1. What is OpenAPI?
Purpose
OpenAPI is a secure way for customers, partners, and applications to connect to a brokerage platform using approved APIs.Overview
It lets users view market information, check their account, monitor their portfolio, and place trades without using a manual web workflow for every action.When to Use
Use OpenAPI when you want to build a trading app, client portal, internal dashboard, reporting tool, or automation workflow.Step-by-Step Guide
1
Register for an account
Register for an account.
2
Subscribe to OpenAPI
Subscribe to the OpenAPI service if required.
3
Get access credentials
Get access credentials for the sandbox or production environment.
4
Authenticate your application
Authenticate your application.
5
Call the APIs
Call the APIs needed for market data, portfolio, or trading.
6
Handle responses
Handle responses, errors, and permission checks carefully.
Example Scenario: A retail investor uses a trading app that shows real-time prices, portfolio value, and current orders. The app uses OpenAPI to fetch data and submit orders.
2. Getting Started with Flash API
Account registration
Register with the online form using the approved onboarding process and provide the required business or personal information.API subscription process
After registration, request OpenAPI access and complete the approval steps required by the CS (if have).Sandbox vs Production environment
Use sandbox for testing and development. Use production only for live business activity after credentials and permissions are approved.Step-by-Step Guide
1
Confirm your account
Create or confirm your brokerage account.
2
Submit access request
Submit the OpenAPI access request.
3
Wait for approval
Wait for approval and setup instructions.
4
Test in sandbox
Use sandbox credentials for testing.
5
Move to production
Move to production only after validation is complete.
Example Scenario: A development team tests login, market data, and order placement in sandbox before enabling the same workflow for live users in production.
3. How OpenAPI Works
Authentication flow
Your application sends credentials through the approved authentication process. After validation, the system returns an access token.Access Token concept
An access token is a temporary digital key that proves your application is allowed to make requests.Request → Response flow
- Your app sends a request to an API endpoint.
- The request includes the access token.
- The platform checks the token, permissions, and environment.
- The platform returns data, a success message, or an error.
Typical API workflow
1
Authenticate
2
Retrieve the access token
3
Call the required API
4
Read the response
5
Handle errors or retry when appropriate
Example Scenario: A portfolio app logs in, receives an access token, requests account details, and then displays cash balance and positions on screen.
4. Market Data APIs
Available market data
Depending on permission and product setup, market data may include last traded price, bid and ask information, high and low values, volume, turnover, symbol reference details, and market status.Common use cases
- Live quote display
- Order ticket pricing
- Watchlist monitoring
- Charts and market summaries
- Client reporting dashboards
Sample business scenarios
A wealth app shows stock prices so users can decide when to buy. A research tool displays market snapshots for analysts. A branch support team checks quotes while speaking with a customer.Step-by-Step Guide
1
Authenticate your application
2
Choose the market data endpoint you need
3
Send the request with a valid token
4
Display the response in a user-friendly format
5
Refresh data based on your application needs and rate limits
Example Scenario: A user opens a stock detail page. The app calls Market Data APIs, gets the latest price and spread, and shows a simple summary with charts and movement indicators.
5. Account & Portfolio APIs
Account information
Account information may include account number, account type, currency, cash balance, buying power, and account status.Asset information
Asset information may include security code, symbol, name, exchange, and current valuation details.Position information
Position information usually shows quantity, average price, market value, unrealized profit or loss, and available balance.Portfolio monitoring
Portfolio monitoring helps users track exposure, concentration, performance, and changes over time.Step-by-Step Guide
1
Authenticate the user session
2
Call the account information endpoint
3
Retrieve asset and position data
4
Summarize the information in a portfolio view
5
Refresh the data regularly for accurate monitoring
Example Scenario: An investor opens their app and sees a portfolio summary. The system fetches account details, current holdings, and position values so the investor can review their investments at a glance.
6. Trading APIs
Place order
A place order request starts a new trade instruction. Your application should validate the symbol, quantity, side, and product type before submission.Amend order
An amend order request updates an existing order, such as changing price or quantity, if the order is still eligible for modification.Cancel order
A cancel order request removes an active order if it has not already been fully executed.Order status tracking
Order status tracking lets users follow the progress of an order through states such as pending, accepted, partially filled, filled, canceled, or rejected.Step-by-Step Guide
1
Confirm trading permissions
Authenticate and confirm trading permissions.
2
Build the order request
Build the order request with the correct symbol, quantity, and price type.
3
Submit the order
Submit the order.
4
Save the order reference
Save the response or order reference number.
5
Check order status
Check status until the order is filled, rejected, canceled, or expired.
Example Scenario: A customer wants to buy shares of a company. The app submits a place order request, shows the response, and then updates the order screen until the order is completed.
7. Common API Workflow Examples
Login → Get Market Data → Place Order
1
Authenticate the user
2
Fetch the latest market price
3
Present the quote in the order ticket
4
Submit the buy or sell order
5
Track the response and order status
Login → Retrieve Portfolio → Monitor Positions
1
Authenticate the user
2
Retrieve account details
3
Load current positions and asset values
4
Display the portfolio dashboard
5
Refresh data to monitor changes over time
Example Scenario: A mobile trading app uses the first workflow for active trading and the second workflow for daily portfolio review.
8. API Limits & Best Practices
Rate limits
Rate limits control how many requests your application can send in a given time period. They protect the system and help keep service stable.Security recommendations
- Keep credentials secret
- Use the correct environment
- Store access tokens securely
- Remove unnecessary permissions
- Log errors without exposing sensitive data
Error handling guidance
Check the error message, confirm your token, review permissions, and retry only when it is safe to do so.Step-by-Step Guide
1
Monitor request frequency
2
Use the correct authentication flow
3
Retry only when the error is temporary
4
Avoid exposing secrets in logs or screens
5
Validate trading data before submitting requests
Example Scenario: An application sends too many quote requests and reaches the limit. The system slows down the requests and uses caching so the user can continue working smoothly.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
General issues
Registration issues
Registration issues
Check whether your business details, contact information, and approval documents were submitted correctly.
Authentication issues
Authentication issues
Confirm that your credentials are correct, your token is current, and your application is calling the right environment.
Trading permissions
Trading permissions
Make sure trading access has been approved for the account you are using.
Environment access
Environment access
Verify that you are using sandbox credentials in sandbox and production credentials in production.
Specific questions
I cannot register. What should I check first?
I cannot register. What should I check first?
Verify your account details, company information, and any required approval documents.
Why am I getting authentication errors?
Why am I getting authentication errors?
Common causes are expired tokens, incorrect credentials, or using the wrong environment.
Why can I view data but not trade?
Why can I view data but not trade?
You may have market data or account access only. Trading permission may be missing.
Why does sandbox work but production fails?
Why does sandbox work but production fails?
Production usually has stricter permissions, credentials, and compliance checks.