A Singaporean man recently went viral after sharing that he earns up to $12,000 a month trading forex from home — sparking intense debate online about whether forex trading is really the “easy money” some claim it to be.
The man, who identified himself as Kelvin, 33, revealed in a podcast interview that he started dabbling in forex in his mid-20s. Initially, he lost nearly $10,000 in his first year due to poor money management and impulsive trades. “I thought just watch YouTube, follow some signals can already,” he admitted. “End up kena burn jialat.”
But after years of trial and error, taking online courses, and tweaking his trading strategy, Kelvin said he finally found his rhythm. Today, he claims to trade full-time from his HDB flat in Bedok, with daily profits sometimes hitting four digits. On average, he pulls in around $10K to $12K a month, mostly trading major currency pairs like USD/JPY and EUR/USD during the London and New York sessions.
The Not-So-Glam Side of Trading
While his earnings might sound impressive, Kelvin stressed that forex is anything but easy.
“I sleep at 3am sometimes. One wrong move and your whole week of profit gone. I also got weeks where I earn only $500,” he shared. “Mentally, it’s damn tiring. Sometimes I see chart until eyes also pain.”
He also warned against blindly trusting online “gurus” who claim to offer secret systems for fast profits. “A lot of them just sell course. Never even trade one lot also.”
Kelvin adds that consistency only came after strict risk management, such as limiting losses to 1% per trade, and journaling every win and loss to identify patterns.
Netizens React: “Not Everyone Can Tahan the Stress”
Comments on the podcast clip, which circulated widely on TikTok and Reddit Singapore, were mixed. Some praised Kelvin for his perseverance, while others questioned the sustainability of such income.
“$12K sounds shiok, but got CPF or not? Got bonus? What if next month market crash?” one user asked.
Another shared their personal experience: “Tried forex before. Two months can’t sleep properly. Lost $3,000 and my confidence.”
Some also questioned whether Kelvin was just lucky during a good trading season, pointing out that long-term success in forex is rare, with studies showing over 70% of retail traders lose money.
While Kelvin’s story might inspire those stuck in the 9-to-5 grind, it’s a stark reminder that forex trading is no get-rich-quick path. Behind the glitzy income figure lies hours of research, emotional discipline, and a tolerance for extreme volatility. As Kelvin puts it, “Yes, can make money. But easy? Aiya… not really lah.”