Iulian Rusu is a 28-year-old full-time trader based in Spain. He’s been trading the markets for several years and earned his first funded account around 2020 – a milestone he treats as the start of the work, not the end. Today he splits his day between European session forex (EUR/USD, EUR/GBP) and US session Nasdaq futures, using FVGs around key levels on the 3-5 minute charts with higher-timeframe context. His edge isn’t a clever setup – it’s discipline, simple execution, and accepting losses without flinching.
Q Quick intro – who are you, how old are you, where are you from, and what do you trade?
A My name is Iulian. I’m 28 years old and based in Spain. I’ve been trading full-time for a few years now and got funded around 2020. I mainly focus on forex and futures – especially EURUSD, EURGBP, and Nasdaq.
Q When did you become a funded trader? What changed for you at that point?
A I became funded around 2020. From that moment, I started taking trading much more seriously. I stopped trying to rush results and focused more on consistency, discipline, and managing risk properly.
Q How did you feel when you became a funded trader for the first time?
A It felt good, but it wasn’t anything too emotional. It was more like confirmation that I was on the right path. At the same time, I knew that getting funded was just the beginning.
“Getting funded was just the beginning.”– Iulian Rusu
Q How many times did you fail before getting funded? What kept you going?
A I failed quite a lot of accounts – both challenges and even funded ones. At the beginning, I didn’t really understand how to adapt to prop firm rules. What kept me going was seeing that I was improving over time.
Verified Track Record
Several years of funded trading across multiple firms – including over $108K in total FTMO rewards alongside his Topstep account, plus payout receipts and verification certificates that document the journey.
Q What was your lowest point in trading? Did you ever consider quitting?
A My lowest point was when I kept repeating the same mistakes – especially overtrading and forcing trades. I did think about quitting at some point, but I knew I hadn’t really given it enough time yet.
Q Did trading ever affect you mentally or emotionally?
A Yes, especially at the beginning. There was stress, overtrading, and self-doubt. Over time, once I focused more on risk and accepted losses, things became much more stable.
Q What does your trading style look like today?
A Today I keep things quite simple and focused. I mainly trade EURUSD, EURGBP, and Nasdaq futures. I usually operate on the 3 and 5 minute charts, using the 15 minute and 1H for context, looking for FVGs around key levels.
Q What’s a typical trading day for you? Walk us through your routine.
A I usually wake up early to catch the European session and focus on forex pairs. I check higher timeframes, mark my levels, and wait for setups. Then I take a break and come back for the US session to trade Nasdaq.
Q Do people around you understand what you do? How do they react?
A At the beginning, not really. Most people think trading is just luck or gambling. Over time, when they see consistency, they start to understand it better.
Q How has trading impacted your lifestyle?
A It’s given me a lot of freedom in terms of time and location, which I really value. At the same time, it requires discipline because everything depends on you.
Q What keeps you motivated to continue trading?
A The fact that there’s always something to improve. Even after years, you’re still learning and refining things, which keeps it interesting.
“Don’t rush it. Focus on discipline and risk management first. Most of my mistakes came from trying to go too fast.”– Iulian Rusu
Q What would you tell your younger self when you first started trading?
A Don’t rush it. Focus on discipline and risk management first. Most of my mistakes came from trying to go too fast.
Q If I gave you a $1,000,000 funded account today, what would you do in the first 7 days?
A Exactly the same as I do now. Same setups, same risk, same process. The goal would be to stay consistent and protect the account.
Connect with Iulian
Follow his journey and connect with him on LinkedIn.
Funded Trader Certificate
Phase 2 Verification
Funded Account Certificate
Funded Account Certificate (Junio)
$2,200 Payout — May 9, 2025
