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Mastering ICT Killzones: Defining the Optimal Time Frames for High-Probability Setups

Rifat Ahmed
Rifat Ahmed (Senior Market Analyst)
Published: June 20, 2026Updated: June 21, 20266 min read
Mastering ICT Killzones: Defining the Optimal Time Frames for High-Probability Setups

Why Time is More Important Than Price

In ICT models, time-of-day acts as the ultimate filter. Algorithms operate during specific hours to capture liquidity. These windows are called Killzones.

The Four Major Killzones (EST Times)

  • Asian Killzone: 7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
  • London Open Killzone: 2:00 AM - 5:00 AM
  • New York Open Killzone: 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • London Close Killzone: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Look for sweeps of previous session boundaries during these exact windows to build high-probability SMC setups.

Rifat Ahmed

About the Author: Rifat Ahmed

Rifat Ahmed is a professional prop firm trader and senior currency analyst at FX Bullet. He has over 8 years of active trading experience specializing in Smart Money Concepts (SMC) and institutional order flow.