Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vectrade.io/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Trading Desk
The Trading Desk is VTrade’s order execution interface — a professional-grade trading environment designed to replicate the experience of institutional dealing platforms. It combines real-time charting, a comprehensive order entry system, and live position management into a single unified workspace.
Accessing the Trading Desk
Navigate to VTrade → Desk from the left sidebar navigation, or use the keyboard shortcut T from anywhere on the platform.
Direct Symbol Access: Append a ticker symbol to the URL path (e.g., /vtrade/desk/AAPL) to load a specific instrument immediately. This is useful when linking from watchlists, alerts, or external tools.
Cross-linking: Clicking any ticker symbol throughout VTrade (in your portfolio, market tables, Copilot responses, or social posts) will navigate directly to the Trading Desk with that instrument pre-loaded.
Interface Layout
The desk is organized into a responsive two-panel layout optimized for efficient workflow:
Left Panel — Market Analysis
The left panel provides all the information needed to make an informed trading decision:
Price Header:
- Company/instrument full name and exchange badge (e.g., “Apple Inc. · NASDAQ”)
- Current market price with live tick indicator (flashes green on uptick, red on downtick)
- Absolute change ($) and percentage change (%) from previous close
- Trading session indicator (Pre-Market / Regular / After-Hours / Closed)
Intraday Statistics Bar:
| Metric | Description |
|---|
| Open | Session opening price |
| High | Highest price reached today |
| Low | Lowest price reached today |
| Prev. Close | Yesterday’s closing price |
| Volume | Total shares traded today |
| Avg. Volume | 20-day average daily volume |
| Day Range | Visual slider showing current price position within today’s high–low range |
| 52-Week Range | Visual slider showing current price within the annual high–low range |
Interactive Chart:
- Full-featured candlestick chart with zoom (mouse wheel), pan (click-drag), and crosshair cursor
- Configurable timeframes: 1min, 5min, 15min, 1hr, 4hr, 1D, 1W
- Multiple chart types: Candlestick (OHLC), Line (close only), Area (filled)
- Technical indicator overlay system (detailed below)
- Volume histogram beneath the price chart
- Drawing tools: trend lines, horizontal lines, Fibonacci retracements
Right Panel — Order Execution
The right panel is your action center:
Symbol Search:
- Auto-complete search field — type ticker symbols or company names
- Results display full name, ticker, exchange badge, and asset class icon
- Supports fuzzy matching (e.g., typing “app” surfaces “Apple Inc. — AAPL”)
Order Direction:
- BUY (green) — Establish or add to a long position
- SELL (red) — Establish a short position or close/reduce a long position
Order Configuration Form:
- Order type selector (Market, Limit, Stop, Stop-Limit)
- Quantity field with ± stepper and percentage-of-buying-power quick buttons (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%)
- Price field(s) — conditionally visible based on order type
- Time-in-force selector
- Extended hours toggle (when applicable)
Pre-Submission Preview:
| Field | Description |
|---|
| Estimated Fill Price | Expected execution price based on current bid/ask |
| Total Cost / Proceeds | Quantity × estimated price |
| Commission Fee | Applicable trading fee for this order |
| Net Debit / Credit | Final amount debited from or credited to your wallet |
| Remaining Buying Power | Your cash balance after this order (if filled) |
Action Buttons:
- Quick-add to Watchlist
- Quick-add to Favorites
- Request Copilot analysis (opens side panel with AI insight for this symbol)
- Toggle extended hours data visibility
Position Tabs (Bottom):
- Open Orders — All pending/working orders for any symbol
- Positions — All current holdings with P&L
Instrument Discovery
Search Capabilities
The search bar supports multiple query formats:
| Query Format | Example | Result |
|---|
| Ticker symbol | AAPL | Exact match on Apple Inc. |
| Company name | Tesla | Fuzzy matches: Tesla Inc. (TSLA) |
| Currency pair | EUR/USD | European Euro vs US Dollar |
| Crypto token | BTC | Bitcoin (BTC-USD) |
| Partial match | NVD | Returns: NVDA, NVDS, etc. |
Search Result Cards Display:
- Full instrument name
- Ticker symbol
- Exchange badge (NASDAQ, NYSE, LSE, TSE, KOSDAQ, CRYPTO, FOREX)
- Asset class icon (stock, ETF, crypto, forex, commodity, index)
- Current price and change %
Keyboard navigation: Use ↑↓ arrow keys to move through results, Enter to select, Escape to dismiss. This enables rapid instrument switching without using the mouse.
Order Types — Complete Reference
Market Order
Mechanics: Submits an order for immediate execution at the best available price (current ask for buys, current bid for sells).
Characteristics:
- Guarantees execution (assuming sufficient liquidity)
- Does NOT guarantee a specific fill price
- Subject to slippage in fast-moving or illiquid markets
- Fastest time-to-fill of all order types
Appropriate Use Cases:
- Immediate entry when timing matters more than price precision
- Highly liquid instruments where bid-ask spread is minimal (e.g., AAPL, SPY)
- Exiting a losing position quickly to limit further damage
Example Scenario:
AAPL is trading at 185.40(bid)/185.42 (ask). You submit a market buy for 100 shares. The order fills at 185.42—thecurrentaskprice.Involatileconditions,thefillcouldbe185.44 or $185.50 if the ask moved during transmission.
Avoid market orders on low-volume instruments or during high-volatility events (e.g., earnings releases, FOMC announcements). The spread can widen significantly, resulting in unfavorable fills. Use limit orders instead for price-sensitive entries.
Limit Order
Mechanics: Places an order to execute only at your specified price or better. Buy limits execute at or below your price; sell limits execute at or above your price.
Characteristics:
- Guarantees price (if filled) — you will never receive a worse price than specified
- Does NOT guarantee execution — the market may never reach your price
- Remains pending until filled, expired, or cancelled
- Visible to the order book (provides liquidity)
Appropriate Use Cases:
- Entering a position at a predetermined price level (support zones, technical targets)
- Taking profit at a specific upside target
- Accumulating shares during a pullback without watching the screen
Example Scenario:
AAPL is trading at 185.42.Youbelieveitwilldipto180 before continuing higher. You place a buy limit at 180.00,GTC.Threedayslater,AAPLdipsto179.80 on a market pullback — your order fills at $180.00 or better.
Stop Order (Stop-Loss)
Mechanics: A dormant order that activates only when the market price reaches your specified stop level. Once triggered, it converts into a market order for immediate execution.
Characteristics:
- Does not execute until the stop price is touched
- After trigger, behaves exactly like a market order (subject to slippage)
- Used primarily for risk management (downside protection)
- Can also be used for breakout entries (buy-stop above resistance)
Appropriate Use Cases:
- Protecting a long position against unexpected decline (stop-loss)
- Entering a breakout: place a buy-stop above resistance, it triggers only if the breakout occurs
- Automating exit discipline to avoid emotional decision-making
Example Scenario:
You own 100 shares of AAPL at an average cost of 185.Yousetasell−stopat175.00 to limit your maximum loss to ~10/share.IfAAPLdropsto175, the stop triggers and a market sell is executed — likely filling near $175, but potentially lower in a gap-down scenario.
Stop-Limit Order
Mechanics: A two-price order that triggers a limit order (not market) when the stop price is reached. This gives you price protection after the trigger, at the cost of execution certainty.
Characteristics:
- Stop Price — The trigger level that activates the order
- Limit Price — The worst acceptable fill price after trigger
- If the market gaps through both prices, the order may never fill
- Provides more control than a plain stop order
Appropriate Use Cases:
- Stop-loss protection where you refuse to sell below a minimum price (prefer no fill over a terrible fill)
- Earnings events where you want downside protection but fear a flash crash that recovers
Example Scenario:
You own AAPL at 185.Yousetastop−limitwithstopat175 and limit at 174.00.IfAAPLdropsto175, a limit sell at 174.00isplaced.IfAAPLgapsfrom176 directly to 172(belowyour174 limit), the order will NOT fill — you retain the position.
Stop-limit orders can fail to protect you in fast-moving markets. If price gaps through your limit, you remain exposed to further losses. Consider whether execution certainty (stop order) or price control (stop-limit) is more important for your specific situation.
Time-in-Force — Duration Parameters
Time-in-force determines how long your order remains active before automatic cancellation:
| Code | Full Name | Duration | Behavior |
|---|
| GTC | Good Till Cancelled | Up to 90 calendar days | Remains active across trading sessions until filled, cancelled by you, or the 90-day expiry |
| DAY | Day Order | Current trading session only | Automatically cancelled at market close (4:00 PM ET for US equities) if unfilled |
| IOC | Immediate or Cancel | Instantaneous | Fills whatever quantity is immediately available, cancels any unfilled remainder |
| FOK | Fill or Kill | Instantaneous | Must fill the ENTIRE order quantity at once, or the entire order is rejected (no partial fills) |
GTC is the default time-in-force. Use DAY for intraday-only orders. Use IOC when you want whatever is available now but don’t want a hanging order.
Step-by-Step: Executing a Buy Order
-
Load the instrument — Type the ticker symbol (e.g.,
NVDA) in the search field. Select the correct result from the dropdown (verify the exchange badge matches your intent).
-
Analyze the chart — Review the current price action, identify support/resistance levels, and assess momentum using technical indicators. Switch timeframes as needed.
-
Select direction — Click the green BUY button. The order form configuration updates to reflect a purchase.
-
Choose order type — Select from the dropdown: Market (immediate), Limit (price-controlled), Stop (breakout/protection), or Stop-Limit (price-controlled trigger).
-
Set quantity — Enter the number of shares/units manually, use the ± stepper, or click the percentage buttons:
- 25% — Uses 25% of available buying power
- 50% — Uses 50% of available buying power
- 75% — Uses 75% of available buying power
- 100% — Uses entire available buying power (max position)
-
Configure price (if applicable) — For Limit orders, enter your target buy price. For Stop orders, enter the trigger price. For Stop-Limit orders, enter both the stop trigger and limit price.
-
Set time-in-force — Select GTC, DAY, IOC, or FOK based on your urgency and strategy.
-
Review the cost preview — Before submission, examine:
- Estimated fill price (for market orders, based on current ask)
- Total estimated cost (quantity × estimated price)
- Trading fee breakdown
- Net debit amount
- Post-trade buying power remaining
-
Submit the order — Click the submit button. A confirmation dialog appears showing all order parameters. Click Confirm to send the order to the matching engine.
-
Monitor status — The order appears in the Open Orders tab (bottom of right panel) showing status: Working, Partially Filled, or Filled. Once fully filled, the position appears in the Positions tab.
Step-by-Step: Executing a Sell Order
-
Select the instrument — Either search for the ticker, or click directly on an existing position in the Positions tab.
-
Click SELL — The red sell button activates the sell order form.
-
Set quantity — Enter shares to sell manually, or click Max to close the entire position. For partial position reduction, enter the specific quantity.
-
Configure order type and price — Follow the same logic as buy orders. For take-profit exits, use Limit orders. For stop-loss protection, use Stop orders.
-
Review and submit — Verify the proceeds estimate and confirm.
Execution Simulation Engine
VTrade employs a realistic market simulation engine to provide educational value that mirrors live trading conditions:
Slippage Model
Market orders and triggered stops experience slippage proportional to:
- Instrument liquidity — High-volume instruments (AAPL, SPY) experience minimal slippage (0–2 basis points). Low-volume instruments experience wider slippage (5–20 bps).
- Order size — Larger orders relative to average volume experience greater market impact.
- Volatility regime — During high-VIX environments, slippage parameters increase.
Partial Fill Simulation
Orders exceeding the simulated available liquidity at a price level may fill in multiple tranches across several seconds or minutes, mimicking real order book dynamics.
Market Hours Enforcement
| Asset Class | Trading Hours (Local Exchange Time) | Pre/After-Hours |
|---|
| US Equities | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET | 4:00 AM – 9:30 AM / 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET |
| US ETFs | Same as equities | Same as equities |
| Crypto | 24/7/365 | N/A (always open) |
| Forex | 24/5 (Sunday 5:00 PM – Friday 5:00 PM ET) | N/A |
| Commodities | Varies by contract | N/A |
Orders submitted outside trading hours are queued and executed at the next market open.
Commission Structure
| Asset Class | Fee Per Trade | Minimum | Notes |
|---|
| US Equities | $0.005/share | $1.00 | Capped at $10.00 per order |
| ETFs | $0.005/share | $1.00 | Same as equities |
| Crypto | 0.10% of notional | $0.50 | — |
| Forex | Spread-based | — | No separate commission; built into bid-ask spread |
| Commodities | $1.50/contract | $1.50 | — |
Position Limits
To encourage diversification and risk management:
- Maximum single-position size: 25% of total portfolio value
- Maximum leverage: 2:1 for equities, 1:1 for crypto
- Minimum order size: 1 share/unit (fractional shares not supported)
Position Management
Open Orders Panel
Your working orders are displayed in a sortable table:
| Column | Description |
|---|
| Symbol | Instrument ticker and exchange |
| Type | Order type (Market, Limit, Stop, etc.) |
| Side | BUY or SELL with color indicator |
| Qty | Order quantity (filled/total for partial fills) |
| Price | Limit price, stop price, or “MKT” for market |
| TIF | Time-in-force code |
| Status | Working / Partially Filled / Pending (pre-market) |
| Submitted | Timestamp of order submission |
| Actions | Cancel (×) button to revoke the order |
Positions Panel
Your current holdings are displayed with real-time P&L:
| Column | Description |
|---|
| Symbol | Instrument ticker (clickable — loads chart) |
| Side | LONG or SHORT |
| Qty | Current position size |
| Avg. Cost | Volume-weighted average entry price |
| Market Price | Current last-traded price |
| Market Value | Current position value (Qty × Price) |
| Unrealized P&L | Dollar gain/loss (Market Value – Cost Basis) |
| Unrealized % | Percentage gain/loss |
| Weight | Position as a percentage of total portfolio |
| Actions | Quick-close button, modify-stop button |
Click any position row to instantly load that instrument’s chart on the left panel. This enables rapid analysis of existing holdings without manual search.
Timeframe Options
| Timeframe | Use Case |
|---|
| 1min, 5min | Scalping, intraday momentum |
| 15min | Intraday swing setups |
| 1hr | Multi-day swing trades |
| 4hr | Intermediate trend analysis |
| 1D | Daily trend, support/resistance levels |
| 1W | Long-term trend, major levels |
Technical Indicators
Add indicators from the overlay menu (click the indicators icon on the chart toolbar):
| Indicator | Category | Description |
|---|
| SMA (20/50/200) | Trend | Simple Moving Average — smooths price to identify direction |
| EMA (9/21/50) | Trend | Exponential Moving Average — faster response to recent prices |
| Bollinger Bands | Volatility | 2-standard-deviation envelope around 20-SMA |
| RSI (14) | Momentum | Relative Strength Index — overbought (>70) / oversold (<30) |
| MACD | Momentum | Moving Average Convergence Divergence — crossover signals |
| VWAP | Volume | Volume-Weighted Average Price — institutional benchmark |
| Volume Profile | Volume | Horizontal histogram of volume at each price level |
| Stochastic (14,3) | Momentum | %K and %D lines for momentum extremes |
| ATR (14) | Volatility | Average True Range — measures daily price movement magnitude |
Access drawing tools from the chart toolbar:
- Trend Line — Draw diagonal support/resistance lines
- Horizontal Line — Mark key price levels
- Fibonacci Retracement — Standard 23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8%, 78.6% levels
- Rectangle — Highlight consolidation zones
- Text Annotation — Add notes to the chart
Programmatic Order Execution
For users who prefer algorithmic or automated trading, VTrade provides SDK access for programmatic order placement:
Python SDK
from vectrade import VecTrade
client = VecTrade(api_key="your_api_key")
# Market buy
order = client.trade.place_order(
symbol="AAPL",
exchange="NASDAQ",
side="BUY",
order_type="MARKET",
quantity=10
)
print(f"Order {order.id}: {order.status} — filled at ${order.fill_price}")
# Limit buy with GTC
order = client.trade.place_order(
symbol="NVDA",
exchange="NASDAQ",
side="BUY",
order_type="LIMIT",
quantity=5,
limit_price=800.00,
time_in_force="GTC"
)
TypeScript/Node SDK
import { VecTrade } from '@vectrade/sdk';
const client = new VecTrade({ apiKey: 'your_api_key' });
const order = await client.trade.placeOrder({
symbol: 'AAPL',
exchange: 'NASDAQ',
side: 'BUY',
orderType: 'LIMIT',
quantity: 10,
limitPrice: 180.00,
timeInForce: 'GTC',
});
console.log(`Order ${order.id}: ${order.status}`);
Refer to the Developer Portal for API key management and the SDK documentation for the complete method reference.