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Expert Advisors, Bots & Automated Trading

Which EAs and bots are allowed, which are not, and where the line is drawn.

EAs and bots are a normal part of modern trading. We allow them within clear limits — and draw a firm line at tools designed to exploit prop firms or the simulated environment.

What's an EA vs a bot (our definition)

  • Expert Advisor (EA) — automation that helps execute your own strategy: entries, exits, trailing stops, alerts. You set the logic. You stay in control.

  • Bot — automation that trades without your contemporaneous decision per trade: signal-following bots, latency arbitrage bots, AI bots making autonomous decisions

EAs that automate your strategy are generally fine. Bots that replace your decision-making are not.

Allowed

  • Generally available, commercially purchased EAs used to automate your own legitimate trading strategy

  • EAs that you personally code or modify

  • EAs for entries, exits, trailing stops, position sizing

  • Trade managers, alert systems

Not allowed

  • Prop-firm exploitation tools (EAs specifically marketed for "passing challenges", DVL/MVL gaming, consistency-rule abuse)

  • Latency-arbitrage EAs

  • HFT-style execution exploitation tools

  • AI bots making autonomous trading decisions without your input

  • Tick-scalping bots designed to exploit pricing inefficiencies

  • Bots that replicate signals from another account or service

Product-specific restrictions

Some products further restrict EAs and bots. Always check your Plan Specification for product-specific rules.

How we evaluate

  • Source and intent of the tool

  • Whether the strategy reflects genuine market skill or pure exploitation

  • Behavior consistency across Evaluation and Funded

  • Pattern analysis across accounts using the same tool

What happens if you breach

Same proportionate ladder as C2:

  1. Warning + trade nullification

  2. Exclusion of bot-driven trades

  3. Suspension

  4. Termination

  5. Permanent ban

  6. Clawback of rewards from prohibited automation

    • Stick to EAs that automate your strategy, not someone else's signal

    • If an EA is marketed as "guaranteed prop firm pass" — don't use it

    • Test EAs on demo first; once on a paid Evaluation, you own the consequences

    • All activity is on simulated capital

    • The line is: are you the decision-maker, or is the bot?

    • If unsure about a specific EA, ask [email protected] before running it

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