Setting up a reliable data feed is essential for traders who rely on real-time market information to inform their decisions. MultiCharts, a powerful trading platform, supports integration with OKX, one of the leading digital asset exchanges, enabling users to access live price data, futures open interest, and more—without requiring an API key. This guide walks you through the complete process of configuring the OKX data feed in MultiCharts, optimizing connection settings, and understanding key configuration options for seamless performance.
Whether you're monitoring crypto futures or analyzing volume trends, this step-by-step setup ensures stable connectivity and accurate data delivery. Let’s dive into the configuration process.
Accessing OKX Data Source in QuoteManager
To begin setting up the OKX data feed, open MultiCharts and navigate to the QuoteManager. This tool centralizes all market data sources and allows you to manage connections efficiently.
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From the main menu:
- Go to Tools → Data Sources.
- In the list of available data providers, locate and select OKX.
- Click the Settings button to open the configuration window.
Once inside the settings panel, you’ll find several tabs that control different aspects of the connection and data handling.
Configuring the Main Tab Settings
The Main tab contains critical settings that affect connectivity, request frequency, and error handling. Properly configuring these options helps maintain a stable and responsive data feed.
Connectivity Options
Under the Connectivity section:
- ✅ Use heartbeats for connection loss detection: Enable this option to allow MultiCharts to detect temporary disconnections from the OKX server. When enabled, the system will automatically attempt to restore the connection, minimizing downtime during volatile market conditions.
- ✅ Show Error pop-up alert: Check this box to receive immediate notifications if an error occurs. These alerts help you respond quickly to issues like network interruptions or service outages.
These settings enhance reliability, especially when monitoring fast-moving cryptocurrency markets where even brief data gaps can impact trading decisions.
Request Frequency & Open Interest
In the Requests section:
- ✅ Open Interest for futures: Select this option if you're tracking futures contracts. Enabling it increases the frequency of data requests based on the value set in Once every X seconds.
⚠️ Important: Increasing request frequency improves data freshness but may risk hitting OKX’s rate limits. Adjust this value carefully—starting with a conservative interval (e.g., 5–10 seconds) is recommended to avoid throttling.
For most users, default or slightly adjusted intervals provide sufficient updates without triggering restrictions.
Data Caching and Storage
The Data cache section lets you store downloaded market data locally:
- ✅ Save downloaded files: Enable this to cache historical and real-time data on your machine. Cached data speeds up future chart loads and reduces redundant server requests.
- 📁 Path: You can modify the default storage location by entering a custom path. Choose a drive with ample space and fast read/write speeds for optimal performance.
Local caching is particularly beneficial for backtesting strategies or reviewing past market behavior without re-downloading data.
Adjusting Volume Multiplier (Optional)
Navigate to the Volume Multiplier tab to adjust how trading volume is displayed for specific instrument categories.
Cryptocurrency exchanges often report volume in base currency units (e.g., BTC for BTC/USDT), while traders may prefer volume expressed in quote currency (e.g., USDT). The Volume Multiplier allows you to scale volume values accordingly.
For example:
- If the multiplier is set to
1000, all volume figures will be multiplied by 1000. - This is useful when visualizing volume patterns on charts where default values appear too small or inconsistent.
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Refer to the official documentation on Volume Multiplier for advanced use cases and formula examples.
Understanding Data vs. Broker Connections
A crucial point to remember: data feed connection is separate from broker execution capability.
While the OKX data feed provides real-time pricing and market depth, it does not enable trade placement. To execute trades directly from MultiCharts, you must configure additional components:
- OKX Broker Profile: Required for manual trading. It links your OKX account for order submission and position management.
- OKX Broker Plug-in: Enables auto-trading (algorithmic strategies) by allowing EasyLanguage scripts to send automated orders via OKX’s trading interface.
Ensure both are properly installed and authenticated if you plan to go beyond analysis into active or automated trading.
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- OKX data feed
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- futures open interest
- Volume Multiplier
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These terms reflect common search intents among traders using MultiCharts with digital asset exchanges.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Do I need an API key to use OKX data in MultiCharts?
A: No. The OKX data feed in MultiCharts operates without an API key for market data access. However, API credentials are required for broker integration (trading).
Q: Can I trade directly using the OKX data feed?
A: No. The data feed only provides pricing and volume information. To place trades, you must set up the OKX Broker Profile and Plug-in separately.
Q: What should I do if my connection keeps dropping?
A: First, ensure "Use heartbeats for connection loss detection" is enabled. Also, verify your internet stability and avoid excessive request frequencies that might trigger rate limiting.
Q: How often should I update the request interval for open interest?
A: Start with once every 5–10 seconds. Adjust based on your needs, but avoid intervals shorter than 2 seconds to stay within OKX’s request limits.
Q: Where is the cached data stored by default?
A: By default, cache files are saved in the MultiCharts application directory under /Cache/. You can change this location in the Data cache settings.
Q: Is the Volume Multiplier applied globally or per instrument?
A: The multiplier is applied based on instrument category (e.g., futures, spot). You can define different multipliers for each category as needed.
By following this guide, traders can successfully integrate OKX market data into MultiCharts, enabling high-quality analysis of cryptocurrency price movements, futures trends, and volume dynamics. With proper configuration, you gain a robust foundation for both manual monitoring and advanced algorithmic strategies.