Meet Cameron Buchanan

Futures Trading Educator & Founder, International Day Trading Academy

Cameron Buchanan is the founder and director of International Day Trading Academy (IDTA), established in 2013. With 30 years of active trading experience across multiple market cycles, Cameron specializes in teaching risk management, trading psychology, and price action analysis for futures markets. Since founding IDTA, he has trained over 1,700 traders through live courses, webinars, and mentorship programs, maintaining an active daily trading practice alongside his educational work.

Trading Experience

Cameron’s trading career began in 1995 during Australia’s technology boom, initially focusing on equities in the Australian stock market. Over three decades, he has navigated significant market events including the dot-com crash, the commodities boom, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, Brexit (2016), the 2016 U.S. Presidential election market volatility, and the turbulance created by COVID.

Recognizing the limitations of long-only equity strategies during market corrections, Cameron transitioned to futures trading in 2011, discovering the flexibility and liquidity advantages of markets that allow both long and short positions. His trading evolution reflects a continuous commitment to adapting strategy based on market structure and conditions.

Cameron’s approach draws from multiple established methodologies including Bryce Gibbs’ harmonic patterns and Fibonacci analysis, Mark Douglas’ trading psychology principles, Elliott Wave theory, and Volume Profile and Market Profile analysis. His trading philosophy centers on understanding market structure, identifying liquidity zones, and managing the psychological aspects of trading decision-making.

Currently, Cameron actively day trades futures markets including E-mini contracts, crude oil, and gold, while teaching IDTA students to focus primarily on E-mini S&P 500 (ES) and E-mini Nasdaq-100 (NQ) contracts for their liquidity and consistency.

Teaching Philosophy

Cameron’s transition from trader to educator stems from his background as a qualified Physical Education teacher and his competitive nature. He views trading as a mental sport comparable to chess; requiring strategy, discipline, and the ability to manage both wins and losses systematically.

His university education in human physiology, biomechanics, human behavior, and statistics provided a scientific foundation for understanding performance, discipline, and learning; principles he applies directly to trading education. Cameron recognized that most aspiring traders could find trade setups online, but few resources addressed the complete reality of trading: the processes, psychology, and consistency required for long-term success.

IDTA was founded on the principle that successful trading requires mastery of three interconnected components:

1. Technical Analysis – Chart reading skills and market structure understanding
2. Process & Systems – Trading plans, pre-trade checklists, and performance reporting
3. Mental Game – Mindset, emotional regulation, and psychological discipline

Cameron’s teaching philosophy can be summarized as: “Expect accountability and realistic expectations.” He emphasizes that traders are defined not by individual trade outcomes but by their consistency across a series of trades, much like surfers who wait patiently for the right wave conditions before committing.

Trading Methodology

IDTA’s approach intentionally keeps trading simple, recognizing that the human brain tends to overcomplicate market analysis. The methodology focuses on foundational price action principles:

• Core baseline price analysis to identify market structure
• Liquidity zones to determine strong support and resistance levels
• Market state assessment to distinguish between trending and ranging conditions
• Context-appropriate strategies – buying support and selling resistance in ranges; trading trend continuation during directional moves

This framework prioritizes understanding market imbalances and volatility conditions over searching for “silver bullet” indicators. Cameron teaches that sustainable trading success requires patience, discipline, and trust in proven processes rather than emotional reactions to individual outcomes.

The IDTA learning environment emphasizes community support and realistic skill development, acknowledging that trading mastery is a journey requiring continuous learning about both markets and oneself. Cameron describes trading as a “flow activity” with clear goals, rules, feedback mechanisms, and challenges that create opportunities for optimal performance and personal growth.

Professional Background & Credentials

Trading Experience:

• 30 years active trading (1995 – present)
• Futures trading since 2011
• Daily trading across multiple futures markets and asset classes
• Navigated major market events: Tech boom/crash, GFC, Brexit, election volatility

Education & Compliance:

• Bachelor of Education (Physical Education)
• RG146 General Knowledge (ASIC)
• RG146 Derivatives and Options (ASIC)

Teaching & Leadership:

• Founded International Day Trading Academy: 2013
• 1,700+ traders trained since inception
• Thousands of hours of live instruction delivered
• Active daily trading alongside educational responsibilities

Industry Contributions:

CME Group Educational Contributor

• Video education series on futures trading and risk management
• View CME Group content playlist

NinjaTrader Ecosystem Presenter

• “The Real Edge: How Risk Management Wins When Indicators Fail” – Watch webinar
• “Inside the IDTA Live Trading Rooms” – Watch webinar

YTE Magazine

Monthly contributor covering trading strategies and market analysis

Professional Links

LinkedIn: LinkedIn Profile

Student Experiences: Learn about trader journeys and development at IDTA through our case studies

Personal

When not analyzing markets or teaching, Cameron enjoys surfing; an activity that parallels his trading philosophy: reading conditions, exercising patience, and timing execution. Both pursuits require understanding natural patterns, managing risk, and knowing when to commit decisively.