Technical Access and Trading Permission
Choose the account program before choosing execution software. Record the firm's name, product, account stage, platform and proposed execution location. Then read the rule that applies to that exact combination.
A successful test order answers a technical question. It does not establish that the firm allows the strategy, hosting location or copying arrangement. A vendor's integration listing cannot override the account provider's terms.
The useful question for support is specific: “May my own TradingView strategy send orders through this connection, from this execution location, on this program and account stage?” Keep the answer with the relevant rule and date. Do not describe a cloud order relay merely as a charting tool.
Evaluation, Sim-Funded and Live Accounts
Evaluation, simulated funded and live brokerage environments can have different platform access and restrictions. A strategy that passes an evaluation is not automatically approved for its next destination.
Topstep's current API page provides a concrete example: its ProjectX API is for eligible simulated environments, not Live Funded accounts. It also requires order activity to originate from the personal device and prohibits VPS, VPN and remote-server order flow. [S09]
That distinction affects architecture. A private server receiving copies of fills for analysis has a different role from a server submitting, modifying or relaying orders. Drawing the actual execution path makes the permission question easier to answer.
Current Rules: Topstep, Apex, FTMO and MyFundedFutures
Reviewed on 26 September 2026. These are scoped summaries of the cited official pages, not approval for a particular account.
| Firm and scope | Documented automation position | Important boundary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| TopstepX eligible simulated accounts | Custom API strategies permitted subject to rules | Personal-device order flow; remote order servers prohibited; ProjectX API unavailable for Live Funded | [S09] |
| Apex programs covered by its prohibited-activities page | Page expressly prohibits automation and algorithm usage | Do not treat a supported platform as permission; consult the applicable agreement | [S10] |
| FTMO CFD FAQ / FTMO Account context | Algorithmic trading and EAs permitted within stated conditions | Legitimate risk management, real-market replicability and prohibited-practice rules still apply; do not extend this FAQ to a separate futures product | [S12] |
| MyFundedFutures plans covered by fair-play rules | Individually configured automation permitted within conditions | No HFT or exploitation of simulated fills; live automation must follow CME rules | [S11] |
For MyFundedFutures, the cited page also prohibits copying other traders and hedging the same underlying asset. For Apex, the cited prohibition should take precedence over an unsourced tutorial promising unattended automation. Read the current account agreement before committing funds or connecting software. [S10] [S11]
Hosting, Copying and Strategy Restrictions
“Cloud based” describes where software operates. It says nothing by itself about permission. A firm can permit algorithms but restrict where order transmission takes place.
Copying your own manually placed trade, running your own algorithm and following another trader are different activities. Do not use approval for one as approval for the others. Multi-account software can also create correlated exposure that must be evaluated at the program level.
AlgoWay and other execution services should be assessed against the permitted workflow after this account check. The futures guide covers connection compatibility; the MetaTrader guide explains terminal requirements. Neither guide grants permission on behalf of a firm.
Account Limits and Execution Controls
Translate each relevant account limit into something observable. The record should include the timezone used for resets, how open losses are counted, the permitted position size and any required flattening time. Do not rely on a chart label to represent the account provider's risk calculation.
| Control | Verification question | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum exposure | Are pending orders and correlated markets included? | Program rule and account position record |
| Daily loss limit | Which timezone and balance/equity definition apply? | Rule and reset-time observation |
| Holding window | Must positions and working orders be cleared? | Close and cancellation confirmations |
| Automation location | Where can orders originate and be relayed? | Documented execution path and firm response |
| Stage transition | Does API access or software permission change? | Rules for the new account stage |
Practice on the permitted test environment. A safety setting inside an executor is not a guarantee against an account breach: gaps, rejected exits and disconnected terminals still need an operating response. The execution guide explains how to retain evidence of such events.
Questions and Answers
Does API access mean cloud automation is allowed?
No. Topstep's published API rules distinguish permitted custom strategies from prohibited remote-server order transmission. Check execution location explicitly. [S09]
Do evaluation and live accounts have the same rules?
Do not assume so. Verify access, permitted software and risk rules again at the transition. A technical connection may not even exist on the new stage.
Is copying my manual trades the same as running an algorithm?
No. The origin of the decision and the copying arrangement differ. Ask about the activity you actually intend to perform.
Can an execution provider approve my strategy for a prop firm?
The account provider controls its rules. A connector can describe its own behavior and compatibility, but cannot grant an exception to the firm's terms.
Sources & further reading
Official documentation supports the technical claims. Community discussions illustrate user questions, not verified product behavior. Rules and account terms can change.