# What is Trading platform?

> A trading platform is the software traders use to place orders and see positions; for a prop firm, it also supplies the account data the risk engine and dashboard rely on.

- Source: https://pipvalley.com/glossary/trading-platform
- Publisher: PipValley - web design studio for prop trading firms
- Updated: 2026-10-03

In a prop firm, the trading platform is chosen per market. Forex and CFD firms commonly use MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DXtrade, Match-Trader or TradeLocker. Futures firms commonly connect through Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, ProjectX or Volumetrica, and display charts in third-party front ends.

The platform choice affects licensing cost, how quickly accounts can be created and closed by API, which risk engine and CRM integrations exist, which countries the vendor will serve, and what traders already know how to use.

Platform access can change. In the past few years several prop firms had to switch or pause platforms at short notice after vendor policy changes, so most firms now plan for more than one.

## Why it matters

Traders filter firms by platform before anything else, so the platforms you support belong in your navigation, pricing table and FAQ. Platform dependency is also a business risk; offering two platforms, and building your website and CRM so a platform can be swapped, protects the firm from a single vendor decision.