This comprehensive guide walks you through the entire process of setting up automated copy trading on Jupiter Perps using PerpsTracker. From getting your Elite subscription to making your first copied trade, we'll cover everything step by step.
Important Disclaimer
Copy trading involves significant financial risk. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Only trade with funds you can afford to lose. Start with paper trading mode to test your setup before using real funds.
The Complete Copy Trading Flow
Your Copy Trading Journey
The copy trading system works by monitoring your watchlist for trade activity in real-time. When a trader you're following opens a position, your copytrader bot instantly receives the alert and can automatically mirror that trade on your wallet—scaled to your account size and risk settings.
Step 1: Get Your Elite Subscription
Why Elite?
The Copytrader bot requires Elite subscription features:
- WebSocket Alerts - Real-time trade notifications (sub-second latency)
- Unlimited Watchlist - Track as many traders as you want
- Copytrader Download - Access to the official trading bot
- API Access - Required for bot authentication
How to Subscribe
- Go to the Pricing page
- Click "Get Started" on the Elite plan ($50/month)
- Connect your Solana wallet
- Complete payment in SOL, USDC, or USDT
- Your subscription activates instantly
Pro Tip
Save on fees by holding $PERPS tokens! Token holders get up to 50% discount on subscription fees. Check our Tokenomics page for details.
Step 2: Create Your API Key
Generate API Credentials
Your API key authenticates the copytrader bot with PerpsTracker's WebSocket alerts. Without it, you won't receive trade notifications.
- Go to your Dashboard
- Scroll to "API Keys" section
- Click "+ New Key"
- Give your key a name (e.g., "Copytrader Bot")
- Copy and save your key immediately - it's only shown once!
Security Warning
Your API key grants access to your account's real-time alerts. Never share it publicly, commit it to git repositories, or expose it in logs. If compromised, delete it immediately and create a new one.
Step 3: Build Your Watchlist of Top Traders
Find Profitable Traders to Copy
The success of your copy trading depends entirely on choosing the right traders to follow. This is the most important step—take your time here.
Read: How to Find Top Traders on the Leaderboard →Key Metrics to Evaluate
| Metric | What to Look For | Red Flags |
|---|---|---|
| Win Rate | 55%+ consistently over 30+ days | Below 50% or highly volatile |
| Trade Count | 50+ trades (statistical significance) | Under 20 trades |
| PnL Consistency | Steady growth, not one big win | Single trade dominates PnL |
| Max Drawdown | Under 20% preferred | Over 50% drawdown events |
| Leverage | 2-10x average | Constant 50x+ leverage |
| Trading Style | Matches your risk tolerance | Scalper if you want swing trades |
How to Add Traders to Your Watchlist
- Go to the Leaderboard
- Use filters to find traders matching your criteria
- Click on a trader to view their full profile
- Click the star icon or "Add to Watchlist" button
- Repeat for 5-10 traders to diversify your copying
Diversification Strategy
Don't put all your eggs in one basket! Follow 5-10 traders with different trading styles (scalpers, swing traders, trend followers) to smooth out your returns and reduce risk.
Step 4: Enable Real-Time Alerts
Activate WebSocket Alerts
With Elite subscription, your watchlist automatically broadcasts real-time alerts when any tracked trader opens, closes, or modifies a position.
The copytrader connects to these alerts via WebSocket—no polling, no delays. You'll receive trade data within milliseconds of the original trade.
Learn More: WebSocket Alerts Deep Dive →Alert Data You'll Receive
// Real-time trade alert payload
{
"type": "trade.new",
"trader": "7xKp...ABC",
"market": "SOL-PERP",
"side": "long",
"size": 5000,
"leverage": 5,
"entryPrice": 185.50,
"timestamp": "2024-01-15T14:32:01.234Z"
}
Step 5: Download and Install the Copytrader
Get the Official Copytrader Bot
PerpsTracker provides two versions of the copytrader—choose based on your preference:
Download from Dashboard →| Version | Best For | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Python | All users, simple setup | Python 3.8+ |
Installation Steps
# 1. Extract the downloaded zip
unzip PerpsTracker-Copytrader-Python.zip
cd PerpsTracker-Copytrader-Python
# 2. Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
# 3. Launch the GUI
python3 jupiter_perps.py gui
Web GUI Included
The copytrader includes a beautiful web interface! After starting the bot, it will display a secure URL (with token) that you can open in your browser to configure everything visually.
Step 6: Configure Your Wallet
Set Up Your Trading Wallet
Your copytrader needs access to a Solana wallet to execute trades. We recommend using a dedicated trading wallet—not your main wallet.
Wallet Setup Options
- Upload JSON File - Export your wallet's keypair JSON file and upload it
- Paste JSON Content - Copy-paste the JSON keypair content directly
- Base58 Private Key - Enter your wallet's base58-encoded private key
Security Best Practices
- Use a dedicated trading wallet with only trading funds
- Never use your main wallet or cold storage
- Keep only enough funds for trading + fees
- The private key never leaves your machine
Fund Your Trading Wallet
Your wallet needs:
- SOL - For transaction fees (~0.1 SOL minimum)
- USDC - Primary trading collateral
- Optionally: USDT or SOL as collateral
Step 7: Configure Copy Trading Settings
Customize Your Trading Parameters
The copytrader offers extensive settings to match your risk tolerance. Configure these carefully!
Essential Settings
API Key
Your PerpsTracker API key for WebSocket alerts authentication
Copy Mode
Auto-copy (automatic) or Manual (confirmation required)
Position Scaling
How to scale copied positions (fixed USD or percentage)
Max Leverage
Maximum leverage allowed (can be lower than source trader)
Balance Protection Settings
Minimum Balance
Stop trading if balance falls below this amount
Max Position Size
Maximum size for any single position in USD
Max Total Exposure
Maximum total exposure across all positions
Per-Market Pay Token
Choose collateral (USDC/SOL/USDT) per market
Advanced Risk Management (Python Copytrader)
The Python copytrader includes powerful risk management features for professional traders:
Daily Loss Limit
Automatically pause trading after reaching a loss threshold
Max Concurrent Positions
Limit how many positions can be open simultaneously
Trailing Stop Loss
Lock in profits as price moves in your favor
Breakeven Stop Loss
Move SL to entry after reaching profit target
Entry Filters
Control exactly which trades get copied:
Min/Max Trader Size
Only copy trades within your size preferences
Leverage Limits
Skip trades with leverage outside your range
Entry Delay
Wait before copying to confirm direction
Slippage Protection
Maximum allowed slippage percentage
DCA and Profit Lock
Advanced position management:
- DCA Settings: Auto-add to losing positions at configurable loss levels
- Profit Lock: Automatically take partial profits when targets are hit
- Force Close: Auto-close at max profit/loss thresholds
- Max Duration: Close positions after a time limit
Trading Hours
Restrict copy trading to specific hours (24h format). Useful if you want to avoid copying during low-liquidity periods.
Recommended Starting Settings
- Position Size: $50-200 per trade (start small!)
- Max Leverage: 5x or less
- Min Balance: 50% of starting balance
- Max Exposure: 30% of total balance
- Daily Loss Limit: 5-10% of balance
Step 8: Set Up Traders to Copy
Configure Which Wallets to Copy
In the copytrader's "Copy Settings" tab, add the wallet addresses of traders you want to copy from your watchlist.
Per-Trader Settings
For each trader you add, you can configure:
- Enabled/Disabled - Toggle copying for this trader
- Position Scale Override - Custom position sizing for this trader
- Max Leverage Override - Custom max leverage for this trader
- Markets to Copy - Copy all markets or specific ones only
// Example: Add a trader to copy
{
"wallet": "7xKp...ABC",
"enabled": true,
"positionScale": 0.5, // Copy at 50% of their size
"maxLeverage": 5,
"markets": ["SOL-PERP", "BTC-PERP", "ETH-PERP"]
}
Step 9: Test with Paper Trading
Validate Your Setup Risk-Free
Always start in Paper Trading mode! This simulates trades without using real funds, letting you verify everything works correctly.
How to Enable Paper Trading
- In the GUI, go to Trading Settings
- Toggle "Paper Trading Mode" ON
- Set a virtual starting balance (e.g., $10,000)
- Run the bot and monitor for 24-48 hours
Paper Trading Checklist
- Verify you receive alerts from all watched traders
- Confirm position sizing matches your settings
- Check that leverage caps are respected
- Ensure balance protection triggers work
- Review the execution log for any errors
Step 10: Go Live!
Start Copy Trading with Real Funds
Once you're confident in your setup after paper trading, switch to live mode:
- Turn OFF Paper Trading mode
- Ensure your wallet has sufficient funds
- Start with smaller position sizes than you ultimately want
- Monitor actively for the first few days
- Gradually increase sizes as you gain confidence
You're Ready!
Your copytrader will now automatically mirror trades from the elite traders you're following. The bot runs 24/7 (when your machine is on), catching every trade in real-time.
Using the Research and Market Tabs (Python)
The Python copytrader includes built-in research tools so you don't need to leave the interface:
Research Tab
- Leaderboard: Browse top traders by timeframe (24h, 7d, 30d, All-time)
- Trader Lookup: Enter any wallet to analyze their history
- Discover Traders: Find new traders, active traders, and consistent performers
- Add to Watchlist: One-click add traders directly to your copy list
Market Tab
- Live Trades: Real-time stream of all Jupiter Perps trades
- Liquidations: See which positions are getting liquidated
- Whale Trades: Large position opens and closes
- Market Overview: Current prices, funding rates, open interest
Position Table
The Python copytrader shows your positions in a comprehensive 17-column table:
- Market, Side, Size, Collateral, Leverage
- Entry Price, Mark Price, Duration
- Liquidation Price and Distance %
- TP/SL settings, PnL $ and PnL %
- Funding (accumulated), Max Drawdown
- Copied From (which trader or "Manual")
- Quick actions: Close, Partial Close %, Expand Details
Execution Log
Track all copy trade activity in the execution log:
- View timestamps, actions, markets, and results
- Filter by: Success, Skipped, or Failed trades
- Understand why trades were skipped (balance, exposure, filters)
- Stores the last 100 entries in execution_log.json
Monitoring and Optimization
Daily Monitoring Tasks
- Check the bot's dashboard for execution logs
- Review open positions and their performance
- Monitor your account balance and exposure
- Check for any failed trade executions
Weekly Optimization
- Review trader performance on the leaderboard
- Remove traders who are underperforming
- Add promising new traders to your watchlist
- Adjust position sizes based on results
- Fine-tune leverage and risk settings
Troubleshooting Common Issues
| Issue | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No alerts received | Invalid API key or no Elite subscription | Verify API key in dashboard, check subscription status |
| Trades not executing | Insufficient balance or SOL for fees | Add funds to trading wallet |
| Position size wrong | Incorrect scaling settings | Review position sizing configuration |
| WebSocket disconnects | Network issues | Bot auto-reconnects; check internet stability |
| Copying wrong traders | Watchlist not updated | Sync your watchlist on PerpsTracker |
Related Resources
Continue Learning:
Ready to Start?
Get your Elite subscription and start copy trading the best traders on Jupiter Perps today.
Get Elite Access →