--- title: "Run your strategy live on a virtual account" slug: "run-strategy-on-virtual-account" kind: "HELP_ARTICLE" category: "strategies" locale: "en" canonical: "https://app.forecastcity.com/help/strategies/run-strategy-on-virtual-account" published: "2026-10-17T00:54:47.760Z" updated: "2026-10-27T01:55:27.411Z" description: "Run your strategy live on a virtual account in the Run tab of AI Strategy Studio, compare shadow variants and review Forward vs Test in Performance." --- # Run your strategy live on a virtual account Under **Run** → **Virtual account** in **AI Strategy Studio**, AI runs your strategy live (forward testing) without coding or a virtual server. Pick your strategy (or ask **AI Trading Assistant** to start it) so it runs 24/7 with virtual money on live prices. Whenever your entry condition (including **4CastMachine AI** zones) fires, the forward test opens a virtual trade with spread, commission, swap and slippage costs. It then manages your stop loss, targets (TP1 to TP5), break-even and trailing stop in real time. Example: open the virtual account view on the Run tab. Start your strategy on a `$5,000` virtual account with the standard cost profile on EURUSD and XAUUSD. Add a shadow variant with management off under **Compare with a variant**. Then click **Forward vs Test** on the Performance tab to compare live results with the 90-day test. ## Choose or create a virtual account 1. Open your strategy in AI Strategy Studio and go to the **Run** tab. 2. In the **Account** list, pick a virtual account or create a new one. Set the name, starting balance (`$1,000` to `$1,000,000`, default `$5,000`) and **Costs** profile (**Standard**, **Raw-ECN**, **Crypto** or **No costs**). 3. In the **Symbols** box, choose your symbols. In **Size of each trade**, pick how each trade is sized (strategy risk, balance percentage or fixed lots). 4. Turn on **Ask me before each trade** for manual approval with the **Take it** button, or **Skip entries around high-impact news**. Then click **Start the run**. ![Forward test start form on the Run tab with virtual account selection, symbols, trade size, manual approval, news filter and Start the run button.](https://m.forecastcity.com/t/tnt_forecastcity/media/43/43ac41b98bc0744f57c7370647f9d3c41231a0e67a66cada0c9c6f30c7eb3218.png) Start form for running a strategy live on a virtual account 1. Selecting a virtual account from the **Account** list or creating a new one 2. Choosing watched symbols (**Symbols**) and the trade sizing rule (**Size of each trade**) 3. **Ask me before each trade** and high-impact news filter (**Skip entries around high-impact news**) options 4. Notification channel picker and the **Start the run** button ## Manage an active run and compare variants Once a run starts, its status card appears on the **Run** tab: - Run controls: click **Pause** to stop new entries (and **Resume** to continue). Click **Open account** to open the virtual account in the journal, or click **New run** to add another virtual account. - **Compare with a variant** section: add up to three shadow variants on the same market entries with a different size, direction or management rule. Open the **Side by side** table to see which setting gives better net profit and average `R`. - **Forward vs Test** comparison: on the **Performance** tab (under **Virtual accounts**), click **Forward vs Test** to compare live virtual results with the 90-day candle test. ![Run tab in AI Strategy Studio with an active virtual account run, trade summary and recent activity.](https://m.forecastcity.com/t/tnt_forecastcity/media/b1/b1253c79f9056254f5a47b481399655bb8979eebc60290eb2589e3a951bbe563.png) Run tab showing the active virtual account run card and recent trades 1. **Virtual account** switch and active runs list with the **Pause** / **Resume** button 2. Trade performance summary and latest forward test activity 3. **Compare with a variant** section for running parallel shadow variants 4. **Open account**, **Change** and **Stop** buttons for the selected run ## Good to know - When you save a new strategy version on the **Build** tab, active runs use the new version for future entries. Open trades keep the trading plan and rules they opened with. - Until a run closes 30 trades, a note on the run card shows how many more trades are needed for a full sample. ## Related guides - [Manage virtual accounts, challenges and verified pages]() - [Test your strategy on past candles]() - [Watch symbols and read your trading plan when an alert fires]() - [Check strategy adherence and cost per part in AI Trading Journal]()