FAQ
This page collects fast answers to the most common questions about Cortiq. Use it before opening a deeper page when you only need one answer; follow the link in each answer when you need the full context.
What this is
Section titled “What this is”The FAQ is intentionally short. Each entry answers one question in two or three sentences and points to the page that explains the underlying concept. If a question isn’t here, the most likely deeper home is one of the pages linked under Related.
Common questions
Section titled “Common questions”Is Cortiq a cloud trading platform?
Section titled “Is Cortiq a cloud trading platform?”No. Cortiq is a Windows desktop product that runs locally and integrates with MetaTrader 5 on the same machine. See MetaTrader 5 integration.
Does Cortiq support brokers outside MetaTrader 5?
Section titled “Does Cortiq support brokers outside MetaTrader 5?”No. The supported execution path is MetaTrader 5. Brokers that offer MT5 will work; non-MT5 environments are not supported.
Is virtual trading the same as backtesting?
Section titled “Is virtual trading the same as backtesting?”No — they are two distinct things, and Cortiq has both. Virtual trading runs a session forward on current live data but holds back the order, so the agent reasons against today’s market without sending anything to MT5. Backtesting replays historical M1 data so a session or playbook runs against the past. See Backtesting and Execution modes & notifications.
Which AI providers can Cortiq use?
Section titled “Which AI providers can Cortiq use?”ChatGPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), Claude (Anthropic), OpenRouter or another OpenAI-compatible endpoint, and a local model (Ollama / LM Studio). You bring your own AI. See AI providers.
How does Cortiq reach the AI provider?
Section titled “How does Cortiq reach the AI provider?”Through one of four transports: API (the provider’s REST API), ACP (a local agent over JSON-RPC, such as claude-agent-acp or codex-acp), CLI (a local command-line tool), or External MCP (an outside MCP client posts the decision back). See AI providers.
Can I start with one AI provider and switch later?
Section titled “Can I start with one AI provider and switch later?”Yes. Each session stores its own provider and transport, so different sessions can use different setups. See AI providers.
Can I use Claude Desktop or another MCP agent with Cortiq?
Section titled “Can I use Claude Desktop or another MCP agent with Cortiq?”Yes — in advanced setups. The Cortiq MCP server lets an MCP-compatible client drive an External MCP session through tool calls. That’s a different operating mode from the autonomous session loop. See MCP and agent integration.
Does the AI place trades on its own?
Section titled “Does the AI place trades on its own?”No. Every trade passes through an approval gate before it reaches MetaTrader 5. The agent proposes; you approve. The trade gate is always on, separate from the capability grants that govern other agent actions. See Agent permissions.
What is the Research workspace for?
Section titled “What is the Research workspace for?”Research is a single-instrument idea lab. You create a workspace for one symbol, run AI research over MT5 candle data, and the output can seed a playbook, instrument profile, or preparation notes. Edge-discovery guardrails are opt-in. See Research.
What is a skill?
Section titled “What is a skill?”A skill is a reusable Markdown instruction template you write once and inject into generation flows, so the same framing applies across runs without retyping it. See Skills.
Should I go live immediately after installation?
Section titled “Should I go live immediately after installation?”No. The recommended path is install, verify MT5 and AI connectivity, create a narrow playbook, and run a backtest or virtual session first. See First 30 minutes in Cortiq.
Does Cortiq guarantee profitable trading?
Section titled “Does Cortiq guarantee profitable trading?”No. Cortiq is an execution and decision-support platform with risk controls, not a guarantee of performance. Trading risk exists in every market.
Can Cortiq manage multiple accounts?
Section titled “Can Cortiq manage multiple accounts?”Yes. Cortiq supports multi-account MT5 setups, but each account needs correct configuration and non-conflicting ZeroMQ ports. Each session is still locked to a single instrument. See the multi-account section of MetaTrader 5 integration.
What happens when a risk limit is hit?
Section titled “What happens when a risk limit is hit?”The session transitions to RiskPaused and resumes automatically when the breach condition clears. Don’t manually unpause; stop the session if you want to override. See Risk management.
How does the license work — is it a subscription?
Section titled “How does the license work — is it a subscription?”No. €199 buys a one-time license with lifetime v1.x updates. One key activates up to two machines, and there’s a 14-day refund. See Licensing & support.
Can I run Cortiq without a license?
Section titled “Can I run Cortiq without a license?”You can install, design playbooks, and run backtests with no license. Any session bound to MetaTrader 5 — live, virtual, or broker-demo — needs a valid license. See Licensing & support.
Where should I ask questions about workflow or setup?
Section titled “Where should I ask questions about workflow or setup?”Use GitHub Discussions for public questions and shared workflows.
Where should I report bugs?
Section titled “Where should I report bugs?”Use GitHub Issues when you can describe a reproducible product problem clearly.
Where should I ask about license problems?
Section titled “Where should I ask about license problems?”Email support@cortiq.trade rather than public issues if the case involves license keys, payment data, or other sensitive details. See Licensing & support.
What to read next
Section titled “What to read next”- Getting started — orientation if you’re evaluating.
- First 30 minutes in Cortiq — guided first run.
- Documentation map — when you don’t know where to start.