Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?

What this means in practice

Read the cTrader error. Common documented errors include BadVolume, NoMoney, MarketClosed, Disconnected, UnknownSymbol, InvalidStopLossTakeProfit, InvalidRequest, NoTradingPermission and Timeout. This page is specifically about “Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?”, so each scenario below is explained by its own mechanism instead of sharing one generic diagnosis.

Real-world scenarios

Scenario A — BadVolume

Compare requested size with the cTrader symbol minimum, maximum and step. Convert to one canonical internal unit, normalize once, and log requested versus submitted volume. For Scenario A — BadVolume on question 21, use that evidence specifically to answer “Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?”; keep it separate from the evidence for the other scenarios on this page.

Scenario B — NoMoney

Read free margin, leverage and existing exposure at submission time. NoMoney is an account-state rejection; retrying the identical order without a state change is not meaningful. For Scenario B — NoMoney on question 21, use that evidence specifically to answer “Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?”; keep it separate from the evidence for the other scenarios on this page.

Scenario C — MarketClosed

Use the broker's actual symbol session. Entry commands should follow a clear rejection or expiry policy instead of being replayed later after the original setup is stale. For Scenario C — MarketClosed on question 21, use that evidence specifically to answer “Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?”; keep it separate from the evidence for the other scenarios on this page.

Scenario D — UnknownSymbol

Inspect the mechanism named by “Scenario D — UnknownSymbol” directly. Record its input, the state immediately before it and the first observable output that differs from the intended result. For Scenario D — UnknownSymbol on question 21, use that evidence specifically to answer “Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?”; keep it separate from the evidence for the other scenarios on this page.

Scenario E — Invalid SL/TP

Validate protection in the symbol's real units: direction, price-versus-distance convention, tick size/digits and current minimum distance. Record the normalized value actually sent to cTrader. For Scenario E — Invalid SL/TP on question 21, use that evidence specifically to answer “Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?”; keep it separate from the evidence for the other scenarios on this page.

Scenario F — No permission

Inspect the mechanism named by “Scenario F — No permission” directly. Record its input, the state immediately before it and the first observable output that differs from the intended result. For Scenario F — No permission on question 21, use that evidence specifically to answer “Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?”; keep it separate from the evidence for the other scenarios on this page.

What to check

• target connector/account identity
• exact broker symbol
• normalized order parameters
• cTrader response and final position/order state

Practical rule

For “Why did cTrader reject my automated trade?”, change only the first layer whose evidence no longer matches the intended action. Preserve signal identity, timestamps and final cTrader state, and reproduce execution-affecting changes on demo before live use.