Algorithmic Trading

Build and deploy automated trading systems that trade 24/7

24/7
Trading
No Emotion
Pure Logic
Backtested
Validated
Scalable
Multi-Market

Popular Algorithmic Strategies

Mean Reversion

Trade assets returning to average price

Beginner

Implementation:

  1. 1.Calculate rolling mean and standard deviation
  2. 2.Enter when price > 2 SD from mean
  3. 3.Exit at mean or opposite band
  4. 4.Use Bollinger Bands or Z-score

Details:

  • Markets:Stocks, ETFs, Forex pairs
  • Timeframe:Minutes to days
  • Win Rate:55-65%

Momentum Trading

Follow strong directional moves

Beginner

Implementation:

  1. 1.Calculate rate of change or RSI
  2. 2.Enter on momentum breakout
  3. 3.Use trailing stops
  4. 4.Filter with volume confirmation

Details:

  • Markets:Stocks, Crypto, Futures
  • Timeframe:Hours to weeks
  • Win Rate:40-50%

Arbitrage

Exploit price differences across markets

Advanced

Implementation:

  1. 1.Monitor price across exchanges
  2. 2.Calculate profit after fees
  3. 3.Execute simultaneous trades
  4. 4.Manage execution risk

Details:

  • Markets:Crypto, Forex, Stocks
  • Timeframe:Milliseconds to minutes
  • Win Rate:80-95%

Market Making

Provide liquidity, capture spreads

Expert

Implementation:

  1. 1.Quote bid and ask prices
  2. 2.Manage inventory risk
  3. 3.Adjust spreads dynamically
  4. 4.Handle adverse selection

Details:

  • Markets:All liquid markets
  • Timeframe:Continuous
  • Win Rate:51-55%

Statistical Arbitrage

Trade correlated asset pairs

Advanced

Implementation:

  1. 1.Find cointegrated pairs
  2. 2.Calculate spread z-score
  3. 3.Trade spread mean reversion
  4. 4.Dynamic hedge ratios

Details:

  • Markets:Stocks, ETFs, Futures
  • Timeframe:Days to weeks
  • Win Rate:60-70%

Machine Learning

AI-powered predictions

Expert

Implementation:

  1. 1.Feature engineering
  2. 2.Train models (RF, XGBoost, LSTM)
  3. 3.Cross-validation
  4. 4.Walk-forward analysis

Details:

  • Markets:All markets
  • Timeframe:Any
  • Win Rate:Varies

Programming Languages for Algo Trading

Python

Pros:

  • Easy to learn
  • Rich libraries
  • Great for research

Cons:

  • Slower execution
  • GIL limitations

Libraries: pandas, numpy, backtrader, zipline, scikit-learn

Best for: Research, backtesting, ML

C++

Pros:

  • Fastest execution
  • Low latency
  • Hardware control

Cons:

  • Complex
  • Longer development

Libraries: QuickFIX, QuantLib, Boost

Best for: HFT, market making

Java

Pros:

  • Fast
  • Reliable
  • Enterprise ready

Cons:

  • Verbose
  • Memory overhead

Libraries: JQuantLib, AlgoTrader, Marketcetera

Best for: Institutional trading

JavaScript/Node

Pros:

  • Async
  • Web integration
  • Real-time

Cons:

  • Not traditional
  • Limited libraries

Libraries: ccxt, technicalindicators, gekko

Best for: Crypto trading, web apps

Algorithm Development Workflow

1

Strategy Development

  • Define trading rules
  • Research market behavior
  • Code initial algorithm
  • Handle edge cases
2

Backtesting

  • Historical data collection
  • Simulate trades
  • Calculate performance metrics
  • Optimize parameters
3

Risk Management

  • Position sizing rules
  • Stop loss implementation
  • Portfolio allocation
  • Drawdown limits
4

Paper Trading

  • Live data connection
  • Simulated execution
  • Performance tracking
  • Bug identification
5

Live Trading

  • Start with small size
  • Monitor continuously
  • Log all activity
  • Scale gradually
6

Monitoring & Maintenance

  • Performance analysis
  • System health checks
  • Market regime detection
  • Strategy updates

Algorithmic Trading Platforms

PlatformTypeMarketsLanguageCost
MetaTrader 4/5RetailForex, CFDsMQL4/5Free platform
NinjaTraderProfessionalFutures, ForexC#$60-1000/month
QuantConnectCloud-basedStocks, Options, CryptoC#, PythonFree to $200/month
Interactive Brokers APIBroker APIAll marketsMultipleFree with account
TradingViewWeb-basedAll marketsPine Script$15-60/month
Custom SolutionSelf-hostedAnyAnyInfrastructure costs

Infrastructure Requirements

Data Feed

Options: Polygon.io, Alpha Vantage, Yahoo Finance, Exchange APIs

Importance: Critical - garbage in, garbage out

Execution

Options: Broker APIs, FIX protocol, Direct market access

Importance: Speed and reliability crucial

Compute

Options: Local server, Cloud (AWS, GCP), VPS

Importance: Depends on strategy frequency

Database

Options: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, InfluxDB, Redis

Importance: Store historical data and state

Monitoring

Options: Grafana, Custom dashboards, Alerts

Importance: Prevent disasters, track performance

Common Algo Trading Pitfalls

Technical Pitfalls

  • • Overfitting to historical data
  • • Look-ahead bias in backtesting
  • • Ignoring transaction costs
  • • Not handling edge cases
  • • Poor error handling

Business Pitfalls

  • • Inadequate risk management
  • • Insufficient capital
  • • Market regime changes
  • • Regulatory compliance
  • • Technology failures

Getting Started with Algo Trading

📚

1. Learn

Programming & markets

💡

2. Strategy

Develop trading logic

🧪

3. Backtest

Validate historically

📝

4. Paper Trade

Test live without risk

🚀

5. Go Live

Start small & scale

Algorithmic Trading Resources