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You need to start with a strategy that has an edge. Can you turn it into quantitative instructions that can be coded? How do you enter a trade? What are your stops and targets? How do you know when it is not going your way and it is time to exit? How do you manage the trade once you have entered? Code it up and test it backwards and forwards. Don't count on "lights out" trading until you know it works without baby sitting. It will take time, lots of it. Many of your test strategies will be losers.
Why would somebody offer a profitable algo on the internet ?
1. If you have a profitable algo, you make it work for yourself
2. If you don't have the funds, you can go to a prop shop or open a topsteptrader account
or find a rich friend
3. If your algo is really something huge, you can go to one of the big firms (through introduction
4. If the algo doesn't work, you can still tray to wrap it nicely an try to sell it for 200$ or more on internet
Some people will sell working systems. I am thinking of selling some of my systems off. The reason a developer might sell a working system are:
Not enough capital to trade it or need to raise some money
Too similar too other systems, i.e. developer doesn't need any more mean reversion systems
Tired of taking risk or doesn't have a risk appetite.
Stoke fire to develop new and improved systems.
Just to see what happens, curiosity. See how long it takes a working edge to quit working when shared with public. Perhaps it would yield useful information or not.
To encourage competition against your adversary. Think if you're not an HFT trader then what's the best thing to do? Share everything you know about HFT. Encourage others to trade HFT. Drive profits to zero.
I have also seen profitable systems published for free. The reasons are usually either to (1) promote themselves or demonstrate their capabilities to hedge funds or other investors or garner reputation among peers, (2) academic mindset, (3) desire to collaborate or find other traders/developers who will offer them value, (4) a desire to share as part of their working process.
Amateur adversaries that aren't going to make any difference anyway. Professional trading firms aren't going to be giving stuff away to encourage competition.
If you're not an HFT trader then what useful information are you going to have to share and how would not doing something encourage others to do it?
Profits are never going to go to zero because somebody starts marketing a Metatrader4 Expert adviser for $199, "Trade at Home like an HFT" or some other amateur program becomes available (point1). There will always be profit especially with market maker rebates and absolute minimal costs from capped commissions and exchange membership, or rebates when trading stocks. I am probably a little wrong with the terms but the point is clear. The only differentiator between which professional firm gets the most profit is the one that has spent the hugest amount of money in software design, computers and paying for their servers to be that fraction of a metre closer to the exchange than their competitors.
You do not win as a trader, you just get to play again the next day. If that game doesn’t appeal to you then you should not trade. Gary Norden