The London Judas Daily Profile is one of the most intriguing and strategic concepts taught by Michael J. Huddleston, also known as the Inner Circle Trader (ICT). As part of his Smart Money Concepts (SMC) framework, the London Judas Profile reveals the daily manipulation pattern of price movement—especially during the London session—and how retail traders are often misled by early moves that appear genuine but are actually traps.
If you’re trying to understand institutional price action or level up your trading strategies, this concept is a must-know.
📍 Understanding the Basics: What Is the London Judas Profile?
The term “Judas” comes from the biblical figure known for betrayal, and that’s exactly what this pattern reflects in the market. The London Judas Daily Profile is a false move that occurs early in the London session—typically between 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM EST—where price appears to break in one direction, only to reverse sharply in the opposite direction.
This move is not random. According to ICT, it’s engineered by institutional players—or “Smart Money”—to:
- Trap retail traders
- Accumulate liquidity
- Set up a true directional move later in the day
It’s essentially a psychological bait that tricks traders into entering too early or in the wrong direction, only to be “betrayed” by the market reversal shortly after.
🕒 The Time Structure of the London Judas
To spot the London Judas Profile, understanding session timings is crucial. Here’s how the trading day is typically segmented in ICT methodology:
- Asian Session: 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM EST
- London Open (Judas Window): 2:00 AM – 5:00 AM EST
- New York Session: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM EST
The Judas move usually occurs right at the start of the London session, during a time when liquidity increases sharply.
🔍 How It Works: Step-by-Step Breakdown
Let’s go through a simplified version of how a London Judas Daily Profile plays out:
1. Price Consolidation During Asia
During the Asian session, the market often consolidates or ranges. This sets the stage for a “calm before the storm” and gives Smart Money a chance to assess liquidity on both sides of the price.
2. The False Break (The Judas Move)
When the London session opens, price will often spike above the Asian high or below the Asian low. This is the fakeout move—designed to draw in breakout traders and trigger stop-loss orders.
- If the market spikes up, it’s targeting buy stops.
- If the market spikes down, it’s targeting sell stops.
This is not the real move—it’s the betrayal.
3. Reversal to True Direction
After the false move, price will often reverse direction sharply and continue trending in the opposite direction for the rest of the session. This real move is often in alignment with higher-timeframe bias (such as the daily or 4H market structure).
This reversal is your opportunity as an informed trader.
🎯 Why It Matters for Traders
The London Judas Profile is powerful for several reasons:
- Entry Precision: Knowing the Judas time window can help traders avoid false breakouts.
- Liquidity Insight: It teaches how Smart Money hunts liquidity before making their true move.
- Risk Management: By avoiding entries during the Judas move, traders can wait for confirmed setups.
- Alignment with Bias: When combined with daily bias (bullish or bearish), the Judas move can signal perfect entry zones.
🧠 Psychological Trap for Retail Traders
Retail traders often fall for the Judas move because:
- They are conditioned to trade breakouts, especially out of Asian ranges.
- They react emotionally to sudden momentum without understanding liquidity engineering.
- Their stop losses are easy targets for institutional players.
ICT teaches that Smart Money needs your liquidity to enter large positions. The Judas move helps them flush out weak hands so they can enter with minimal resistance.
✅ How to Trade the London Judas Profile
Here’s a basic approach to using the Judas concept in your trading:
- Mark the Asian Range: Identify the high and low from the Asian session.
- Wait for Judas Window (2:00 AM–5:00 AM EST): Look for a sudden spike above/below the Asian range.
- Identify Liquidity Grab: Watch for signs that price is rejecting the breakout zone (wicks, market structure breaks).
- Confirm Reversal: Look for price breaking back into the range and creating a new structure in the opposite direction.
- Enter on Pullback: After confirmation, enter on the retracement with your bias (long or short).
- Target Session High/Low or Fair Value Gap: Use ICT tools like FVGs, order blocks, or equilibrium levels for take-profit targets.
📌 Final Thoughts: A Daily Edge
The London Judas Daily Profile is one of the most reliable intraday patterns when used correctly. It’s not a strategy on its own, but rather a contextual framework that can enhance any ICT-based system.
By mastering this concept, you stop trading like the crowd and start trading with Smart Money.
Always remember:
“The market is engineered. If you know where the fingerprints are, you’ll never be surprised again.” – Michael J. Huddleston
