MetaQuotes-Demo raw tick timestamps ahead of UTC
MT5 x64 build 6194; official Python MetaTrader5 5.0.6180; DEMO server MetaQuotes-Demo (Access Point IN 2).
On 2026-09-14, 12 read-only samples each for already-selected XAUUSD, EURUSD and GBPUSD showed changing bid/ask, but all 36 raw timestamps were about three hours ahead of local UTC. First samples below; before/after are local UTC on that date:
Symbol | UTC before -> after | raw time | raw time_msc
XAUUSD | 07:57:16.111035 -> 07:57:16.111094 | 1789383446 | 1789383446583
EURUSD | 07:57:16.111200 -> 07:57:16.111241 | 1789383446 | 1789383446753
GBPUSD | 07:57:16.111322 -> 07:57:16.111391 | 1789383446 | 1789383446656
Explicit UTC conversion was already verified. A prior NTP check around 07:46 UTC found this PC about 10.75 seconds behind NTP; that older measurement was not applied to these ticks. No offset correction was assumed.
Please confirm the raw time/time_msc epoch and timezone/DST convention, and provide a UTC-anchored server/feed trace matching these ticks. Is there a server-clock or build/package timestamp issue and an official fix?
Quotes are changing; absolute UTC freshness remains BLOCKED. No credentials are included.
- Daylight saving time (local)
- Local and server time
- Functions for working with time
I hope someone understand this post because I don't. Read it 3 times.
OP post is a technical timestamp clarification request - he wants MetaQuotes to confirm whether tick times are UTC or server‑local and explain the observed offset
-- Community members may share observed behavior
-- Only MetaQuotes can provide the authoritative answer
Nothing is broken - tick time and time_msc are Unix-epoch values expressed in the trade server's timezone, not UTC. MetaQuotes-Demo runs at UTC+2 with US-style DST, which puts it at UTC+3 in September, exactly matching your +3h (07:57 UTC vs 10:57 raw). Anchor conversions to TimeGMTOffset() (i.e. TimeCurrent() minus TimeGMT()) rather than assuming UTC, and re-verify after the March/November DST switches since the server offset moves by an hour then.
