The Esoteric Volumes
Introductory7 min2026-05-13Open

A Taxonomy of Trading Methods — The Whole Map in Three Axes

The countless trading methods in circulation are, at bottom, just combinations of 'what you trade, on what philosophy, on what basis'. A bird's-eye view of 98 methods sorted into 7 types.

taxonomyoverviewsystematisationmapfoundations

Why Start with the Whole Map

The trading books on shelves, the "secret methods" all over the internet, the products sold on social media — they number, literally, like the stars. But take a survey of 98 methods catalogued in one review compilation and dismantle them one by one, and a fact emerges. Almost every method is a variation on a very small number of "types".

The reason you think "this one is special" every time you meet a new method is that you do not hold the whole map. With the map, you can instantly classify: "ah, this is a moving-average crossover type with two extra filters bolted on". Once classified, you can also infer that method's strengths and weaknesses the moment you encounter it.

This article provides that map. The goal is not to memorise individual methods, but to hold the coordinate axes that let you locate any method.

How to Read

OANDA:USDJPY

A taxonomy of trading strategies — a 2×2 matrix of holding period (intraday vs multi-day) against direction (trend vs mean reversion), placing scalping, day trend, pair trading, and position trend-following
Every method locates somewhere on the two axes of holding period and directional bias. Simply naming the quadrant you are operating in clarifies which markets favour you and which work against you.View OANDA:USDJPY live →

The Esoteric Volumes · By Application

What lies beyond this point is opened only to those who have applied.

Capital, discipline, psychology. The chapters that sit behind technique describe the bone-work that keeps an operator in the market for years. Access requires a written application, reviewed by hand.

A Taxonomy of Trading Methods — The Whole Map in Three Axes · Chart Psychology Lab