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Legends of Trading: Takashi Kotegawa

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Written by Timothy Sykes
Reviewed by Jack Kellogg Fact-checked by Ellis Hobbs
Updated 10/29/2024 8 min read

Takashi Kotegawa, also known as “BNF,” his chatroom username, is a legendary Japanese day trader known for his aggressive and successful trading strategies. Kotegawa’s trading style is meticulous, focusing on price movements and market fluctuations.

The basis of Kotegawa’s success is based on sharp attention to detail, understanding market psychology, and acting decisively on opportunities.

You should read this article because it breaks down Takashi Kotegawa’s trading strategies and successes that turned him into a legend among day traders.

I’ll answer the following questions:

  • Who is Takashi Kotegawa?
  • Is Takashi Kotegawa legit or a scam?
  • What trading strategy is Takashi Kotegawa famous for?
  • How did Takashi Kotegawa get started?
  • What are the early trading successes of Takashi Kotegawa?
  • What is Takashi Kotegawa’s net worth?
  • Does Takashi Kotegawa have a blog or website?

Let’s get to the content!

Who Is Takashi Kotegawa?

Takashi Kotegawa (aka BNF/J-Com man) is one of Japan’s most famous day traders. He’s also one of the most famous traders in the business.

He apparently made a fortune trading stocks on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in the early 2000s, putting many Wall Street traders to shame. And then he disappeared — besides for the occasional regulatory hiring.

I’ve got a lot more here on Kotegawa’s amazing journey into the day trading hall of fame! 

Kotegawa’s success has inspired many in the trading community, especially in Japan, where he became a symbol of what’s possible in stock trading with the right strategy. He exemplifies how disciplined trading and a well-honed strategy can lead to significant financial gains in the stock market.

Is Takashi Kotegawa Legit or a Scam?

Takashi Kotegawa is definitely legit. He has a track record of successful trades, particularly his remarkable profit from a trading error involving Mizuho Securities.

He reportedly amassed a fortune of over $153 million in the stock market through his trading strategies, particularly during bear markets and market anomalies. This kind of success isn’t built overnight; it comes from experience, knowledge of the markets, and a disciplined approach to trading.

Kotegawa’s story shows investors the importance of discipline, strategic thinking, and understanding market dynamics. His success isn’t about luck; it’s about making informed decisions and having the ability to adapt.

Kotegawa started with a small account and, over time, became a legend in trading. You can start with a small account and be successful too, as long you know the right strategies. Check out my video below to learn how.

What Trading Strategy Is Takashi Kotegawa Famous For?

Kotegawa is particularly renowned for his scalping strategy, where he executes a large number of quick trades to capitalize on small price movements. This approach requires meticulous attention to market fluctuations and rapid decision-making. It’s not about waiting for a massive surge in price but rather accumulating profits from minor market movements.

Scalping Strategy

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Scalping involves making numerous trades throughout the day, aiming to profit from small changes in stock prices. Kotegawa mastered this by using technical analysis, including indicators like moving averages and Bollinger Bands, to identify potential entry and exit points.

The illustration below shows how Bollinger Bands work in relation to stock prices:

How Did Takashi Kotegawa Get Started?

Kotegawa started trading in the early 2000s with a modest amount of capital. His early days involved careful analysis of market information and price patterns, learning how to react to market changes.

His big break came when he took advantage of a significant trading error by Mizuho Securities, turning an unusual opportunity into a massive profit. This kind of situational awareness is something every trader should develop.

Like many successful traders, Kotegawa’s journey began with small investments, learning the market’s nuances, and progressively increasing his position sizes as his confidence and skill grew.

What Are the Early Trading Successes of Takashi Kotegawa?

Kotegawa’s early success came from his quick reaction to a trading error involving J-Com shares. When Mizuho Securities mistakenly placed a sell order for 610,000 shares of J-Com at 1 yen each instead of selling 1 share at 610,000 yen, Kotegawa saw this as a rare opportunity.

Kotegawa purchased a substantial amount of these underpriced shares and made millions when the error was corrected. This event marked a turning point in his trading career and demonstrated his ability to make money by recognizing and acting on market anomalies.

Which Stock Picks Are on Takashi Kotegawa’s Watchlist?

While Kotegawa is known for trading various stocks, he often focuses on those with high volatility and liquidity. This includes sectors that are experiencing rapid changes or have high momentum.

His approach involves staying informed about market news, monitoring stock performance, and being ready to act on significant price movements.

High volatility stocks, often found in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, provide the price swings that scalpers like Kotegawa thrive on.

Finding success like Kotegawa’s starts with having the right trading platform to monitor short-term price patterns, create charts, apply technical indicators, and more.

 

When it comes to trading platforms, StocksToTrade is first on my list. It’s a powerful day and swing trading platform that integrates with most major brokers. I helped to design it, which means it has all the trading indicators, news sources, and stock screening capabilities that traders like me look for in a platform.

Grab your 14-day StocksToTrade trial today — it’s only $7!

What Is Takashi Kotegawa’s Net Worth?

Kotegawa’s net worth is estimated to be over $153 million. His wealth was primarily amassed through trading, particularly during volatile market periods.

To achieve this level of success, traders must have a deep understanding of market behavior, a disciplined approach to risk management, and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions.

Kotegawa’s journey demonstrates that substantial wealth in trading is possible through consistent strategy execution and staying focused on market signals.

Trading isn’t rocket science. It’s a skill you build and work on like any other. Trading has changed my life, and I think this way of life should be open to more people…

I’ve built my Trading Challenge to pass on the things I had to learn for myself. It’s the kind of community that I wish I had when I was starting out.

We don’t accept everyone. If you’re up for the challenge — I want to hear from you.

Apply to the Trading Challenge here.

Trading is a battlefield. The more knowledge you have, the better prepared you’ll be.

Is continuous education part of your trading toolkit? Write “I’ll keep it simple Tim!” in the comments if you picked up on my trading philosophy!

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FAQs About Takashi Kotegawa

How Old Is Takashi Kotegawa?

Takashi Kotegawa was born in 1978, making him 46 years old in 2024. His trading career spans over two decades, during which he has honed his strategies and maintained his presence in the market.

Does Takashi Kotegawa Have a Blog or Website?

Kotegawa is known for being a private individual and does not maintain a public blog or website. His strategies and insights are primarily shared through interviews and media coverage. This privacy often adds to his mystique within the trading community.

Does Takashi Kotegawa Have a TikTok, YouTube, or IG Account?

Kotegawa doesn’t have a significant social media presence on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram. His preference for staying under the radar contrasts with many traders today who use social media to build their brands.

Does Takashi Kotegawa Offer a Course?

As of now, Kotegawa does not offer a trading course or lessons. His approach and strategies are known primarily through the accounts of those who have studied his trading style.


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* Results are not typical and will vary from person to person. Making money trading stocks takes time, dedication, and hard work. There are inherent risks involved with investing in the stock market, including the loss of your investment. Past performance in the market is not indicative of future results. Any investment is at your own risk. See Terms of Service here

The available research on day trading suggests that most active traders lose money. Fees and overtrading are major contributors to these losses.

A 2000 study called “Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors” evaluated 66,465 U.S. households that held stocks from 1991 to 1996. The households that traded most averaged an 11.4% annual return during a period where the overall market gained 17.9%. These lower returns were attributed to overconfidence.

A 2014 paper (revised 2019) titled “Learning Fast or Slow?” analyzed the complete transaction history of the Taiwan Stock Exchange between 1992 and 2006. It looked at the ongoing performance of day traders in this sample, and found that 97% of day traders can expect to lose money from trading, and more than 90% of all day trading volume can be traced to investors who predictably lose money. Additionally, it tied the behavior of gamblers and drivers who get more speeding tickets to overtrading, and cited studies showing that legalized gambling has an inverse effect on trading volume.

A 2019 research study (revised 2020) called “Day Trading for a Living?” observed 19,646 Brazilian futures contract traders who started day trading from 2013 to 2015, and recorded two years of their trading activity. The study authors found that 97% of traders with more than 300 days actively trading lost money, and only 1.1% earned more than the Brazilian minimum wage ($16 USD per day). They hypothesized that the greater returns shown in previous studies did not differentiate between frequent day traders and those who traded rarely, and that more frequent trading activity decreases the chance of profitability.

These studies show the wide variance of the available data on day trading profitability. One thing that seems clear from the research is that most day traders lose money .

Millionaire Media 66 W Flagler St. Ste. 900 Miami, FL 33130 United States (888) 878-3621 This is for information purposes only as Millionaire Media LLC nor Timothy Sykes is registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser. No information herein is intended as securities brokerage, investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security or fund. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes cannot and does not assess, verify or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information, the suitability or profitability of any particular investment, or the potential value of any investment or informational source. The reader bears responsibility for his/her own investment research and decisions, should seek the advice of a qualified securities professional before making any investment, and investigate and fully understand any and all risks before investing. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes in no way warrants the solvency, financial condition, or investment advisability of any of the securities mentioned in communications or websites. In addition, Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this information. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis of any investment decision, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the investment needs of any particular investor. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future returns.

Citations for Disclaimer

Barber, Brad M. and Odean, Terrance, Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors. Available at SSRN: “Day Trading for a Living?”

Barber, Brad M. and Lee, Yi-Tsung and Liu, Yu-Jane and Odean, Terrance and Zhang, Ke, Learning Fast or Slow? (May 28, 2019). Forthcoming: Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=2535636”

Chague, Fernando and De-Losso, Rodrigo and Giovannetti, Bruno, Day Trading for a Living? (June 11, 2020). Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=3423101”