“Staying above it, believing in yourself, and not stressing over failed trades”, that’s Jakub’s formula for success.

Another rising Fintokei Star lights up the galaxy—and once again, it’s someone who only trades in his spare time. Jakub, 34, is an engineer and a new dad, which means trading isn’t exactly a priority. Still, he managed to secure payouts of over 80,000 CZK on a ProTrader 2M account.

Hi Jakub, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. We always start by asking traders what first got them into trading. Do you remember your first impulse?
Hey! Looking back, I think it all started with a few movies about trading. Then I saw an ad for eToro, and that was just a step away from trying it out with my own capital.

How did your beginnings look?
Honestly? Pretty rough. I started during COVID, which was probably the worst time to start (laughs). I wasn’t really into education back then either. I figured I’d just buy some stocks and they’d go up. You can guess how that turned out…

Do you have a memory of your first-ever trade?
Not clearly. But I remember it felt more like playing a game with no experience, during a time when everything was underperforming. I picked a few stocks and some crypto.

Any mentor or source of inspiration?
Not one specific person, but I like reading about successful prop traders. The biggest inspiration for me is the profit potential. That’s something I wish everyone could experience. Personally though, I don’t aim to maximize profits—I’m more focused on long-term sustainability.

Every trader has a defining moment in their journey. Can you recall yours?
Definitely. It was when I lost money on a trading account. That stung, but I wasn’t going to give up. That’s when I discovered prop trading, started reading about it, and gave it a shot.

Of course, it didn’t work out right away. Like anything, it takes time and experience—something you won’t find in books or YouTube videos. Those are just theories and tips.

Where do you usually get your knowledge?
Mainly articles. I often visit FXstreet and other sites. In terms of books, the first one I read was Technical Analysis of Stock, Currency, and Commodity Markets by Mr. Oliva.

What trading style have you developed?
I definitely trade cautiously. Still get emotional sometimes though (laughs). In the beginning, I really struggled with the psychological side of trading, especially with losses. I’ve improved a lot since then.

I keep my risk around 1% per trade—ideally 0.5%. I rarely go riskier. I mainly trade gold, oil, and indices like the S&P 500 and Dow Jones. Occasionally some Forex.

My first big win? Passing the second evaluation phase on ProTrader.

Jabub K.

Trader

You mentioned prop trading as a turning point. How did you hear about Fintokei specifically?
I’m not totally sure—probably a well-targeted Instagram ad or some articles on FXstreet. Those articles especially got me interested enough to try your challenge.

Did it work out? What was your first big win with Fintokei?
Definitely passing the second phase. My first trade on a funded account was in oil—not huge in terms of value, but it felt amazing. Even more so when I received my first payout shortly after. That really proved to me that Fintokei pays.

What’s been your best trade with Fintokei?
In December 2024, I held a position on the S&P 500 for 14 days and made 144,000 CZK. Sadly, I couldn’t withdraw it—it was used to recover previous losses on the account.

That kind of loss isn’t easy. How do you handle stress from it?
I try to stay cool, trust myself, and not take losses personally. Of course, it doesn’t always work, but I’ve definitely improved. If I have a bad day, I take a break. No forcing it.

Jakub’s best trade analysis

Can you break down that S&P 500 trade?
It was a short trade, opened at the post-election high in the U.S.—entry at 6073, SL at 6111, TP at 5870. Held for 14 days. The price hit 6100 at one point, which I saw as the max, but I kept the stop loss just in case.

The price hit several lower highs after that, which reassured me. The lows were tempting, but I held out for more. Psychologically, it was tough watching unrealized profits vanish.

Finally, on December 18th, there was a major drop. I closed the trade at 5954 for a profit of 144,000 CZK. If I’d held just an hour longer, it would’ve hit the full TP.

That drop was one of the biggest 4-hour moves in a while. This trade helped me gain a lot of experience with both risk management and the psychological side of things.

That’s a serious swing! What do you think was the key to its success?
Mostly intuition, even though I don’t usually rely on that. Also, the falling RSI, confirmation of lower highs, and strong resistance forming. But intuition played the biggest part.

Looking back, would you change anything?
Maybe enter a few days later, exit an hour later.

Balance is everything

Let’s slow down a bit. What does a typical trading day look like for you? Got any rituals?
Just my morning coffee—I never skip that (laughs). Otherwise, nothing special. I try to trade with a clear head and no emotions. Coffee helps.

What about hobbies? How do you balance trading with life?
Balance is key. After that big trade, I had even more reason to celebrate—my daughter was born the next day. So now I spend all my free time with my wife and family. I’m also juggling a business.

Before the baby, my wife and I used to travel Europe every summer, sleeping in the car, hiking mountains and cycling. We want to keep that up—but we’ll see how it goes with three of us now.

Thanks for the chat, Jakub. Wishing your family all the best and lots of health for your daughter!
Thanks a lot!