in real time.

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Join Trading Terminal now for $59/month and lock in your membership before we raise the price in the future.

Thank you for being part of our community, for all your feedback, and for helping us build something truly special. I can’t wait to see you inside.

Let’s keep trading smart, keep growing, and most importantly, keep enjoying the journey.

See you in the chat room,

Andrew