limited open trades. - page 2
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I should also note that a highly reputable OTC (FX/CFD) broker-dealer will openly publish its own limit on the number of open positions, e.g., 200; as well as its own limit on the number of transactions per day, e.g., 2000. The latter generally applies to anything that pings the trade server, such as a trailing stop that modifies a pending order upon the arrival of every tick.
Frankly, there is no valid reason for a broker-dealer to play hide-the-ball... unless of course, that broker-dealer has an insufficient number of trade servers. In this case, you get vague terms as in Post #6.
In my case, I verified with my U.S. broker-dealer that they have no such limits. Interestingly, they clear all trades in the interbank FX market but U.S. broker-dealers are the industry exception─not the rule. Where all trades are ultimately forwarded to the supermassive interbank market, the more trades, the merrier, I guess.Regarding the number of orders/positions allowed in the trading account, there are 3 checks (that I remember now) that must be done before sending a new order: ACCOUNT_LIMIT_ORDERS (if you trade with pending orders), SYMBOL_VOLUME_LIMIT, and ACCOUNT_MARGIN. I can share examples if needed.
Regarding the number of orders/positions allowed in the trading account, there are 3 checks (that I remember now) that must be done before sending a new order: ACCOUNT_LIMIT_ORDERS (if you trade with pending orders), SYMBOL_VOLUME_LIMIT, and ACCOUNT_MARGIN. I can share examples if needed.
Just be aware that SYMBOL_VOLUME_LIMIT is not a direct substitute for a broker-dealers maximum number of open positions. From the documentation:
SYMBOL_VOLUME_LIMIT
Maximum allowable total volume of an open position and pending orders in one direction (buy or sell)
(https://www.mql5.com/en/book/automation/symbols/symbols_volume).
Again, let's take a broker-dealer's limit of 200 open positions as an example. If the trader has 200 positions sized at 1 micro lot each, the broker-dealer's limit has already been reached─despite the fact that the total size (volume) of all positions is merely 2 standard lots.
SYMBOL_VOLUME_LIMIT
Maximum allowable total volume of an open position and pending orders in one direction (buy or sell)
(https://www.mql5.com/en/book/automation/symbols/symbols_volume). Again, let's take a broker-dealer's limit of 200 open positions as an example. If the trader has 200 positions sized at 1 micro lot each, the broker-dealer's limit has already been reached─despite the fact that the total size (volume) of all positions is merely 2 standard lots.
Since there's no programmatic way to check the maximum number of open positions a broker allows – there's no ACCOUNT_LIMIT_POSITIONS property – in practice, the margin (ACCOUNT_MARGIN / ACCOUNT_MARGIN_FREE) is the real server-side limit we can check. In fact, the objective answer to the topic author's question would be: "To find out the maximum number of open positions imposed by the broker, you would need to contact them or find out empirically." But, depending on the author's reasons, the approach I presented earlier might help. Thank you for sharing your opinion.
Of course. No problem. We share the same empirical advice:
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limited open trades.
Ryan L Johnson, 2026.05.17 18:16
First, check the FAQ section of your broker-dealer's website. If you don't see it there, carefully read through your trading agreement and any MT5-specific addendum that you may have signed.
Some broker-dealers are open about their max cap on open positions, while others are not. Just keep in mind that all broker-dealers reserve the right to close an account for any reason whatsoever, and traders have no recourse. If all else fails, it's best to contact your broker-dealer.
Presumably, Michael Charles Schefe is considering implementing some type of grid trading mechanism─possibly, across a basket of instruments.
Since there's no programmatic way to check the maximum number of open positions a broker allows – there's no ACCOUNT_LIMIT_POSITIONS property – in practice, the margin (ACCOUNT_MARGIN / ACCOUNT_MARGIN_FREE) is the real server-side limit we can check. In fact, the objective answer to the topic author's question would be: "To find out the maximum number of open positions imposed by the broker, you would need to contact them or find out empirically." But, depending on the author's reasons, the approach I presented earlier might help. Thank you for sharing your opinion.
Of course. No problem. We share the same empirical advice:
Presumably, Michael Charles Schefe is considering implementing some type of grid trading mechanism─possibly, across a basket of instruments.
every trade has same signal conditions, so no grid is used, no, no, no! but then again -- i do contemplate decreasing or increasing my lot size if there is X distance in points from the first trade in the sequence - on the same symbol. so i guess you couold say "some type" or "some sort of".
Exactly. IMHO, your scaling-in is loosely "some type" of miniature grid but easily distinguishable from Martingale (Martingarbage). The former is perfectly valid, while the latter is, well... garbage.