Ifan Wei Interview: From the Boxing Ring to the Trading Floor

To help you get to know T3 Live’s growing bench of trading talent, we’ve launched a series called “Meet the Traders” so you can get an inside look at how our team operates.

Today, we are proud to introduce you to Ifan Wei, one of our moderators in the T3 Live Black Room.

1) Welcome Ifan! Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up in Texas.

I attended the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, where I boxed for 4 years.

Upon graduation, I began my career in marketing in big tech and the NFL.

So even before I became a trader, I had the privilege of exciting, fulfilling, and challenging opportunities.

Trading is a progression of that.

2) What's Tougher? Trading or Boxing?

 

Progress came more naturally in boxing, but both have their challenges, both physically and mentally.

3) Do you think your boxing background has helped you as a trader?

Yes, absolutely.

I think training for any competitive event makes you stronger mentally and emotionally.

And competing in sports emphasizes a cycle of practice and preparation to be highly functional in a stressful, dynamic arena.

That can help any trader.

4) How did you first get involved with the markets?

My dad has always kept an eye on the markets, but not as a very active participant.

So while I was aware of its existence and daily fluctuations, I was not introduced to price charts until an accounting class case presentation.

Comparing company 10/K’s and curiosity about the impact on a company’s stock price led me to charts.

So, there wasn’t a seminal moment that turned me into a trader.

I just progressively became more interested in reading charts.

5) How would you describe your trading methodology?

I use a top-down approach to technical analysis in order to anticipate momentum.

I speculate on momentum based on two strategies: broken support/resistance and climactics (parabolic exhaustion).

My most common strategy is when support or resistance is broken overnight, producing a gap in price at the open.

To time my entrie, I use variations on 2 basic repeating patterns: bases and retracements.

6) What is your day-to-day focus these days?

My #1 focus each day are stocks that gap.

While most stocks gap each day, I am looking for the outliers.

Inside the universe of the 2,000 most liquid equities, I focus on the extreme gainers and decliners. Typically, I am looking for a pattern/entry in the direction of the momentum.

Other times, I am looking for signs of parabolic acceleration into exhaustion.

If that sets up, I will begin to look to play against the trend.

7) What is the 1 thing you wish you knew when you started as a trader?

The importance of patience.

I did not know what kind of trader I was when I started.

While I was fortunate enough to get an education at the beginning of my trading career, I lacked the self-awareness and understanding to internalize and apply it.

8) Do you believe in setting specific stop loss and target prices?

Yes.

A stop loss is there for me to know when I should admit I'm wrong. If the trade sets up again, then I can always re-enter.

My targets come from the concept of support and resistance areas, and I trail my stops when those areas are reached.

9) Are you concerned about high-frequency and algorithmic grading?

Yes, but my risk management acknowledges that anything can happen at anytime.

I don't make any specific adjustments in my trading to account for them.

10) What is 1 thing traders can do today to start getting better results?

Track your trades.

If you already track your trade entries and exit, be sure to journal your thoughts throughout the trading day. Log your observations.

You will pass on trades that work, and pass on trades that don't work.

These decisions can be just as enlightening as the trades that you take.

11) What book should every beginning trader read?

I’ve read and reread the commonly cited classics like Reminisces of a Stock Operator, Trading in the Zone, and The Zurich Axioms.

They’re great.

But I think anything that provides self-reflection and introspection can help you become a better trader, even if it’s not a trading-specific text.

Psychology/philosophy books like Thinking, Fast and Slow and The Tao of Jeet Kune Do can be just as enlightening for a trader.

12) Are there any traders you look up to?

I admire Sami Abusaad, Mark Harila, and Kurt Capra, my co-moderators in the Black Room, as well as my previous mentors.

I try to keep in touch with a number of other professional traders.

Consistency is a quality that they all share, and they are key to longevity in this business.

They vary in style and approach but are consistent day-in and day-out in their method.

13) What would you be doing if you weren’t a trader?

I’d probably still be in sports marketing. I have friends working for the big agencies and teams who still love what they do.

Click here to learn more about the T3 Live Black Room