Real-time API · live access

Real-Time API

Market data in real time for trading, analysis and automation. A real-time API delivers current prices, tick data and market data directly into your applications, trading systems and analysis platforms.

This lets systems react to market movements without delay – the foundation for algorithmic trading, market monitoring and quantitative analysis.

Push-Streaming Low latency .NET / C# · TPRAccess
Definition

What is a real-time API?

A real-time API is a programming interface through which current exchange and market data is automatically retrieved. Instead of manual operation, the data flows directly into software, databases or trading systems. Typical data sources:

Stock exchanges Futures exchanges Forex markets Indizes ETFs Commodities Cryptocurrencies
Benefits

Why use a real-time API?

Markets move in seconds or milliseconds. Anyone working with delayed data is analysing the past rather than the current market.

Instant access

Current prices without relevant delay.

Market monitoring

Automated instead of manual observation.

Real-time signals

Signals are generated the moment the market moves.

Algorithmic trading

Rule-based systems trade automatically.

Analysis tools

Custom evaluations based on current data.

Custom dashboards

Integrate market data directly into your own interfaces.

Data types

What data does a real-time API deliver?

Different data types are available depending on the data feed and exchange.

Prices

Real-time prices

Current market prices without relevant delay – stocks, futures, forex, ETFs and index levels.

Tick

Tick data

Every single market move – ideal for backtesting, algo trading, order flow and quantitative models.

Bid/Ask

Bid and ask prices

Buy and sell prices, spreads and volume information for a more accurate market picture.

History

Historical data

Additional access to intraday, daily and tick histories as well as multi-year price archives.

By market

Real-time API by asset class

Aktien

Stocks

Price monitoring, watchlists, signal generators and trading systems.

  • Deutsche Börse · Xetra · Tradegate
  • NYSE · NASDAQ · Euronext
Futures

Futures

Fast, reliable data for analysis, automated strategies and tick-based systems.

  • Eurex · CME · CBOT
  • COMEX · NYMEX
Forex

Forex

Monitor and evaluate currency movements around the clock continuously.

  • EUR/USD · GBP/USD
  • USD/JPY · USD/CHF · AUD/USD
Indizes

Indices

Integrate index data directly into your own applications.

  • DAX · MDAX · SDAX
  • STOXX Europe 600 · Dow Jones · S&P 500 · NASDAQ 100
Use cases

What a real-time API is used for

Trading

Trading

Signal generation, real-time alerts, strategy execution, risk management and portfolio monitoring.

Algo

Algorithmic trading

Foundation for momentum, trend-following, mean reversion, breakout and arbitrage strategies.

Quant

Quantitative analysis

Statistical evaluations, factor analysis, volatility measurement, forecasting and risk models.

Dashboards

Dashboards & apps

Automatically supply financial portals, customer platforms, mobile apps and information systems.

Benefits

Benefits of real-time API

Current market data

Prices with virtually no delay.

Automation

Market data is processed automatically.

Scalability

From private project to financial platform.

Flexibility

Seamless integration into existing applications.

Time savings

Manual data collection is eliminated entirely.

Transfer method

REST API or streaming API?

Real-time data can be provided in two fundamentally different ways.

Pull

REST API

The application queries data on demand. Suitable for individual requests, historical data and reporting.

Advantages: easy to implement, flexible to use.

Push

Streaming API

Data is transmitted automatically as it is generated. Suitable for real-time trading, price monitoring and tick data.

Advantages: no constant polling needed, data arrives in real time.

At TAI-PAN: Real-time access is push-/streaming-based via the TPRAccess interface for .NET / C# – with login, real-time push feed, intraday ticks and further functions. Details in the developer documentation.

Selection criteria

What to look for in a real-time API

Not every API offers the same performance.

Push instead of polling

A true streaming feed delivers prices as they are generated – without constant queries.

Reconnect & availability

Automatic reconnection and high uptime are critical for live feeds.

Low latency

As few milliseconds as possible should lie between market and callback.

.NET integration

Clean connection to existing C# applications – at TAI-PAN via TPRAccess.

Documentation

Clear developer docs noticeably speed up integration.

In use

Typical use cases

Real-time APIs are used in many areas today – the importance of automated data processing is continuously growing.

Trading-Systeme Banks Asset management FinTechs Research Market portals Analysis platforms

Real-time API and artificial intelligence

AI applications need current, high-quality data. Real-time APIs provide the basis for:

  • market monitoring
  • signal calculation
  • price forecasts
  • pattern recognition
  • risk modelling
Target groups

Who is a real-time API for?

Even ambitious private investors benefit from automated data access:

Day traders Futures traders Quantitative analysts Software developers FinTech companies Asset managers Institutional investors
Distinction
“Trading software is for manual analysis – an API for automation and integration. Often both are used together.”

Trading software

  • manual analysis
  • visual charts & tools
  • direct operation

real-time API

  • automation
  • data exchange
  • custom applications
  • system integration
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a real-time API?

A real-time API delivers market prices without relevant delay directly into your own applications – via push as soon as a new price is generated, rather than REST polling.

What is the difference between push and polling?

With push (streaming), prices are delivered automatically as they are generated. With polling, the application has to query regularly itself – causing higher latency and server load.

Which programming languages are supported?

TPRAccess is a .NET interface, optimised for C#. Sample code and a .NET sample project are available for download.

What data does the real-time API deliver?

Real-time prices, tick data, market depth/order book, master data, watchlists, historical candle data and the options matrix.

Conclusion

The foundation of modern financial applications

From real-time prices and tick data through to historical market data, financial information can be processed automatically and integrated into your own systems.

Anyone looking to automate trading processes or develop professional applications needs a powerful real-time API with high data quality, low latency and extensive market coverage.

KI-Support: This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
Risk warning: Futures, shares and foreign exchange trading involve considerable risk and are not suitable for every investor. An investor could lose all or more than the capital invested. Risk capital is money that can be lost without jeopardizing financial security or lifestyle. Only risk capital should be used for trading and only those with sufficient risk capital should consider trading. Past performance is not necessarily an indicator of future results.