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What’s Holding Most Platforms Back from Offering Real Order Flow Data?

In recent years, the conversation around order flow tools has surged among traders worldwide. Despite the growing demand, many trading platforms remain unable or unwilling to offer real order flow data. At EBC Financial Group, we believe this is more than just a trend. It is a reflection of a deeper shift in how serious traders approach the market. Why Are Order Flow Tools Gaining Attention Now? Order flow analysis is not a new concept. On Wall Street and across global markets, it has been part of the trading landscape for more than three decades. If we look even further back, to when Laszlo Birinyi pioneered flow of funds techniques, its history stretches over 45 years. The renewed focus is particularly prominent in regions like Asia, where retail traders are now recognising what professionals have leveraged for decades. Unlike basic snapshot data that updates every few seconds, order flow tools provide real-time insight into market movement, a critical edge in fast-moving environments. Snapshot data, which many domestic exchanges rely on, offers only a surface-level look at buy and sell activity every 3 seconds. But in volatile conditions, a lot can happen in milliseconds. If a large buy and sell order cancel each other out in that time, snapshot data will not register it. In contrast, order flow tools capture and display that movement live, enabling traders to see the true balance of power between buyers and sellers. The Real Challenge: Why Most Platforms Do Not Offer It The reason is simple. It is hard. Acquiring and delivering real-time order flow data requires direct access to exchange infrastructure. Most data you see on platforms comes from exchanges like CME or LME. Connecting to their backend in real time demands not only deep technical capability but also compliance with strict licensing and integration requirements. CME, for example, is the largest exchange group in the world. Its infrastructure handles the bulk of global futures quotes. Tapping into its real-time feed, particularly to a depth of 10 levels (10 tick data), is no small feat. EBC Financial Group is one of the very few firms that has managed to achieve this connection. By linking directly to CME, we provide our clients with institutional-grade order flow data, and we do it at no cost. While comparable tools in the market can cost between 20,000 and 99,000 US dollars annually, our solution is included as part of our offering. It Is Not Just About the Data, It Is About the Tools Having access to raw data is only the first step. Making that data usable is where technology and user experience come in. Our order flow tool includes visual and analytical features that simplify complex data and help traders make faster decisions: Footprint Charts: A visual overlay that maps real-time volume onto candlestick patterns. This reveals market structure in a way that simple price-volume charts cannot. Delta Cumulative Charts: By tracking net order volume (buy minus sell orders) per candle, this tool shows shifts in buyer or seller strength, often before price action confirms it. Point of Control (POC): This marks the price level with the highest trade volume in each candle. Repeated POC signals at key zones suggest strong support or resistance, often indicating absorption patterns. Imbalance and Imbalance Clusters: These highlight when one side of the market (buyers or sellers) dominates the order book, often preceding directional moves. A cluster of imbalances in a row typically signals strong future price barriers. All of these are integrated into one seamless interface, designed for speed, clarity, and precision. Order Flow Is the Future The trading world is changing. Snapshot data is no longer enough for those seeking a competitive edge. As more traders recognise the value of milliseconds and real-time volume shifts, order flow tools will become not just an advantage, but a necessity. At EBC Financial Group, we are proud to be ahead of this curve, making tools once reserved for institutions available to all our clients, with the accuracy, speed, and depth required for modern trading.

EBC Financial Group

Disclaimer:

Investment involves risk. The content of this report is not an investment advice and does not constitute any offer or solicitation to offer or recommendation of any investment product.

Publication date:

2025-04-25 03:48:41 (GMT)

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