The success rate (i.e., making money) from day trading is actually quite low. Depending on the source, only around 5% to 20% of day traders consistently make money—which means that up to 95% fail and lose money by day trading.
What are the financial risks of day trading?
The most obvious risk to day trading is losing money—sometimes all of it. Because so few day traders consistently earn a profit over time, your time and money be better spent in more productive activities.
The Bottom Line
Day trading is not a hobby or occasional activity if you are serious about trading to make money. While there is no guarantee that you will make money or be able to predict your average rate of return over any period of time, there are strategies that you can master to help you lock in gains while minimizing losses.
It takes discipline, capital, patience, training, and risk management to be a successful day trader. If you’re interested, review the best stockbrokers for day trading, as the first step is to choose the right broker for your needs.