Introduction
Meet Julio C., a 58-year-old engineer from Bogotá, Colombia, who has withdrawn an incredible $17,000 through the OneUp Trader funded program! This experienced trader, who has been with OneUp Trader since 2018, recently completed his second payout after achieving remarkable results in just 5 days using his ‘smart money‘ trading strategy.
His journey shows how preparation, discipline, and the right funding partner can turn consistency into success.
How Did He Approach OneUp Trader Funded Trader Program
Julio brings more than six years of trading experience to the markets, focusing primarily on NQ and MNQ contracts. His background as an engineer certainly helped him with an analytical foundation for his approach to trading, which he describes as operating with a “smart money strategy.”
A smart money trading strategy is an approach where traders aim to follow the actions of large, informed market participants, such as institutions, banks, and hedge funds, who possess better information and resources. The idea is to identify where these players are entering or exiting the market using tools like volume and order flow analysis, liquidity zones, or market structure concepts (e.g., order blocks, stop hunts, and fair value gaps), and trade in alignment with them.

His daily preparation routine begins the night before, when he reviews the previous day’s trades and analyzes news events scheduled for the upcoming trading session. This is an important element that we see most successful traders at the OneUp Trader funded trader program implement. They are always preparing correctly and never leaving anything up to their emotions. Once again, it’s undeniable that Julio’s engineering background served him well in this.
Performance Statistics
Here is a closer look at his stats over one of his accounts:
- Total withdrawal: $17,000
- Win rate: 45.24%
- Profit factor: 2.56
- Average risk-reward ratio: 3.06
- Average profit per trade: $3,384.31
- Largest single gain: $5,671.84
- Average hold time: 10 minutes 41 seconds
- Evaluation ROI: 11,233%

His profit factor of 2.56, combined with a risk-reward ratio of 3.06, shows excellent risk management. Despite winning less than half his trades, he secured larger profits on winning trades than losses on losing trades, which drives his overall profitability.
The Express Account Advantage
Julio trades exclusively with the $50K account and has taken advantage of OneUp Trader’s Express Account feature.
Express Funding allows traders to pass our Evaluation and get funded in just 5 days instead of the usual 10 trading days for regular accounts. Additionally, there is an expedited funding process after passing the evaluation without waiting for several days.
Traders have an exclusive opportunity to sign up for the Express Funding account option within 30 days of losing their funded accounts, enabling them to get back to trading with funded capital as quickly as possible.
You can learn more about the Express Funding here: https://oneuptrader.helpscoutdocs.com/article/488-express-funding-how-does-it-work
OneUp Trader Experience
Julio chose OneUp Trader for its clear rules and transparent approach. He rates OneUp Trader an 8 out of 10, citing customer support satisfaction and noting that “as long as you follow the rules, the operation is simpler.”
Julio also acknowledges his weakness as all good traders do: “difficulty accepting losses.” This self-awareness is crucial for any trader because it helps them improve in what they are doing; without it, there is no path toward development.
Julio’s Keys To Success
Julio’s performance shows a few key strengths that set him apart as a trader. He takes a systematic approach to analyzing the market, sticks to disciplined risk management with reward ratios above 3:1, and uses OneUp Trader’s Express Account feature to reduce downtime and keep his focus sharp.
Just as importantly, he maintains a long-term outlook, treating trading as an ongoing process of growth and development rather than a quick win. His background in engineering gives him a strong analytical mindset that supports his smart money strategy, while his years of experience help him manage the psychological side of trading, accepting losses when they come and making the most out of winning trades.
Pair this with a trusted funding partner, and you have a recipe for success!
Final Thoughts
Julio’s $17,000 withdrawal using his smart money strategy proves that experience, discipline, and preparation can overcome lower win rates through advanced risk management. His journey from joining OneUp Trader in 2018 to completing successful withdrawals from his funded trading accounts shows the potential for long-term success with the right approach and funding partner support.
We are happy to have a trader like Julio at OneUp Trader, and it inspires us to continue to strive to make our funded trader program better and better each year!