> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.glitchexecutor.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Broker bridge latency

> Round-trip latency from Glitch Executor to broker order acknowledgement across cTrader OAuth, TradeLocker REST, DXtrade, and MetaApi-bridged MT4/MT5. What matters for which strategy class.

Bridge latency is the time between Glitch Executor emitting an order intent and the broker acknowledging it. Round-trip (RTT) varies by execution path; the right path depends on the strategy class.

## Latency profile by path

| Path                    | Typical RTT | Region variance   | What's in the path                                       |
| ----------------------- | ----------- | ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| cTrader OpenAPI (OAuth) | 20–40 ms    | ±15 ms regional   | Glitch Executor → cTrader Open API → broker              |
| TradeLocker REST        | 40–80 ms    | ±20 ms            | Glitch Executor → TradeLocker auth + REST → broker       |
| DXtrade REST            | 50–90 ms    | ±25 ms            | Same shape as TradeLocker                                |
| MT4/MT5 via MetaApi     | 80–150 ms   | ±50 ms (regional) | Glitch Executor → MetaApi → MetaApi MT terminal → broker |
| Broker-direct EA (VPS)  | 5–15 ms     | minimal           | EA on same-region VPS → broker directly                  |

## Why MetaApi is slower

MetaApi runs the MT4/MT5 terminal in their cloud. Your order has to travel from Glitch Executor → MetaApi → MetaApi's MT terminal → the broker. Every hop adds \~20–40 ms. The trade-off is operational simplicity: no VPS, no MT terminal to maintain, full API access to the MT account.

## When latency matters

| Strategy class                    | Latency tolerance | Acceptable path                                      |
| --------------------------------- | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| Tick scalping (sub-1-second hold) | \< 20 ms          | Broker-direct EA only — banned by firm policy anyway |
| Standard scalping (5–60 sec)      | \< 50 ms          | cTrader OpenAPI, broker-direct EA                    |
| Intraday momentum                 | \< 200 ms         | Any of the bridges                                   |
| Swing trading                     | \< 1000 ms        | All paths fine                                       |
| Multi-day algo                    | \< 5 sec          | All paths fine                                       |

For scalping strategies, 100 ms of latency on a fast-moving instrument can move the price 0.5–2 pips against you — eating 10–40% of average winner size. For swing strategies, 100 ms is invisible against multi-pip moves over hours.

## Regional considerations

MetaApi's regional endpoints (us-east-1, eu-west-2, ap-southeast-1) determine baseline latency. Deploy Glitch Executor orchestration in the same region as both MetaApi and the broker for the lowest end-to-end RTT.

cTrader OpenAPI servers are clustered in EU; us-east clients see \~40–50 ms baseline; ap clients see 100+ ms. TradeLocker is hosted regionally with the broker so latency follows the broker's region, not TradeLocker's globally.

## How to measure

The Glitch Executor dashboard exposes per-account bridge-latency metrics (95p RTT over the last hour). For a deep-dive:

1. Take 100 dummy entry-then-cancel orders during a normal market session.
2. Record the timestamp of intent emission and broker acknowledgement.
3. Compute p50 / p95 / p99 RTT.
4. Compare against the table above; investigate if 30%+ higher than typical.

## What latency is NOT solving

A high-latency bridge slows execution but doesn't change firm rules. A strategy that's profitable at 100 ms latency stays profitable at 200 ms — it just gives back more on slippage. Don't blame latency for unprofitable strategies; blame edge.

See related: [MetaApi internals](/concepts/metaapi-internals), [EA / cBot policy](/concepts/ea-rules), [brokers overview](/brokers/overview).