Rithmic — A futures order-routing and market data provider widely used as the connectivity layer behind prop firm accounts.
How Rithmic works in prop trading
Rithmic supplies the infrastructure between a trading platform and the exchange: order routing, unfiltered market data, and the risk controls a prop firm uses to enforce its rules. Traders rarely interact with it directly beyond credentials and the bundled R Trader application, but it is the layer that decides which platforms your account can connect to.
Its unfiltered tick data is why order-flow and footprint traders often prefer a Rithmic-connected account. The practical consideration when choosing a firm is compatibility: a Rithmic account works with NinjaTrader, Quantower, Sierra Chart, Bookmap and others, but not with platforms that only speak a different gateway. Check the platform list before the feed brand.
Key points
- Provides order routing, market data, and the risk layer prop firms use for rule enforcement.
- Unfiltered tick data suits order-flow and footprint analysis.
- Determines which third-party platforms your account can connect to.
- Some firms bill a monthly Rithmic connection fee separately from the account fee.
Also known as
- Rithmic feed
- R Trader
- Rithmic connection
Frequently asked questions
Which platforms work with Rithmic?
NinjaTrader, Quantower, Sierra Chart, Bookmap, MotiveWave and Rithmic's own R Trader are the common ones. Firms publish the supported list per account, and it is worth checking against the platform you actually want to use.
Is Rithmic better than CQG?
They are comparable infrastructure providers with different platform ecosystems and data characteristics. Rithmic's unfiltered tick data is often preferred for order-flow work. The more practical question is which one connects to the platform you want.
Put this into practice
Rithmic is described here as a plain-language educational definition. Firms, platforms, and account programs may apply different conditions or calculations. Verify the current official terms before using this definition to make an account decision.