About Collective2 AutoTrading

Automatically have Collective2 trades placed in your real-life brokerage account!

What is AutoTrading?

AutoTrading lets you choose any system on this Web site and have its trades placed automatically in your real-life brokerage account.

AutoTrade features include:

You control trade size. Set a maximum number of contracts, or maximum dollar value for stocks. Trade multiple systems at once. You can AutoTrade as many trading systems as you like in one brokerage account -- even if the systems trade the same things, and even if the systems trade in opposite directions! Trade anything. AutoTrade supports stocks, options, futures, and forex. Monitor trades, positions, and profit-and-loss in real time. You can log in to this Web site and see all your trading status on one screen. Intervene whenever you want. You can close positions early to take a profit, or to stop a loss. See a trade you like? Increase its size. (Or decrease the size of trades you don't like.)* AutoSync technology keeps your account "synced up." If you've been around computers and the Internet for any length of time, you know that "bad stuff happens." Brokers' servers go down. They come back up. Internet connections fail. They get restored. We aren't surprised by "bad stuff"; we expect it. And we've designed AutoTrade to overcome it. Our advanced AutoSync technology is constantly monitoring your real-life brokerage account, and comparing it to what you should have in the account, based on your instructions and the trading system's trade record. We will adjust your account automatically to make sure you stay in sync with your chosen systems. Which means that even if something unexpected happens, you can expect that AutoSync will take care of you.

You - and you alone - control how large or small to make the trades. See up-to-the-second results for all your trading on one screen. Sure, it's called "AutoTrade," but you're in control. Take profits early; add stop losses. Shut down trading at the click of a mouse. Or, relax and let the system manage itself.

Automatic Stop Losses. Our powerful Gen3 AutoTrade technology introduces a new feature: Automatic Stop Losses.** If you choose to use the optional feature, our servers will automatically place a stop loss order for each position opened by your trading system, at whatever dollar amount you specify.* This happens regardless of whether the trading-system uses its own stop losses.
Place automatic stop losses for each position, at a dollar value you choose.**

Which systems can you AutoTrade?

You can AutoTrade any system you see on this Web site.

Which brokers can I use?

A growing number of brokers are Collective2-compatible. The broker you choose will obviously depend on the kinds of things you want to trade. (Some brokers allow the trading of stocks, for example; and some brokers allow the trading of futures. Some brokers allow both.) Before deciding which broker to use, you'll probably first want to select the trading system (or systems) that interest you. Next to each system listed on this Web site, you'll see whether it trades stocks, options, futures, or forex.

Collective2 Compatible Brokers

Use the table below to determine which broker to use.

Broker	Forex	Futures	Stocks	Options	Gen3?*
MB Trading
OptionsXpress
OpenECry			via OEC Equities
OEC Equities
FXCM
FXCM UK
FX Solutions
Gain Capital
GFT
GFT UK		futures spread-betting available to non-US customers
Dorman
Interactive Brokers
Vision Financial

Gen3 AutoTrade Fees and Costs

Depending on the broker and instrument, there may be a per-trade fee (for futures and forex), or a monthly platform fee (for stocks and options). If you prefer to use Gen1 AutoTrading, you'll need to run a C2-compatible Gen1 AutoTrading software package on your own computer and pay a monthly fee to that independent software developer.

What if my broker isn't listed above?

Two possibilities. The first is that you can just wait. Your broker may be added soon. We're in discussions with a number of brokerage firms. But it can't hurt if you send a polite note to your broker suggesting how great it would be for their customers if they became Collective2-Compatible, too. The second possibility is that you simply open an account at one of the firms listed above. Nowadays, most firms have made the process of account-opening quick and easy.

How much does AutoTrading cost?

It depends on the broker and technology you choose. If you choose a broker that still uses Gen1 technology, you won't pay anything extra, except for your typical commission and the cost of any software you want to use. But you won't have any of the nifty Gen3 features such as AutoSync, or the ability to manually adjust positions and trades, or the ability to monitor real-time positions and P/L reports here on this Web site. If you choose a Gen3 broker, the broker may charge a small execution fee for futures or forex trades. Typically that fee is $1.99 for futures contracts, and $1 for forex minilots. Some brokers offer stock and option trading for free, if monthly trading volume minimums are met; otherwise there may be a monthly platform fee for AutoTrading stocks and options.

How do I start AutoTrading?

If you can press a button, you can set up AutoTrading. Just surf around this Web site. When you find a system you like, press the AutoTrade button, like this:

If you can press a button, you can set up AutoTrading. Our Setup Wizard will walk you through the process, including selecting a broker, setting trade sizes, entering your account information, etc.

You will be walked through the setup process by an AutoTrade Setup Wizard. The Wizard will list the brokers that are compatible with the system you trade. It will let you type in an account number (if you already have an account) or will provide a link through which you can open a Collective2-Compatible AutoTrade account.