Nathan Halaba interview: Simplicity, discipline, and African traders

Nathan Halaba believes long-term development in trading comes from discipline, simplicity, calculated risk, and realistic expectations. In this interview, the trader and educator explains how those principles shaped his career and community. 

Nathan has spent more than seven years developing an approach built around session-based price action, calculated risk, and a focused watchlist. In this interview, the newest Exness Team Pro member discusses his early mistakes, the rules that help him manage overtrading, and why education is central to his vision for African traders. 

How did your trading journey begin? 

I started trading while I was at university, over seven years ago. Curiosity was the main reason. People were talking about online trading and the possibility of having more financial and personal freedom, and I wanted to understand how it worked. 

At that time, many people in my region were suspicious of online businesses, so I was sometimes hesitant even to say that I traded. By my third or fourth year, I could see that trading had the potential to become a career but that I needed to approach it differently. 

What changed when you began treating trading as a career? 

In the beginning, I wanted to progress too quickly. I moved from one approach to another whenever I saw somebody presenting a new idea. Eventually, I realised I needed to know when to trade, what to trade, how to trade, and, importantly, when not to trade. Viewing trading as a long-term career made discipline and risk management much more important. 

How did education become part of your work?

It developed naturally from my university experience. Other students would see me looking at charts between lectures. Word spread, and people began asking me to explain trading or show them what I was doing. It became difficult to teach everybody individually, so I started a group where the process could be more coordinated. 

That group eventually developed into Forex Supremes, offering online and in-person sessions. Education became an extension of my journey because I wanted others to avoid mistakes that had taken me years to understand. 

Why do you avoid making profits the centre of your content? 

I show results occasionally, but if profits are the first thing that inspires somebody, they may form unrealistic expectations. I prefer to show the strategy, discipline, risk management, and thinking behind a decision. My goal is to help people move from a speculation or risk-taking mindset towards disciplined, structured, long-term thinking. 

What does “simplicity is profitability” mean to you? 

Many traders become overwhelmed because they believe they need to do more and overcomplicate the market. I believe a simplified, structured path can make a trader more effective. That is why I often say, “Simplicity is profitability.” It is not a promise that a simple system will always make money. It means removing unnecessary complexity so that you can understand your process and follow it consistently. 

How would you describe your trading strategy? 

My approach is primarily session-based price action. I am most active during the London and New York sessions, and I use the daily opens and selected areas of interest to guide my analysis. Technical analysis is the larger part of my process, but I also consider fundamentals, as news and wider events can affect price behaviour. 

I prefer making decisions based on price rather than relying heavily on indicators. My main instruments are the Nasdaq, gold, and bitcoin. At university, I traded the Nasdaq so often that people started calling me “Mr Nas.” A narrow watchlist also supports discipline: if there is no suitable opportunity in the markets I know, I do not search randomly for a setup elsewhere. 

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Was there a particular loss that changed your approach? 

Yes. In 2018, I held positions in GBPUSD and GBPJPY during Brexit-related volatility. At that stage, I did not fully understand the impact that news could have on the market. Price moved sharply against me, and I lost the account.

It was painful, but it made me research what had caused the movement. I learned that technical analysis is not the whole picture: a trader also needs to understand the fundamental environment and the potential for volatility around major events. 

How do you approach risk now? 

I try to make the potential loss clear before I enter a trade. It is pre-calculated rather than discovered after the position is open. That does not make a loss pleasant, but it makes it easier to accept because it has already been acknowledged as part of the plan. 

I focus on how much I am prepared to risk before thinking about what I might gain. Tools can help clarify position parameters, but the trader still has to respect the plan. 

What rules help you avoid overtrading? 

My rule is one or two trades a day. If the first loses, I step away from that session and may return for the next with a fresher mindset. If the second also loses, the day is over. The break prevents frustration from immediately influencing another decision. 

Does artificial intelligence play a role in your trading? 

I do not rely heavily on AI for trading decisions because price action gives me most of the information I use. I do see value in tools that support reflection and accountability, such as those that help organize journal data. Technology does not remove the need for judgment and discipline. 

What have you learned from your trading community? 

The biggest change I have seen is in expectations. Some people arrive wanting immediate results, but their questions begin to change. Instead of asking how much they can make in a day, they ask how to become more disciplined. When people begin treating trading as a long-term career, the conversation becomes healthier and more realistic. 

How did your relationship with Exness begin? 

It developed naturally, but I was cautious at first. I had previously had a difficult experience involving another broker, and I wanted to protect the relationship and trust I had built with my audience. 

When Exness approached me, I asked for time to experience the platform before making a decision. I looked at the overall trading experience, including spreads, execution, withdrawals, and the platform itself. I wanted anything I said to my community to be grounded in my own experience rather than simply repeating what somebody had told me.

Over time, I also saw Exness supporting trader communities. That aligned with my own priorities, and the relationship grew from there. 

What does joining Exness Team Pro mean to you? 

It is an exciting opportunity because it allows me to take my work beyond the local level and contribute on a broader scale. I see it as a platform to continue educating traders and sharing the experiences that helped me overcome my own challenges. 

I want traders to understand that their challenges are not unique. Through Exness Team Pro, I hope to represent African traders and contribute to the wider global trading community. 

How do you see the future of trading across Africa? 

The environment is becoming more competitive, with more platforms, educators, and collaborations. I see that positively because it creates more opportunities for conversation and learning. As the market grows, visibility must be matched by realistic guidance on risk, discipline, and the time needed to develop. 

What is the single lesson you want traders to remember? 

If there is anything to take away, it is discipline. Discipline supports longevity. It helps you stick to your plan, protects you from unnecessary decisions, and keeps you developing over time. Strategy matters, but without the discipline to follow it, the strategy cannot do its job.