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Unlock Prop Farming with CrossTrade

Unlock Prop Farming with CrossTrade

Published April 17, 2025

Articles

Prop farming simplifies trading by distributing trades across multiple accounts to reduce risk and improve returns. CrossTrade enhances this process with automation tools like the NT Account Manager (NAM) and its ‘Cycle Accounts’ feature, which automate trade execution across accounts using a single alert.

Key Benefits of CrossTrade:

CrossTrade

  • Automated Trade Rotation: Distributes trades across accounts for balanced risk.
  • Simplified Management: Handles trades efficiently with fewer errors.
  • Scalable Setup: Easily add accounts for growth.
  • Risk Control: Standardizes risk across all accounts.

For example, you can use a command like this to automate trade placement:
key=your-secret-key; command=PLACE; account=sim101,sim102,sim103; instrument=ES 06-25; action=BUY; qty=1; order_type=MARKET; tif=DAY; cycle_accounts=true;

This guide will help you set up CrossTrade, optimize your trading system, and apply advanced strategies like account rotation and multi-timeframe trading for better results.

Prop Farming Robot Demo (Titan X Automated Trading)

Prop Farming Fundamentals

Prop farming involves using multiple accounts to spread risk and improve returns. Instead of relying on one large account, traders distribute trades across several accounts, giving them more control over their trading activities.

Advantages

Prop farming offers key benefits for traders:

  • Risk Distribution: By spreading trades across multiple accounts, traders reduce the chances of significant losses in any single account.
  • Improved Oversight: Managing separate accounts helps track performance and adjust strategies more efficiently.
  • Scalable Operations: Adding new accounts allows for growth without disrupting existing setups, ensuring consistent risk management.

Common Problems

While prop farming has its perks, traders often encounter these challenges:

1. Manual Trade Management
Handling trades manually can lead to delays, errors, and missed opportunities, impacting overall performance.

2. Complex Risk Management
Tracking exposure and maintaining a balanced risk profile across multiple accounts can be overwhelming.

3. Account Synchronization Issues
Without proper systems in place, trades can become inconsistent, leading to uneven results across accounts.

CrossTrade Solutions

CrossTrade offers tools designed to tackle these challenges head-on:

"CrossTrade has recently enhanced its NT Account Manager (NAM) with an innovative Cycle Accounts feature. This feature allows traders to automatically rotate trade placements through multiple accounts using a single alert." [1]

Here’s how CrossTrade’s automation features help:

Feature How It Helps
Account Cycling Trades are rotated across accounts in order.
Risk Management Ensures consistent risk levels across accounts.
Trade Automation Executes trades instantly based on alerts.
Performance Tracking Tracks metrics for each account individually.

To make the most of CrossTrade, traders should:

  • Set up accounts with similar capital levels.
  • Regularly monitor the performance of each account.
  • Apply standardized risk parameters across all accounts.

These steps lay the groundwork for a smooth CrossTrade experience. In the next section, we’ll explore how to deploy CrossTrade on a VPS for optimal trading performance.

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CrossTrade Setup Guide

Here’s how to set up CrossTrade by configuring the necessary components to ensure smooth operation.

Required Tools

Component Purpose Requirements
CrossTrade NT Account Manager Automates trading Latest version with Cycle Accounts feature
NinjaTrader Platform Executes trades Version 8 or higher
QuantVPS Hosting Provides infrastructure Minimum VPS Pro plan ($99/month)

Once you have these tools ready, follow the steps below to install and configure CrossTrade.

Installation Steps

  1. Install NT Account Manager
    Download and install the software, then configure API credentials, account connections, and ensure compatibility with your trading platform.
  2. Set Up Account Cycling
    Use the following alert string format to configure account cycling:

    "key=your-secret-key; command=PLACE;account=sim101,sim102,sim103; instrument=ES 06-25;action=BUY;qty=1;order_type=MARKET;tif=DAY;cycle_accounts=true;" [1]

  3. Configure Risk Settings

    • Define position sizes for your trades
    • Set stop-loss and take-profit levels
    • Enable monitoring to manage account activity

VPS Setup

After setting up CrossTrade, fine-tune your VPS environment for fast and reliable execution, which is crucial for prop trading.

Feature Recommended Setting
CPU 6+ cores
RAM At least 16GB
Storage 150GB or more (NVMe SSD)
Network 1Gbps or faster connection
Backup Daily automated backups
  1. Optimize Windows Server 2022

    • Turn off unnecessary services
    • Adjust network settings for better performance
    • Schedule automatic updates during off-peak hours
  2. Install Trading Platforms

    • Set up NinjaTrader with the required data feeds
    • Configure CrossTrade NT Account Manager
    • Connect to your prop firm accounts
  3. Enable System Monitoring

    • Keep an eye on CPU and memory usage
    • Ensure network latency stays under 1ms
    • Set up alerts for system performance issues

Advanced Trading Methods

CrossTrade offers tools designed to help traders apply more complex strategies, boosting efficiency and managing risk across multiple accounts.

Account Rotation Strategy

With CrossTrade’s NT Account Manager (NAM), traders can rotate trades through active accounts one at a time instead of mirroring the same trade across all accounts. This performance-based cycling lets you tweak trade frequency – focusing on accounts that are performing well and scaling back on those that need recovery.

"key=your-secret-key; command=PLACE; account=sim101,sim102,sim103; instrument=ES 06-25; action=BUY; qty=1; order_type=MARKET; tif=DAY; cycle_accounts=true;" [1]

This rotation approach sets the stage for broader strategies, like trading across multiple timeframes.

Multi-Timeframe Trading

By combining account rotation with varied timeframes, traders can broaden their market exposure. Assign specific timeframes to different accounts – some for quick trades, others for long-term positions. This approach helps capture a range of market opportunities while maintaining consistent risk levels.

Risk Control Methods

CrossTrade simplifies risk management by standardizing position sizes, grouping accounts with similar funding levels, and tracking performance. Trades automatically adjust when an account reaches its stop or take-profit limit, minimizing losses and safeguarding capital.

Conclusion

Let’s wrap up by looking at how to turn these advanced trading strategies into actionable steps.

Key Takeaways

CrossTrade’s NT Account Manager simplifies the complexities of managing multiple prop trading accounts. It automates trade rotation, spreads risk, and streamlines account handling, making it a powerful tool for prop farming.

Here’s a quick look at what CrossTrade brings to the table:

Feature What It Does Why It Matters
Risk Diversification Distributes trades across accounts Reduces the chance of large losses
Automated Management Handles trading tasks automatically Saves time and boosts efficiency
Scalability Makes adding accounts systematic Helps expand your operations
Emotional Control Balances exposure effectively Encourages rational decision-making

With these tools, you’re ready to start optimizing your trading approach.

How to Get Started

Ready to dive in? Follow these steps to set up your prop farming system:

  • Set Up NAM Settings: Configure accounts that have similar capital profiles for smooth management.
  • Standardize Risk Parameters: Apply consistent risk rules across all accounts in your portfolio.
  • Track and Adjust: Regularly monitor performance to fine-tune your trade rotation strategy.

Use the cycle_accounts parameter to automate trade distribution while staying within the rules of your prop firm. This ensures compliance while letting automation do the heavy lifting.

CrossTrade can help you grow your prop trading setup. By blending account rotation with strategies across multiple timeframes, you can create a trading system that seizes opportunities while keeping risks in check.

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