What is the cTrader Open API?
Quick answer
The cTrader Open API is the programming interface Spotware provides for cTrader, letting applications connect to a cTrader account to receive live prices, symbol details and history, and to trade. Third-party platforms can use it as a source of market data under Spotware's terms and the connected broker's.
Detailed answer
cTrader is a trading platform developed by Spotware and offered by many brokers. Its Open API lets developers build applications on top of a cTrader account, with authentication through registered application credentials.
What it provides
- Live quotes for the symbols available on the connected account.
- Symbol information: digits, lot sizes and volume limits.
- Historical data for charts.
- Trading functions for applications that place real orders.
How a prop platform can use it
A simulation platform can subscribe to live quotes through the Open API and use them as its price source, without sending orders back. The feed then reflects the connected broker's market prices and spreads, which gives realistic fills in simulated accounts.
Limits to understand
- Available symbols and their names depend on the broker behind the account.
- Usage is subject to Spotware's API terms and rate limits.
- An application needs registered credentials and authorisation.
PropExecutor uses this route: one platform-wide cTrader connection supplies live prices for every firm's accounts. Symbol names from the broker are mapped to standard names at startup, for example a broker's "US 30" to US30, so rule sets and charts always use consistent instrument names. Orders are never sent back through the API; all execution is simulated.
PropExecutor team · Updated
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