Introducing the BreakoutGuard EA: Automated Trading for BTC & Gold

A comprehensive guide to setting up and using the BreakoutGuard EA, including loading presets, trading on Exness, and running the strategy 24/7 on an AWS Windows instance.

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Nazeh Abel
December 16, 20246 min read
TradingExpert AdvisorAWS

Overview

In today's fast-paced trading environment, the ability to swiftly identify market trends and act on them is crucial. BreakoutGuard EA is a MetaTrader 5 Expert Advisor (EA) designed to help traders automatically identify potential breakout points, place pending orders, manage risk, and integrate news filters to pause trading around high-impact events.

For this release, the EA comes with a preset file that enables two assets by default: BTC and XAUUSD (Gold). These preset parameters are carefully tuned to help you get started quickly. If you wish, you can run this EA on a Windows instance in the AWS Free Tier for uninterrupted testing and optimization.

Key Features:

  • Automated Breakout Detection: Finds potential buy and sell stop entries near recent swing highs and lows.
  • Customizable Parameters: Easily load the preset file to apply default settings for BTC and XAUUSD.
  • Risk Management & News Integration: Control trade frequency, risk percentage, and filter trades around news events.
  • 24/7 Operation via VPS: Optionally host the EA on an AWS Windows instance for continuous trading without leaving your personal computer on.

Step 1: Creating an Exness Account

Before you can deploy the EA, you’ll need a trading account that supports MT5. Exness is a reputable broker offering user-friendly account setups and MT5 integration.

  1. Visit the Exness Website:
    Head over to Exness Official Website and click "Open Account." (in a case where you are redirected to UK business account install VPN and to allow you use a different location)

  2. Register Your Details:
    Enter your email, create a password, and select your country of residence. Choose an account type (e.g., Standard).

  3. Verify Your Account:
    Upload the required documents to verify your identity and address as prompted.

  4. Demo vs. Live Trading:
    If you’re new to the EA, start with a demo account to familiarize yourself with its functionality. Live trading can be considered once you’re confident in the EA’s performance.

  5. Get MT5 Credentials:
    In your Exness dashboard, create or select an MT5 account and note down the login details (MT5 login, server, and password).

Step 2: Installing & Running BreakoutGuard EA on MetaTrader 5

  1. Download/Acquire the EA & Preset File:

    • Ensure you have the BreakoutGuard EA.ex5 file.
    • You will also receive a .set file (preset) with recommended parameters for BTC and XAUUSD.

  2. Copy Files to the Correct Folders:

    • Place the EA (BreakoutGuard EA.ex5) in your MT5 MQL5/Experts/ directory.
    • Place the preset file (e.g., BreakoutGuard_BTC_XAUUSD.set) in the MQL5/Presets/ directory.

  3. Launch MetaTrader 5:
    Open MT5 and log in using your Exness MT5 credentials.

  4. Attach the EA to a Chart:

    • Go to View > Navigator in MT5.
    • Expand Expert Advisors, find BreakoutGuard EA, and drag it onto a chart (preferably BTCUSD or XAUUSD).

  5. Loading the Preset File:

    • When the EA’s "Properties" window opens, select the Inputs tab.
    • Click Load..., navigate to MQL5/Presets/ in your data folder, and select BreakoutGuard_BTC_XAUUSD.set.
    • Click Open to load the preset parameters.

    The loaded parameters are now optimized for BTC and XAUUSD trading. You can review and adjust them if needed.

  6. Enable Algorithmic Trading:

    • Make sure the Algo Trading button at the top of MT5 is enabled (green).
    • Click OK to apply settings. The EA will now run and place/modify orders based on the preset values.

Pro Tip: Always run on a demo account first to ensure the preset and parameters meet your expectations.

Step 3: Optional – Using AWS Free Tier (Windows Instance) for Continuous Trading

For continuous testing without relying on your home PC’s uptime, consider using the AWS Free Tier to run a Windows VPS where MT5 and your EA can operate 24/7.

Setting Up Your AWS Account

  1. Sign Up for AWS:

    • Go to AWS Official Website and create an account.
    • Provide a valid email, set a root user name, and enter your billing information. AWS Free Tier covers certain resources for 12 months, but you need to add a credit card for identity verification.

  2. Confirm Your Identity & Login:

    • Verify your phone number and identity as instructed.
    • Log into the AWS Management Console once your account is active.

Launching an AWS EC2 Windows Instance

  1. Open EC2 Dashboard:

    • In the AWS Management Console, search for EC2 and open the service.

  2. Launch a New Instance:

    • Click Launch Instance.
    • Choose a Windows Server AMI that is Free Tier eligible.
    • Select t2.micro or t3.micro instance type.
    • Configure security group to allow RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) from your IP.
    • Launch the instance and follow prompts to download your key pair if required.

  3. Connect to Your VPS:

    • Once the instance is running, select it and choose Connect.
    • Download the .rdp file and obtain the administrator password to log in via Remote Desktop (if you are on MacOS then you will have to download windows app from the app store)

  4. Install MT5 on the VPS:

    • On the Windows VPS, use Internet Explorer to download and install MT5 from your broker’s website.
    • Log in with your Exness MT5 credentials.

  5. Transfer and Run the EA & Preset:

    • Copy BreakoutGuard EA.ex5 and your .set file to the VPS (enable file transfer via RDP or email the files to yourself).
    • Place the EA in MQL5/Experts/ and the preset in MQL5/Presets/.
    • Launch MT5 and attach the EA to a chart, then load the preset file as described above.

  6. Enable Automated Trading:

    • Click Algo Trading in MT5.
    • The EA will run continuously on the VPS, even if you close your local machine.

Why BTC and XAUUSD?

We’ve chosen BTC (cryptocurrency) and XAUUSD (Gold) for the initial preset because:

  • They offer diverse market conditions and volatility profiles.
  • They are popular instruments that often exhibit clear breakout patterns.
  • Testing on these pairs can provide insights before expanding to other assets.

If you want to enable more assets, you can adjust the input parameters or create your own presets once you’re comfortable with how the EA operates.

Conclusion

With the BreakoutGuard EA and a pre-tuned preset for BTC and XAUUSD, you’re set to explore automated breakout trading strategies. Using a VPS via the AWS Free Tier ensures continuous operation and minimal downtime. Start with a demo account on Exness, load the preset file in MT5, and run the EA to see how it performs. As you gain confidence, tweak parameters and consider going live.

Remember: Always test thoroughly, monitor performance, and adjust as needed based on market conditions and personal risk tolerance.

For more details, visit Open Lab Technologies or review the documentation provided by Exness and AWS for account-specific queries.

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Nazeh Abel

Writer passionate about technology and sharing knowledge.