The Macro Collective: Inside Plan G’s Top-Down Trading Framework

Most traders live inside the charts. Plan G starts far outside them. Operating as a four-person macro collective, the team combines economics, futures expertise, crypto research, and developer-level on-chain intelligence to form top-down views before entering the market. In a space dominated by reactive trading, their process stands out for its structure, cross-disciplinary alignment, and conviction in macro cycles. In this interview, Plan G walks us through how they build their views, size risk as a team, and approach crypto futures with a disciplined, event-driven framework.

Q&A With Plan G

1. To start off, can you introduce Plan G and your overall trading style?

We are Plan G, a four-person trading team that builds strategies on a macro foundation rather than pure technicals. Within the team, each member has a different core specialty: macro economics, futures trading, crypto research, and crypto development. That mix lets us look at markets from multiple angles at once: global liquidity, policy, derivatives positioning, on-chain activity, and what’s happening in DeFi and infrastructure. Instead of reacting to every candle, we form a top-down macro view first, then decide how to express that view in the crypto futures market.

2. When did you start getting serious about crypto trading, and why crypto futures?

We started focusing in earnest on crypto futures around last winter. Before that, most of our trading and investing was in the U.S. stock market, especially in a macro-driven way; watching interest rates, inflation, and policy. Over time, it became obvious that crypto and U.S. macro were increasingly intertwined. As more institutions entered the space, crypto started to react more like a high-beta macro asset. That overlap made crypto futures a natural extension of what we were already doing: interpreting macro conditions and positioning ourselves accordingly.

3. How would you describe your trading style in more detail?

We are not scalpers. Our edge lies in positioning around macro events and trends, not chasing every short-term move. Most of our trading is in BTC, ETH, and SOL, because they respond most cleanly to macro flows and policy shifts. We generally avoid random altcoins or microcaps unless there is a very clear, isolated event that justifies a trade. Around major macro announcements like inflation prints, central bank decisions, or major policy signals, we size in more aggressively, because that’s when our macro framework matters most.

4. What does your checklist look like when deciding entries and exits?

Our checklist always starts with the macro backdrop. We ask: “Is there a structural headwind or tailwind from macro?” Once we establish that, we prepare entries around major releases, not after. Heading into key data, we check whether price is sitting at an important high or low, and we cross-reference open interest, perp vs. spot flows, and positioning in related markets like equities or bonds. When macro risk is skewed clearly and technicals line up, we enter. Exits are then defined by whether the macro story is unfolding as expected. If policy or data contradicts the thesis, we don’t hesitate to adjust or cut.

5. How do you decide on position size and leverage as a team?

Sizing depends on how strongly our views align across members and indicators. We typically size BTC positions in the 25–50% range of the account when conviction is high, adjusting around that for other assets. Leverage ranges from very low (1x) when expressing long-duration macro themes, to 4–8x for more tactical setups. In earlier personal accounts, some members have used leverage up to 30x for specific trades, but within Plan G, and especially for Copy Trading, we are much more controlled: low leverage for longer themes, higher but tightly managed leverage for short-term macro plays. With a macro expert, futures specialist, crypto researcher, and developer all at the table, we hold daily discussions, reviewing all major metrics together. We size up only when the majority of signals and the majority of people agree.

6. What is the most important principle you follow for risk management?

Our trading is inherently directional; we do make big calls but the core rule is “go big with a thesis, cut losses mechanically.” Once we define a macro scenario and a trade that expresses it, we size in with conviction but also predefine where we’re wrong. If price action and data move against us beyond that tolerance, we exit without negotiation. We aim to be bold when we have alignment, but unemotional when the market contradicts the thesis.

7. Have you experienced big drawdowns, and how did you handle them?

Macro trading sometimes involves holding through sharp volatility while the bigger picture remains intact. In personal accounts, some of us have experienced significant swings on positions that eventually resolved in line with the macro view. But with Plan G, especially in a Copy Trading context, we are more structured. When markets move against us, we analyze why it’s happening, compare it against our original reasoning, and decide whether to stay, scale, or cut. If the macro story remains valid, we may be patient; if it’s invalidated, we don’t “hope,” we adapt.

8. What are the first data points you look at when generating trade ideas?

We start with U.S. fiscal and monetary policy: inflation prints, interest rate expectations, liquidity dynamics, and central bank communication. Then we layer in on-chain data, CVD trends, open interest, and technical structure. Our developer also tracks what’s happening across DeFi and the broader crypto ecosystem, which helps identify where risk is accumulating or unwinding. When we combine these (macro, derivatives data, on-chain flows, and ecosystem signals), we build a unified view and determine how best to position in futures.

9. What is something copy traders must understand before following Plan G?

Plan G is not a one-man discretionary trader; it is a four-person macro collective. Our decisions come from constant discussion, debate, and cross-checking of information. We also share our reasoning transparently, explaining why we enter or exit positions and highlighting key indicators in real time. We want followers who don’t just see the PnL, but also understand the logic behind our trades. If you’re interested in how macro events shape positioning in futures, our process will resonate.

10. What kind of investor or risk profile is best suited to copying Plan G?

Plan G suits balanced investors; people who are neither extremely conservative nor fully degen. Our style involves conviction trades around macro themes, with structure, predefined invalidation, and a team-based decision process. If you value macro context and are comfortable with medium-level risk and event-driven movement, our approach will fit well. If you expect a smooth equity-like curve with minimal volatility, we may feel too active.

11. Any one-line message you’d like to leave for Copy Trading followers?

Crypto used to be a niche market for a small group, but it’s rapidly becoming part of the global macro playground. Our focus is to help traders navigate that transition using a structured blend of macro insight, futures expertise, crypto research, and developer-level on-chain analysis.

12. Outside of trading, what do you enjoy and how do you avoid burnout or addiction to the market?

We like activities where we can talk and think together, such as going for drives and having long conversations. We’re careful not to let trading become a full-on addiction. Watching charts nonstop can easily warp decision-making. Having multiple members helps; if someone is overtrading or getting emotional, the others pull them back to the process.

13. Any final thought on personality and trading style?

We believe there are thousands of viable trading styles and personalities. The goal isn’t to copy someone else’s temperament, but to find the approach that actually fits you. Plan G reflects four different backgrounds and perspectives finding a shared language in macro and data, and that blend is what shapes their edge.

Closing Thoughts

Plan G stands out not just for their macro orientation, but for how they operationalize it as a team: four disciplines converging into one coherent framework. Their process is deliberate, event-driven, and grounded in a clear thesis-and-invalidation structure. For traders exploring copy trading from a macro perspective, Plan G offers a window into how global cycles, policy shifts, and on-chain signals can unite into a single, structured futures strategy.

Disclaimer: This material is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Flipster makes no recommendations or guarantees in respect of any digital asset, product, or service. Trading digital assets and digital asset derivatives comes with a significant risk of loss due to its high price volatility, and is not suitable for all investors. Please refer to our Terms.