Multi-Broker license

[connorgrant5]

Is it possible to trade 2 different brokerage accounts with 2 different data connections simultaneously?

[NinjaTrader_ChristopherS]

Hello connorgrant5,

To be able to trade live with multiple supported brokerages a Multi Broker license key is required.

https://ninjatrader.com/BuyPlatform

NinjaTrader 8 gives you the ability to integrate real-time and historical data from multiple data providers on the basis of instrument type. You can find more information about configuring multiple data connections at the following link under the section titled “Determining which data source is being used”:

• http://ninjatrader.com/support/helpG...onnections.htm

[connorgrant5]

I do have multi-broker license and do have 2 data connections simultaneously. However, in Preferred Connections Real-Time, only 1 futures provider can be selected. Can I trade AMP broker with Rithmic data and NT Brokerage with Continuum data simultaneously? Both for futures.

[NinjaTrader_PatrickG]

Only 1 CQG-based data feed can be connected at a time. A CQG-based and Rithmic-based feed could be connected simultaneously.

[connorgrant5]

Beyond using 2 data feed connections at one time, can I trade 2 different brokerage accounts simultaneously? Thanks

[NinjaTrader_PatrickG]

It is not possible to trade to two accounts simultaneously without the accounts being combined under one logon or using custom NinjaScript strategies.

[Conceptzx]

Is there still a multi-broker license with the recent changes, or it now included in monthly and lifetime licenses?

[QuantKey_Bruce]

Yes, that is a separate user entitlement - check your account control panel at account.ninjatrader.com under settings -> plans. You would need to enable multi provider mode in tools -> options and to have the multi broker user entitlement on the control panel by signing up for it. This would be necessary if, for instance, you wanted to trade with IB but from the NT desktop platform.

[bltdavid]

Yes, that is a separate user entitlement - check your account control panel at account.ninjatrader.com under settings -> plans. You would need to enable multi provider mode in tools -> options and to have the multi broker user entitlement on the control panel by signing up for it. This would be necessary if, for instance, you wanted to trade with IB but from the NT desktop platform.

Really?
(You may not have worded that quite right)

In the past, NT Support would set your S/B license to any supported broker technology.
The caveat is that your S/B could only be set to one broker technology at a time. There
was a special exemption for users w/NTB accts and S/B licenses whereby 'Rithmic for
NinjaTrader Brokerage' would also be enabled. This was a nice bonus for NTB users
who also wanted to trade a Rithmic based prop firm acct along side their NTB acct.

After that, an M/B license was only needed if you wanted to trade two different brokers
using two different broker technologies at the same time. You could then connect to 2,
3, or 4, accounts, etc, all at the same time.

Trading Forex or TDA? If that was your only trading acct, no problem, an S/B license
was sufficient. Until you want to trade a second (and different) brokerage account, only
then does the M/B license come into play. Same with trading a single IB account by itself,
a S/B license should be sufficient.

My point is, the need for an M/B always started with the desire to trade two different broker
accounts using two different broker technologies, such as IB and TDA, or NTB and TDA,
or IB and NTB, or NTB and Forex, or IB and PropFirm, or NTB, IB, and PropFirm, etc.
You get the idea.

Even then, each adapter only supports one connection at time, so trading two or more
Rithmic based prop firms (Apex/Bulenox/Leeloo/TopStep/etc) at the same time won't
work, because they all use Rithmic, and (like I said) each adapter only supports one
connection at a time(*).

For the M/B license, the key words have always been 'two different' brokers using
'two different' technology adapters. Outside of the exception for NTB accts having
their S/B licenses enabled for both Continumm/Rithmic -- you only needed the M/B
license for an IB acct if you wanted to trade IB and another non-IB acct at the same
time.

NT Support,
Can you please confirm my understanding?
Has anything I wrote changed since the release of 8.1?

I understand that in 8.1 licenses have evolved into 'user entitlements', and multi-provider
mode represents the M/B license, but otherwise ... is the above still correct for the 8.0
world?

-=o=-

S/B - Single Broker License
M/B - Multi-Broker License

(*) For 'grandfathered' M/B licenses (those purchased before certain dates) these licenses
can connect to two Rithmic based prop firms at the same time. How so? A g/f M/B
license lists two different adapters -- 'Rithmic' and 'Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage'.
These two adapters are considered 'different' and can therefore connect simultaneously.
The 'Rithmic' adapter was removed for new M/B license purchasers, but anyone with
an older 'grandfathered' M/B license has enjoyed this privilege for years. Eg, set Apex
to 'Rithmic' and Leeloo to 'Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage' then connect to both. The
Account dropdown would show all accounts from both firms.

[QuantKey_Bruce]

bltdavid If that is true then how do you explain this post from NinjaTrader support yesterday? https://forum.ninjatrader.com/forum/...87#post1246287 Maybe NinjaTrader_Emily misspoke or I am misinterpreting what she wrote.

[bltdavid]

I can't, have to let Emily do that.

That's why I'm asking for support confirm what I wrote.

(It would seem either Emily misspoke, or something has
changed with 8.1 -- either way we need Emily to respond)

[bltdavid]

Since 8.1 ...

It's almost as if the new NT docs and NT comments are
written from the point of view that you have (or must have)
an NTB account.

It almost seems to come across as a silent assumption.

My point is, the old NinjaTrader way (prior to 8.1) didn't
have this kind of 'attitude' about itself -- thus we need
help to unveil this 'assumption' and get to the bottom
of things.

I'm pretty sure that prior to 8.1, what I wrote would have
been true -- but with 8.1, I am feeling a bit confused how
the migration to user entitlements has changed things.

That's why we need Emily or Chelsea to clear this up.

[bltdavid]

We need confirmation with 8.1.

This is obvious:
If a brand new user wants to trade a single account, and that
account is an NTB account, they don't need multi-provider mode,
and they don't need to pay the multi-broker add-on.

However,
If a brand new user wants to trade a single account, and that
account is not an NTB account, is NT Support saying the new
user must enable multi-provider mode, and must also pay the
M/B addon fee to trade their non-NTB account? If this is the
case, and the new user is only trading a single account, eg, let's
say his only acct is an IB acct, why would he need to enable
multi-provider mode?

In other words, in new era of 8.1, does the brand new user have
to pay the extra fee for the M/B addon when they intend to trade
a non-NTB account, and that non-NTB account is the only account
they intend to trade?

I'm asserting that prior to 8.1, you didn't need an M/B license to
trade an IB acct all by itself -- an S/B license was fine.

If this has changed in 8.1, then maybe its because NT has
'elevated' the desktop platform to assume that an NTB acct is
a 'must-have' or 'assumed-to-have' acct type, and that if you
want access to another acct type (in addition to NTB) well,
now with 8.1, you're (by definiiton?) talking about multi-
provider situation, and new users will have to pay the M/B
addon fee to enable multi-provider mode so they can trade
in single mode with just one (non-NTB) account.

My point is: prior to 8.1, an S/B license holder could write
into support have their S/B license updated to connect to
IB connections only, because if IB is all you have, you don't
care about an NTB/Continuum connection. An S/B license
could be adjusted by Support so that the license servers
knew your lic key was set to a single connection type, and
NInjaTrader.exe would adjust the 'available connections'
accordingly to show you that single connection type.

Somehow, this has appeared to have changed with 8.1.
(At least, that's what I'm trying to clarify)

Almost as if the NTB connection is assumed, that it can't
be turned off. As if a new user wanting to trade a single
non-NTB account is forced to pay a penalty fee right off
the bat, because they must buy the M/B add-on, because
that's how a new user enables the multi-provider mode.

See that?
Did 8.1 really do that?
Did they 'upgrade' the NTB connection to 'always available,
cannot be turned off' status?

If so, that is a change that advances their own brokerage
at the expense of all others, because brand new users coming
on board to NT in the 8.1 era who want to trade a non-NTB
account are immediately hit with the need to buy the M/B
addon fee (how else to enable multi-provider mode? they
are a new user, and don't have a license key from prior
eras of NT to migrate over).

If 8.1 elevates NTB connections to 'always available, can't
be turned off' then someone who wants to trade just their
IB acct, or just their Forex acct, or just a TDA acct -- will
these brand new users coming into NT during the 8.1 era,
will they have to buy the M/B addon to enable the new multi
provider mode, even though their not really trading multiple
accts?

I assert that in 8.0 era and before, an M/B acct was not
needed if you wanted to trade your IB acct only, or Forex
only, or TDA only. Support would change your S/B license
to the one connection type you wanted, and you were good.

Now it seems that the 8.1 NTB connection is godlike, and cannot
be disabled. So trading a non-NTB acct (such as IB only) will trigger
the need for the IB adapter, triggering the need for multi-provider
mode, triggering the need for the extra expense of the M/B addon,
because for new users with no M/B license key to migrate, they
are denied the prior privileges of what the S/B license provided,
because in new 8.1 era, NT no longer sells licenses.

Make sense?
If 8.1 NTB connection is now godlike, and cannot be disabled,
then trading any other acct type implies that multi-provider mode
must be enabled -- and for brand new users who want to trade
IB only, or Forex only, they must immediately pay the M/B addon
fee to trade their single IB or Forex account ... is this true?

If it were true, that could explain Emily's comment.

The distinction is subtle, and clarification is needed.

[QuantKey_Bruce]

In other words, in new era of 8.1, does the brand new user have
to pay the extra fee for the M/B addon when they intend to trade
a non-NTB account, and that non-NTB account is the only account
they intend to trade?

This is my understanding as of March 2023, unless NinjaTrader clarifies otherwise. I do understand it used to be different but this is my current understanding of the new situation though I would be all ears to hear if I am incorrect.

[bltdavid]

This is my understanding as of March 2023, unless NinjaTrader clarifies otherwise. I do understand it used to be different but this is my current understanding of the new situation though I would be all ears to hear if I am incorrect.

Yep, I may be the one who is a bit behind, and did
not realize this. Thanks for helping me stay abreast.

-=o=-

I don't recall reading this anywhere official on the
main (newly branded) website.

Bruce, is this specifically documented somewhere?

I mean, other than Emily's comment, where do we
find the official explanation of how someone with a
non-NTB account trades that account (and only that
account) on the new 8.1 NinjaTrader?

-=o=-

Assuming you are correct ...

I think this is a major departure. If your understanding
is correct, then it appears NT is forsaking the new
Forex customer completely ... I mean, there is very
little reason to expect new Forex-only customers to
signup with NinjaTrader -- why would they? They'd
have to pay an immediate penalty fee (the M/B addon
fee, in order to enable multi-provider mode) that an
NTB/Futures customer would not have.

A Forex trader has a plethora of trading platforms
to choose from -- it looks like NT mgmt has moved
the NinjaTrader platform down lower on that list.

Same with IB-only, or TDA-only ... anybody new
who wants to trade stocks only is also screwed
by the new 8.1 NinjaTrader.

Geez, what a shame.

Summary of 8.1 rollout:
"Gun, meet Foot. Foot, meet Gun. Ready? Fire!"