SMC Market Structures Trading System in MQL5

Introduction

Imagine charting market movements with the precision of a master cartographer, using institutional price levels to guide your trading decisions with clarity. The SMC Market Structures EA is your advanced market structure navigation tool, designed to automate trading by leveraging a custom Smart Money Concepts (SMC) indicator ("handleSMC_MS", "iCustom()") to identify key price levels, such as order blocks or liquidity zones. A buy signal triggers when the price breaks above an upper border ("UPBorder[5] > 0", "Bid >= openPriceUpBorder") from five bars ago, opening a 0.01-lot buy trade ("obj_Trade.Buy()") with a 100-pip stop loss and take profit ("Bid-100*_Point", "Bid+100*_Point"). A sell signal occurs when the price falls below a lower border ("DOWNBorder[5] > 0", "Ask <= openPriceDOWNBorder"), initiating a sell trade ("obj_Trade.Sell()") with similar risk parameters. Trades are limited to one per new signal ("isNewBuySignal", "isNewSellSignal", "openTimeBuy", "openTimeSell") to prevent overtrading, with no magic number for position tracking. This strategy suits traders targeting institutional price levels, requiring careful risk management due to reliance on a custom indicator and fixed risk settings.

This article is crafted with a professional, engaging, and seamless narrative, flowing like a well-calibrated market structure navigation system, designed to inform and captivate readers. Tailored for both novice and experienced traders, we’ll dissect each code component with clear, precise explanations, as if guiding an apprentice cartographer through a structure-trading project. With vivid examples—like trading EURUSD—and a polished tone, we’ll explore how the EA initializes, detects signals, executes trades, and ensures cleanup. Using a precision market structure navigation metaphor, this guide will illuminate the code’s technical rigor, empowering you to trade key levels with confidence. Let’s activate the system and begin this trading expedition!

Strategy Blueprint

Let’s outline the EA’s market structure framework, like drafting specifications for a navigation system:

• Indicator Setup: Initializes a custom SMC Market Structures indicator ("iCustom()", "handleSMC_MS") to detect upper and lower borders (e.g., order blocks, liquidity zones).

• Signal Detection: Triggers a buy when price breaks above an upper border from five bars ago ("UPBorder[5] > 0", "Bid >= openPriceUpBorder") or a sell when price falls below a lower border ("DOWNBorder[5] > 0", "Ask <= openPriceDOWNBorder"), using "CopyBuffer()", "iTime()".

• Trade Execution: Opens 0.01-lot buy/sell trades ("obj_Trade.Buy()", "obj_Trade.Sell()") with 100-pip stop losses and take profits ("Bid-100*_Point", "Ask+100*_Point").

• Trade Limitation: Restricts trades to one per new signal ("isNewBuySignal", "isNewSellSignal", "openTimeBuy", "openTimeSell") to avoid overtrading.

• Execution: Processes signals on each tick ("OnTick()") with price data from "SymbolInfoDouble()".

• Enhancements: Adding a magic number, configurable SL/TP, or signal confirmation filters could improve control and reliability. This framework automates trading at key market levels with precision, leveraging SMC signals for targeted entries.

Code Implementation

Let’s step into the market structure navigation control room and dissect the MQL5 code that powers this SMC Market Structures EA. We’ll guide you through each phase like expert cartographers, ensuring the narrative flows seamlessly with professional clarity and engaging precision that captivates readers. We’ll cover initialization, signal detection, trade execution, and cleanup, with detailed explanations and examples—like trading EURUSD—to make it accessible for beginners. Each phase will build on the last, crafting a cohesive technical narrative that transforms code into a compelling structure-trading project. Let’s power up the system and begin!

Phase 1: Constructing the Framework—Initialization

We start by building the trading system, initializing the custom SMC indicator.

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                    SMC MARKET STRUCTURES MT5.mq5 |
//|                           Copyright 2025, Allan Munene Mutiiria. |
//|                                   https://t.me/Forex_Algo_Trader |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Copyright 2025, Allan Munene Mutiiria."
#property link      "https://t.me/Forex_Algo_Trader"
#property version   "1.00"

#include <Trade/Trade.mqh>
CTrade obj_Trade;

int handleSMC_MS;
double UPBorder[];
double DOWNBorder[];

datetime openTimeUpBorder = 0;
datetime openTimeBuy = 0;
bool isNewBuySignal = false;
double openPriceUpBorder = 0;

datetime openTimeDOWNBorder = 0;
datetime openTimeSell = 0;
bool isNewSellSignal = false;
double openPriceDOWNBorder = 0;

int OnInit(){
   handleSMC_MS = iCustom(_Symbol,_Period,"Market\\Market Structures MT5");
   if (handleSMC_MS == INVALID_HANDLE) return (INIT_FAILED);
   ArraySetAsSeries(UPBorder,true);
   ArraySetAsSeries(DOWNBorder,true);
   return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
}

The system begins with the #property header, establishing copyright and contact details (updated to Telegram link), like calibrating a market structure navigation system’s core. The "OnInit()" function initializes the setup, including "Trade/Trade.mqh" for trading via "obj_Trade". It creates a handle for the custom SMC Market Structures indicator ("handleSMC_MS", "iCustom()", path "Market\\Market Structures MT5") and sets arrays for upper and lower borders ("UPBorder", "DOWNBorder") as time series ("ArraySetAsSeries()"). Variables track signal timing and prices ("openTimeUpBorder", "openPriceUpBorder", "isNewBuySignal", etc.). If the handle fails ("INVALID_HANDLE"), it returns "INIT_FAILED". Returning INIT_SUCCEEDED signals, “System is ready, let’s navigate structures!” This primes the EA for SMC-based trading, like a navigation tool poised for action.

Phase 2: Mapping Structure Signals—Loading Indicator Data

With the system active, we load SMC indicator data to detect key price levels, like scanning for structural cues.

void OnTick(){
   double Ask = NormalizeDouble(SymbolInfoDouble(_Symbol,SYMBOL_ASK),_Digits);
   double Bid = NormalizeDouble(SymbolInfoDouble(_Symbol,SYMBOL_BID),_Digits);
   CopyBuffer(handleSMC_MS,0,0,6,UPBorder);
   CopyBuffer(handleSMC_MS,1,0,6,DOWNBorder);

In the signal mapping hub, "OnTick()" runs every tick, fetching ask and bid prices ("Ask", "Bid", "SymbolInfoDouble()", "NormalizeDouble()"). It loads 6 bars of data for upper borders ("UPBorder", buffer 0) and lower borders ("DOWNBorder", buffer 1) using "CopyBuffer()", without error handling for failed copies. For example, on EURUSD H1, it loads "UPBorder[5]"=1.2020 (upper border) and "DOWNBorder[5]"=1.1980 (lower border), preparing for signal detection, like mapping key market zones.

Phase 3: Navigating Trades—Executing Breakout Signals

With data loaded, we execute trades based on SMC border breakouts, like capitalizing on structural shifts.

void OnTick(){
   // ... (data loading)
   if (UPBorder[5] > 0 && openTimeUpBorder != iTime(_Symbol,_Period,5)){
      Print("__________NEW UP BORDER ARROW FORMED_______");
      openTimeUpBorder = iTime(_Symbol,_Period,5);
      openPriceUpBorder = UPBorder[5];
      Print("UP BORDER TIME = ",openTimeUpBorder,", PRICE = ",openPriceUpBorder);
      isNewBuySignal = true;
   }
   else if (DOWNBorder[5] > 0 && openTimeDOWNBorder != iTime(_Symbol,_Period,5)){
      Print("__________NEW DOWN BORDER ARROW FORMED_______");
      openTimeDOWNBorder = iTime(_Symbol,_Period,5);
      openPriceDOWNBorder = DOWNBorder[5];
      Print("DOWN BORDER TIME = ",openTimeDOWNBorder,", PRICE = ",openPriceDOWNBorder);
      isNewSellSignal = true;
   }
   if (openPriceUpBorder > 0 && Bid >= openPriceUpBorder &&
      openTimeBuy != iTime(_Symbol,_Period,0) && isNewBuySignal){
      Print(" >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BUY NOW <<<<<<<<<<<<<");
      obj_Trade.Buy(0.01,_Symbol,Ask,Bid-100*_Point,Bid+100*_Point);
      openTimeBuy = iTime(_Symbol,_Period,0);
      isNewBuySignal = false;
   }
   else if (openPriceDOWNBorder > 0 && Ask <= openPriceDOWNBorder &&
      openTimeSell != iTime(_Symbol,_Period,0) && isNewSellSignal){
      Print(" >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SELL NOW <<<<<<<<<<<<<");
      obj_Trade.Sell(0.01,_Symbol,Bid,Ask+100*_Point,Ask-100*_Point);
      openTimeSell = iTime(_Symbol,_Period,0);
      isNewSellSignal = false;
   }
}

In the trade navigation hub, "OnTick()" checks for new signals at bar 5 ("UPBorder[5] > 0", "DOWNBorder[5] > 0", "iTime()", "openTimeUpBorder", "openTimeDOWNBorder"). An upper border signal sets "openPriceUpBorder", "openTimeUpBorder", and "isNewBuySignal"=true, logging with "Print()". A buy triggers when the bid breaks above "openPriceUpBorder", it’s a new bar ("openTimeBuy != iTime()"), and a signal exists ("isNewBuySignal"), opening a 0.01-lot buy ("obj_Trade.Buy()") at ask ("Ask") with a 100-pip stop loss ("Bid-100*_Point") and take profit ("Bid+100*_Point"), resetting "isNewBuySignal". Sells mirror this for lower borders ("openPriceDOWNBorder", "Ask <= openPriceDOWNBorder", "isNewSellSignal"). For example, on EURUSD H1, an upper border at 1.2020 with bid reaching 1.2025 triggers a buy at ask=1.2027, stop loss at 1.1927, take profit at 1.2127, like navigating a bullish breakout.

Phase 4: Shutting Down the System—Cleaning Up Resources

As our expedition concludes, we shut down the system, ensuring resources are cleared.

void OnDeinit(const int reason){
}

In the shutdown control room, "OnDeinit()" is empty, leaving the indicator handle active, like a running navigation system. Adding cleanup would ensure a clean slate:

IndicatorRelease(handleSMC_MS);
ArrayFree(UPBorder);
ArrayFree(DOWNBorder);

This would release the indicator handle ("IndicatorRelease()", "handleSMC_MS") and free arrays ("ArrayFree()", "UPBorder", "DOWNBorder"), like dismantling a market structure navigation system, ready for the next task.

Why This EA is a Market Structure Triumph

The SMC Market Structures EA is a structure-trading triumph, automating breakouts with precision, like a master-crafted navigation engine. Its custom SMC signals ("UPBorder", "DOWNBorder") and disciplined risk parameters ("100*_Point") offer robust entries, with potential for magic numbers or configurable SL/TP. Picture a buy on EURUSD at 1.2027 after breaking an upper border—strategic brilliance! Beginners will value the clear signals, while experts can refine its framework, making it essential for traders targeting institutional levels.

Putting It All Together

To deploy this EA:

1. Ensure the “Market Structures MT5” indicator is installed in the MetaTrader 5 “Market” folder.

2. Open MetaEditor in MetaTrader 5, like entering your market structure navigation control room.

3. Copy the code, compile with F5, and verify no errors—no cartographer wants a faulty system!

4. Attach the EA to your chart, enable AutoTrading, and watch it execute SMC-based trades.

5. Monitor logs (e.g., “BUY NOW”) for signal tracking, like navigation diagnostics.

6. Test on a demo account first—real capital deserves a trial run!

Conclusion

We’ve engineered an SMC Market Structures Trader that automates trading at key price levels with precision, like a master-crafted navigation system. This MQL5 code is your strategic tool, brought to life with a seamless, professional narrative packed with clear explanations and vivid examples to fuel your trading ambition. Whether you’re a novice cartographer or a seasoned market strategist, this EA empowers you to navigate structures with confidence. Ready to trade? Watch our video guide on the website for a step-by-step creation process. Now, chart your trading course with precision! 🔍

Disclaimer: Trading is like navigating complex markets—challenging and risky. Losses can exceed deposits. Test strategies on a demo account before going live.