Fair value gap backtest on real data
A fair value gap (FVG) is a three-candle imbalance: the wicks of candles one and three do not overlap. This test buys the first return into a bullish gap while price is above the 50 EMA, and sells bearish gaps below it.
2754trades
33%win rate
0.92profit factor
-0.06Raverage trade
-87.2%max drawdown
-83.9%return at 1% risk
EUR/USD · 1-hour candles · 2016-11-09 to 2026-11-09 · Dukascopy data · equity in %, 1% risk per trade
On this data the rules lost money after costs. That is useful to know before you trade them.
The exact rules tested
Buy when price returns into a bullish fair value gap and price is above the 50 EMA. Sell when price returns into a bearish fair value gap and price is below the 50 EMA. Stop at 1.5x ATR. Target 2R.
How WickCheck reads these rules:
- Long: Bullish FVG · retest
- Long: Close > EMA(50)
- Short: Bearish FVG · retest
- Short: Close < EMA(50)
- Stop: 1.5×ATR(14)
- Target: 2R
Run this backtest yourself
Run it yourselfSame rules, same data. Change any word, pick another market or timeframe, and see the result in seconds. No code.
Same rules on 5 markets
| Market | Trades | Win rate | Profit factor | Avg trade | Max DD | Return | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 2754 | 33% | 0.92 | -0.06R | -87.2% | -83.9% | 2016-11 – 2026-11 |
| XAU/USD · Gold | 2630 | 34% | 0.93 | -0.05R | -88.6% | -79.6% | 2016-11 – 2026-11 |
| GBP/USD | 2775 | 33% | 0.91 | -0.07R | -91.5% | -87.8% | 2016-11 – 2026-11 |
| NQ · Nasdaq 100 | 2708 | 34% | 1.02 | +0.01R | -56.6% | +5.2% | 2016-11 – 2026-11 |
| BTC/USD | 3048 | 37% | 1.03 | +0.02R | -65.0% | +43.5% | 2017-05 – 2026-11 |
Click a market to open that exact test in WickCheck.
Year by year (EUR/USD)
| Year | Trades | Win rate | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 32 | 34% | +0.1R |
| 2017 | 288 | 33% | -24.9R |
| 2018 | 268 | 39% | +34.9R |
| 2019 | 249 | 33% | -16.4R |
| 2020 | 282 | 35% | +3.4R |
| 2021 | 281 | 31% | -33.0R |
| 2022 | 274 | 30% | -35.9R |
| 2023 | 287 | 33% | -13.3R |
| 2024 | 294 | 30% | -48.0R |
| 2025 | 264 | 33% | -9.7R |
| 2026 | 235 | 33% | -11.9R |
How this test was run
- Real historical candles from Dukascopy, 1-hour timeframe, 2016-11-09 to 2026-11-09.
- Signals only on closed candles, so a candle never uses information from its own future.
- Spread and commission included, at typical levels for each market.
- 1% of the account risked per trade. When stop and target both fall inside the same candle, 1-minute data decides which came first (where available).
- Results refresh automatically as new candles come in. Last updated 2026-11-09.
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