ICT Kill Zones Explained — The Best Times to Trade
Master the key trading sessions and time-based setups used in the ICT methodology. Complete guide with Bangladesh time conversions.
What Are ICT Kill Zones?
Kill Zones are specific time windows during the trading day when institutional activity is at its peak and the highest-probability setups form. ICT (Inner Circle Trader) methodology emphasizes that WHEN you trade is just as important as WHERE you trade.
Not all hours are created equal. During Kill Zones, the market-making algorithm is most active, creating the liquidity sweeps, displacement moves, and setups that ICT traders look for.
Roughly 80% of significant daily moves happen during Kill Zones, which represent only about 20% of the total trading day. By focusing on Kill Zones, you dramatically improve your odds.
The Four Kill Zones
1. Asian Kill Zone
- New York Time: 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM
- Bangladesh Time: 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM (noon)
- Purpose: Accumulation — price builds a range
- Strategy: Mark the range (high and low), don't trade actively
- Best For: Setting up the next day's analysis
2. London Kill Zone
- New York Time: 2:00 AM - 5:00 AM
- Bangladesh Time: 12:00 PM (noon) - 5:00 PM
- Purpose: Manipulation — the Judas Swing happens here
- Strategy: Watch for the false breakout of the Asian range
- Best For: Catching the manipulation move
3. New York AM Kill Zone (MOST IMPORTANT)
- New York Time: 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Bangladesh Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Purpose: Distribution — the TRUE daily move
- Strategy: Enter after London manipulation confirms with MSS
- Best For: The highest-probability setups of the day
4. New York PM Kill Zone
- New York Time: 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM
- Bangladesh Time: 11:30 PM - 4:00 AM
- Purpose: Continuation or reversal of the morning move
- Strategy: Look for exhaustion or continuation patterns
- Best For: Managing existing trades, secondary setups
Kill Zone Summary for Bangladesh Traders
| Kill Zone | BD Time | Priority | What to Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Low | Mark the range, analyze |
| London | 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Medium | Watch for Judas Swing |
| NY AM | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM | HIGHEST | Take your main trades |
| NY PM | 11:30 PM - 4:00 AM | Low-Medium | Manage trades, secondary |
The NY AM Kill Zone (7:00-10:00 PM BD time) is perfect for Bangladeshi traders — it falls in the evening when you can focus fully after work or studies. This is when the best setups form!
How Kill Zones Fit into Power of 3
Kill Zones map directly to the Power of 3 (AMD) cycle:
- Asian Session = Accumulation — Range forms, liquidity builds on both sides
- London Kill Zone = Manipulation — Judas Swing sweeps one side of the Asian range
- NY Kill Zone = Distribution — True move delivers price to the daily target
Understanding this connection transforms Kill Zones from "just time windows" into a complete trading framework.
The NY AM Kill Zone Strategy
Since the NY AM session is the most important, here's a complete strategy:
Pre-Session (6:30 PM BD):
- Review your Daily/4H analysis
- Determine your daily bias (bullish or bearish)
- Mark the Asian range high and low
- Note if London already swept one side
During Kill Zone (7:00-10:00 PM BD):
- Wait for the first 15-30 minutes to see the initial direction
- If the initial move goes AGAINST your bias → this is likely manipulation
- Watch for MSS/CHOCH confirming the reversal from manipulation
- Enter at the OB or FVG created during the MSS
- Stop: Beyond the manipulation extreme
- Target: The opposing liquidity pool
Post-Session (After 10:00 PM BD):
- If your trade is active, manage it (trail stop to breakeven after 1R)
- Don't enter new trades after the Kill Zone ends
- Review the session and journal your observations
Real Examples with BD Time
Example: EUR/USD Bullish Day
- 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM BD (Asian): EUR/USD ranges between 1.0880-1.0900
- 2:00 PM BD (London opens): Price drops below 1.0880 to 1.0868 (Judas Swing — takes Asian low)
- 7:30 PM BD (NY opens): MSS forms on 15M after the sweep. Bullish CHOCH confirmed.
- 7:45 PM BD: Entry at 1.0872 (OB from the CHOCH)
- Stop: 1.0860 (12 pips below manipulation low)
- Target: 1.0930 (BSL above Asian high and previous day high)
- 9:30 PM BD: Target hit — +58 pips, 4.8R
Kill Zone Rules
Rule 1: Only trade during Kill Zones. Random hour = random results.
Rule 2: NY AM (7-10 PM BD) is your PRIMARY Kill Zone. Focus 80% of effort here.
Rule 3: If the setup doesn't form within the Kill Zone window — DON'T TRADE. Wait for tomorrow.
Rule 4: Maximum 1-2 trades per Kill Zone. Quality over quantity.
Rule 5: ALWAYS determine your bias BEFORE the Kill Zone opens.
Key Takeaways
- Kill Zones are specific time windows with peak institutional activity
- NY AM Kill Zone (7-10 PM BD time) is the most important
- Kill Zones map to Power of 3: Asian = Accumulation, London = Manipulation, NY = Distribution
- Focus your trading on Kill Zones to dramatically improve results
Full lesson: ICT Kill Zones