Gold can be gorgeous… and savage. One clean push through a level and you’re grinning; one whipsaw in a low-liquidity minute and, welp, there goes the day. SMA Crossover EA Gold Optimized V1.0 for MT4 is built to ride the real moves on XAUUSD and sit out the noise. It’s a rules-driven trend follower that waits for a fast/slow SMA cross, checks volatility and structure, then pulls the trigger with ATR-aware risk. No martingale, no grid, no “hold and hope.” Just steady, explainable automation.


Below is your trader-first walkthrough: how the EA thinks, best-fit settings for gold, install steps, optimization tips, risk playbook, FAQs, and ready-to-paste SEO/meta data for your blog/CMS.


What Is SMA Crossover EA Gold Optimized V1.0?


At its core, this is a MetaTrader 4 Expert Advisor tuned for XAUUSD that uses a fast/slow Simple Moving Average crossover as the primary signal. But unlike classroom examples that fire on every cross, this EA demands context:



  • Trend filter (optional 200-SMA bias or higher-TF bias)

  • ATR gate (skip when stops are silly-wide or unrealistically tiny)

  • Structure confirmation (break-retest or decisive close past a micro level)

  • Execution guards (spread/slippage limits, session windows)


Who it’s for
Traders who want a transparent trend system for gold, prefer non-martingale risk, and don’t mind skipping meh conditions. If you like cleaner entries over constant action, you’ll vibe with it.


Primary market & timeframes



  • XAUUSD (Gold): M30–H1 (sweet spot for cost vs. clarity)

  • Advanced users: M15 during London/NY overlap if your costs are excellent


Why an SMA Crossover (and how we fix its usual pitfalls)



  • Requiring candle close for the cross (no intra-bar flip-flopping)

  • Keeping a trend bias (e.g., only long when price above 200-SMA, short when below)

  • Adding a volatility sanity check (ATR band must be in range)

  • Insisting on a structural nudge (break-retest/decisive close) before entry

  • Policing execution with spread/slippage caps (gold spreads can spike, coz… gold)


Key Features (V1.0)



  1. Fast/Slow SMA cross as the core trigger (user-configurable periods)

  2. Optional 200-SMA (or HTF) bias filter to avoid fighting the bigger flow

  3. ATR-aware stops & targets (dynamic 1.5×–2.5× ATR baseline)

  4. Structure confirmation (break-retest or decisive close in cross direction)

  5. No martingale, no grid; optional light add-on into strength on new confirmations

  6. Partial TP & trailing (lock at +1R, trail remainder behind ATR or swing)

  7. Spread/slippage guard (instant veto when execution turns hostile)

  8. Session windows (focus London/NY; optional Asia mute)

  9. Equity guard & daily stop (auto-pause new entries after drawdown thresholds)

  10. Readable logs (you’ll see why a trade was taken, skipped, or closed)


How the Strategy Works (Under the Hood)



  1. Directional Gate (Cross + Bias)
    A fast SMA crossing a slow SMA sets the directional intent. An optional 200-SMA (or higher-TF bias) can restrict trades to with-trend only. No alignment? No trade.

  2. Volatility Gate (ATR)
    The EA estimates whether a practical stop (e.g., 1.5×–2.5× ATR) fits your risk. If the implied SL is absurdly wide (edge diluted) or ultra-tiny (likely noise), it skips.

  3. Structure Confirmation
    The close must push through a nearby micro-level or print a clean break-retest continuation in the cross direction. It’s the difference between “could move” and “is moving.”


Lifecycle & Risk



  • Position size = % of equity.

  • Partial close around +1R (configurable).

  • Trail remainder behind swing or ATR.

  • On fresh confirmation (and within exposure caps), the EA may add a small scale-in to winners only.


Recommended Settings (Starter Template)



  • Broker: ECN/Raw-spread with reliable gold liquidity

  • VPS: Yes (24/5, low latency)

  • Leverage: 1:200–1:500 (leverage ≠ edge; sizing is)


Symbols & Timeframes



  • XAUUSD (Gold): M30–H1 (H1 cleaner, M30 more active)

  • Optional majors (for experimentation): EURUSD/GBPUSD/USDJPY on M15–H1


Core Parameters



  • Fast SMA: 20 (H1) or 15 (M30)

  • Slow SMA: 50 (H1) or 40 (M30)

  • Bias filter: 200-SMA enabled (only longs above, shorts below)

  • Structure mode: “Break-retest” (default) or “Decisive close”

  • ATR period: 14; ATR SL multiplier: 1.8–2.3 (start 2.0)

  • ATR TP baseline: 1.5–2.0R; partial at +1R, then trail


Risk Controls



  • Risk per trade: 0.5%–1.0% (new users: 0.5%)

  • Max scale-ins per symbol: 1–2 (winners only)

  • Daily loss stop: 2%–3% (auto-pause)

  • Equity guard (floating DD): 5%–8% (pause new entries)


Execution Filters (Gold)



  • Max spread cap: 35–60 points (tune to your quoting)

  • Max slippage: 1–3 points

  • Sessions: London & NY overlap preferred; avoid rollover

  • News block: 10–15 min before/after CPI, NFP, FOMC, etc.


Ready-to-Use Profiles


A) H1 Conservative (great first week)



  • Fast/Slow SMA: 20/50

  • Risk: 0.5%

  • SL: 2.2× ATR

  • TP: 1.6R, partial at +1R, ATR trail

  • Bias: 200-SMA ON; Session: London/NY


B) M30 Balanced



  • Fast/Slow SMA: 15/40

  • Risk: 0.6%

  • SL: 2.0× ATR

  • TP: 1.5R, partial at +1R, ATR trail

  • Bias: 200-SMA ON; Session: London/NY; News block ON


C) M15 Active (only with top-tier costs)



  • Fast/Slow SMA: 10/30

  • Risk: 0.5%

  • SL: 1.8× ATR

  • TP: 1.4R, partial at +1R, tight ATR trail

  • Bias: 200-SMA ON; aggressive spread/slippage caps


Installation & Setup (MT4)




  1. Copy SMA_Crossover_Gold_Opt_V1_0.ex4 to MQL4/Experts/ (MT4 Data Folder).




  2. Restart MT4, confirm under Navigator → Experts.




  3. Enable AutoTrading (toolbar).




  4. Attach the EA to your XAUUSD chart (one symbol per chart).




  5. Inputs: Choose a profile or apply the starter template above.




  6. Permissions: Allow DLL imports only if using a news/calendar module.




  7. Forward-test on demo for 1–2 weeks to validate spreads, slippage, fills, and session behavior.




Backtesting & Optimization (Gold-Specific Notes)



  • Use tick-quality data with variable spread; fixed-spread BTs make gold look too pretty.

  • Test multiple months/regimes (rally, range, event clusters).

  • Optimize lightly: Fast/Slow SMA periods, ATR multipliers, structure mode, session window.

  • Validate with walk-forward (optimize on period A, test on period B) to reduce curve-fit.

  • Track net edge after costs (spread + commission + average slippage). If costs consume >35–45% of your gross R, move up a timeframe or tighten filters.


Risk Management Playbook (Pin This)



  • Small, steady risk (0.5%–1.0%) beats yolo-sizing—always.

  • Respect circuit breakers (daily stop & equity guard). Bad days happen; pausing is a superpower.

  • Cost discipline: if spreads/slippage creep, pause or step up a timeframe.

  • Avoid over-optimization (that “perfect” month usually breaks next quarter).

  • Withdraw periodically (if live) so effective risk stays sane as equity grows.


FAQs


Does it martingale or grid?
No. It can add to winners lightly on new confirmations, within your exposure cap—never to rescue losers.


Will it trade every day?
Not guaranteed. The EA is designed to skip poor conditions; that patience is part of the edge.


Minimum deposit?
Demo any size. For live, many start $500–$1,000 with 0.5% risk and a VPS, then scale slowly.


Best timeframe for gold?
H1 is calmer and more cost-tolerant; M30 balances activity with clarity. M15 only if your broker costs are stellar.


Disclaimer


Trading Forex/CFDs—especially XAUUSD—involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always forward-test on demo, size conservatively, and never trade money you can’t afford to lose.


Call to Action


Want a gold bot that trades real trend and skips the chop? Install SMA Crossover EA Gold Optimized V1.0 on MT4, start with the H1 Conservative profile on demo, and watch it across a few sessions. When execution looks solid, go live gradually—tight risk, tight rules, and let the crossover + confirmation engine do the heavy lifting.


Happy Trading