Glossary · Prop Firms
Rithmic
Rithmic is a futures market data and trade execution infrastructure provider that connects trading platforms like NinjaTrader, Sierra Chart, and R|Trader Pro to the exchanges. Many futures prop trading firms route orders and stream live pricing through Rithmic rather than a broker's own proprietary feed, for both evaluation and funded accounts.
Why it matters
Because Rithmic sits between the trader's platform and the exchange, connection quality has a direct bearing on fill speed and execution reliability, which matters more in fast futures markets than in most other asset classes. Traders also have to get platform-specific settings right: the correct system, the nearest gateway or server area, and the market data session setup. Getting these wrong commonly shows up as lag, dropped connections, or login conflicts rather than a platform "bug."
Live data
Example
A trader receives Rithmic credentials for a funded futures account and connects them to Sierra Chart. During setup they choose a gateway area close to their physical location (for example a Chicago-area server) to minimize latency, and enter the same login for both the trading and market data fields. Because Rithmic only permits one active market data session per login at a time, they leave data disabled on a second platform already logged in elsewhere, rather than trying to run live feeds on both simultaneously.
Common misconception
Traders frequently assume one Rithmic login can stream live market data on two platforms at once, for instance NinjaTrader and Sierra Chart open together. In practice only a single market data session runs per login unless a firm or Rithmic offers a paid second-session add-on; the order-routing (trading) connection is handled separately from the data session and the two shouldn't be confused when troubleshooting.
Related terms
Data Feed, Ninjatrader, Depth Of Market, Front Month, Slippage
See also
The Futures Prop Firms category page lists firms offering Rithmic-connected futures accounts, useful for comparing which platforms and gateways each supports.
Sources
Risk disclaimer: Trading carries a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone. Prop-firm evaluations charge fees and most traders do not pass. Nothing here is financial advice; figures can change, so verify current terms with the firm before purchasing.
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