Thread: Strategy Trader advantages vs. MT4

Strategy Trader Advantages vs. MT4

Please click on the appropriate link below to view the answer to your question:

• What are the differences between Strategy Trader and the MT4 platform? Click Here.
• How do I code an MT4 EA for Strategy Trader? Click Here.
• How do I change my MT4 account to Strategy Trader? Click Here.
• How do I avoid Auto Syncs, off quotes or out trades? Click Here.

If you have additional automated trading questions, please post your question and we will reply with an answer!

What are the differences between Strategy Trader and the MT4 platform?

The Strategy Trader platform offers many of the same great benefits of the popular MT 4 platform. Automated traders can improve the performance of their automated trading by using Strategy Trader due to key advantages of the Strategy Trader platform:

• Faster and more reliable trade execution.
• No Auto Syncs, Off Quotes or Out Trade error messages.
• More price data to trade.
• More reliable back-testing.
• Trade in tandem with the FX Trading Station II.

Faster and more reliable trade execution.

Strategy Trader is designed to take full advantage of FXCM’s No Dealing Desk execution by using a direct connection to FXCM. With Strategy Trader, no bridge connection is used. This decreases the time it takes to execute trades, simplifies reporting, and ensures you get the best bid and best offer available from our liquidity providers.

The MT4 platform uses a bridge connection from a third-party technology provider (Boston Technologies) to connect the MT4 platform to FXCM’s No Dealing Desk price feed. The bridge connection is a required, extra step in the trade execution process- creating more latency between the time you place a trade to the time the trade is executed.

No Auto Syncs, Off Quotes or Out Trade error messages.

Auto Account Syncs are an MT4 account management tool that occurs when the bridge connection synchronizes balance changes from the FXCM read-only account to the MT 4 platform. Due to technology limitations of using 3rd party software, MT4 users may also experience Off Quotes or Out Trade error messages. While FXCM continues to make improvements to our MT4 platform, these error messages may still occur.

Strategy Trader uses a direction connection to FXCM - no bridge connection, Auto Syncs, Off Quotes or Out Trades will occur.

More price data to trade.

Strategy Trader is designed to update prices tick-by-tick while MT4 updates prices second-by-second. Often times, there are more than one price tick per second. If there are 10 ticks in 1 second, then you have the opportunity to trade off of each individual tick with the Strategy Trader platform and you could get into trades faster than most MetaTrader EAs used on MT4.

More reliable back-testing.

Strategy Trader offers over 500,000 bars of 1 minute data (almost 1 year), while MT4 offers 16,000 bars of 1 minute data (roughly 11 days). Strategy Trader allows you to back-test with bid and ask pricing to factor in the spread when back-testing strategies.

Trade in tandem with the FX Trading Station II.

Strategy Trader can be used in tandem with FXCM’s Trading Station II platform allowing you to combine the trading stations powerful manual trading functionality with Strategy Trader’s robust automation capabilities.

Strategy Trader also offers the following additional benefits:

• Access to Tick Charts
• Create any time frame chart – utilize and code Advanced charting Indicators
• Advanced back testing with detailed strategy/trade analysis
• Access to all FXCM order types
• Uses C# for coding, easy to hookup and debug in visual studio
• Over 150 chart indicators, one of the most powerful charting packages to be offered by FXCM
• Fewer logins without read-only logins

Do you have an MT4 Expert Advisor you want coded for Strategy Trader?

Strategy Trader EAs (stEAs) allow you to automate your trading with Strategy Trader. Strategy Trader EAs (stEAs) are like MetaTrader EAs used on the MT4 platform.

If you have a commercial EA that you purchased or downloaded, then we can contact the EA provider to help get the EA coded for Strategy Trader. Since we will need the EA details, click here to chat now and we will see if we can help to get your strategy coded for Strategy Trader.

If you coded your own MT4 EA, then you can code your EA for Strategy Trader using the open source C# programming language, allowing you to code and debug in Microsoft Visual Studio.

Resources to help you code Strategy Trader EAs:

1. Forexcodesource.com – Provides hundreds of stEA coding examples, free indicators or stEAs, and resources to learn C# programming language. Visit Wiki.fxprogrammers.com
2. Strategy Trader Community Forums – View webinars and ask questions on how to code a Strategy trader EA. Visit the Strategy Trader Community Forums
3. FXCM’s Programming Team - Our team can code your stEAs for you or provide the tools you need to save time coding your EAs on your own. To request a quote, complete the following Quote Form.

What other options are there to get started with Strategy Trader EAs?

You have many options to get started with Strategy Trader EAs:
1. Pre-loaded Strategy Trader EAs – Strategy Trader comes with stEAs pre-loaded that you can begin using right away. This is the fastest way to try out a stEA.
2. Download a free stEA – Choose from 49 free stEAs at forexcodesource.com. To get started, simply download, upload and activate a free stEA! Download a free stEA Now.
3. Let FXCM create a stEA for you – Our team can take your trading ideas and turn them into Strategy Trader EAs (stEAs) that run on the Strategy Trader platform. To request a quote for your idea, complete the Quote Form.
4. Code your own stEA – If you know how to code in C#, then forexcodesource.com offers hundreds of coding examples and resources to code your strategy as a stEA. Learn more.

How do I change my MT4 account to trade with Strategy Trader?

Moving your MT4 account to Strategy Trader is easy! Please email admin@fxcm.com from your email address on file and request to have your MT4 account transferred to the Strategy Trader platform. Be sure to include the read-only account number and allow two business days to complete the transfer.

Please note: Hedging is not available on the Strategy Trader platform. Hedged positions will carry over to Strategy Trader during the transfer; however, all orders created after the transfer will function without hedging.

To learn more about the benefits of Strategy Trader, visit one of the links below:

FXCM LTD (UK) Strategy Trader Page l FXCM LLC (US) Strategy Trader Page

Do you have more questions about automated trading? Click Here to Chat Now or click Post Reply and we will provide you with an answer!

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How do I code an MT4 EA for Strategy Trader?

Strategy Trader EAs (stEAs) are like MT4 EAs but stEAs are coded in the C# programming language.

If you have a commercial EA that you purchased or downloaded, then we can contact the EA provider to help get the EA coded for Strategy Trader. Since we will need the EA details, click here to chat now and we will see if we can help to get your strategy coded for Strategy Trader.

Did you code your own MT4 EA?

If you coded your own MT4 EA, then you can code your EA for Strategy Trader using the open source C# programming language, allowing you to code and debug in Microsoft Visual Studio.

Resources to help you code Strategy Trader EAs:

1. Forexcodesource.com – Provides hundreds of stEA coding examples, free indicators or stEAs, and resources to learn C# programming language. Visit Wiki.fxprogrammers.com
2. Strategy Trader Community Forums – View webinars and ask questions on how to code a Strategy trader EA. Visit the Strategy Trader Community Forums
3. FXCM’s Programming Team - Our team can code your stEAs for you or provide the tools you need to save time coding your EAs on your own. To request a quote, complete the following Quote Form.

What other options are there to get started with Strategy Trader EAs?

You have many options to get started with Strategy Trader EAs:

1. Pre-loaded Strategy Trader EAs – Strategy Trader comes with stEAs pre-loaded that you can begin using right away. This is the fastest way to try out a stEA.
2. Download a free stEA – Choose from 49 free stEAs at forexcodesource.com. To get started, simply download, upload and activate a free stEA! Download a free stEA Now.
3. Let FXCM create a stEA for you – Our team can take your trading ideas and turn them into Strategy Trader EAs (stEAs) that run on the Strategy Trader platform. To request a quote for your idea, complete the Quote Form.
4. Code your own stEA – If you know how to code in C#, then forexcodesource.com offers hundreds of coding examples and resources to code your strategy as a stEA. Learn more.

How do I change my MT4 account to trade with Strategy Trader?

Moving your MT4 account to Strategy Trader is easy! Please email admin@fxcm.com from your email address on file and request to have your MT4 account transferred to the Strategy Trader platform. Be sure to include the read-only account number and allow two business days to complete the transfer.

Please note: Hedging is not available on the Strategy Trader platform. Hedged positions will carry over to Strategy Trader during the transfer; however, all orders created after the transfer will function without hedging.

To learn more about the benefits of Strategy Trader, visit one of the links below:

FXCM LTD (UK) Strategy Trader Page l FXCM LLC (US) Strategy Trader Page

Do you have more questions about automated trading? Click Here to Chat Now or click Post Reply and we will provide you with an answer!

Return to Top of Page

How do I change my MT4 account to trade with Strategy Trader?

Moving your MT4 account to Strategy Trader is easy! Please email admin@fxcm.com from your email address on file and request to have your MT4 account transferred to the Strategy Trader platform. Be sure to include the read-only account number and allow two business days to complete the transfer.

Please note: Hedging is not available on the Strategy Trader platform. Hedged positions will carry over to Strategy Trader during the transfer; however, all orders created after the transfer will function without hedging.

To learn more about the benefits of Strategy Trader, visit one of the links below:

FXCM LTD (UK) Strategy Trader Page l FXCM LLC (US) Strategy Trader Page

Do you have more questions about automated trading? Click Here to Chat Now or click Post Reply and we will provide you with an answer!

Return to Top of Page

How do I avoid Auto Syncs, Off Quotes or Out Trades?

While FXCM continues to make improvements to our MT 4 platform, Auto Account Syncs will continue to occur when the bridge connection synchronizes balance changes from the FXCM read-only account to the MT 4 Platform. Due to technology limitations, Off Quotes or Out trades may happen on the MT4 platform in the future.

MT4 EA users can avoid Auto Syncs, Off Quotes or Out Trades if they code their EAs for Strategy Trader - FXCM's automated trading platform built for No Dealing Desk execution. Unlike the MT4 platform, no software bridge or Auto Account Syncs are used. This decreases the time it takes to execute trades and simplifies account management so that you can focus on finding trading opportunities.

Do you have an MT4 Expert Advisor you want coded for Strategy Trader?

Strategy Trader EAs (stEAs) allow you to automate your trading with Strategy Trader. Strategy Trader EAs (stEAs) are like MetaTrader EAs used on the MT4 platform.

If you have a commercial EA that you purchased or downloaded, then we can contact the EA provider to help get the EA coded for Strategy Trader. Since we will need the EA details, click here to chat now and we will see if we can help to get your strategy coded for Strategy Trader.

If you coded your own MT4 EA, then you can code your EA for Strategy Trader using the open source C# programming language, allowing you to code and debug in Microsoft Visual Studio.

Resources to help you code Strategy Trader EAs:

1. Forexcodesource.com – Provides hundreds of stEA coding examples, free indicators or stEAs, and resources to learn C# programming language. Visit Wiki.fxprogrammers.com
2. Strategy Trader Community Forums – View webinars and ask questions on how to code a Strategy trader EA. Visit the Strategy Trader Community Forums
3. FXCM’s Programming Team - Our team can code your stEAs for you or provide the tools you need to save time coding your EAs on your own. To request a quote, complete the following Quote Form.

What other options are there to get started with Strategy Trader EAs?

You have many options to get started with Strategy Trader EAs:

1. Pre-loaded Strategy Trader EAs – Strategy Trader comes with stEAs pre-loaded that you can begin using right away. This is the fastest way to try out a stEA.
2. Download a free stEA – Choose from 49 free stEAs at forexcodesource.com. To get started, simply download, upload and activate a free stEA! Download a free stEA Now.
3. Let FXCM create a stEA for you – Our team can take your trading ideas and turn them into Strategy Trader EAs (stEAs) that run on the Strategy Trader platform. To request a quote for your idea, complete the Quote Form.
4. Code your own stEA – If you know how to code in C#, then forexcodesource.com offers hundreds of coding examples and resources to code your strategy as a stEA. Learn more.

How do I change my MT4 account to trade with Strategy Trader?

Moving your MT4 account to Strategy Trader is easy! Please email admin@fxcm.com from your email address on file and request to have your MT4 account transferred to the Strategy Trader platform. Be sure to include the read-only account number and allow two business days to complete the transfer.

Please note: Hedging is not available on the Strategy Trader platform. Hedged positions will carry over to Strategy Trader during the transfer; however, all orders created after the transfer will function without hedging.

To learn more about the benefits of Strategy Trader, visit one of the links below:

FXCM LTD (UK) Strategy Trader Page l FXCM LLC (US) Strategy Trader Page

Do you have more questions about automated trading? Click Here to Chat Now or click Post Reply and we will provide you with an answer!

Return to Top of Page