Share Market Data with Paper Account and Create a Second User

When running OptionsApp simultaneously with a Live Account and a Paper Account, you may encounter issues with Live Market Data. This article explains the background and shows how to configure Interactive Brokers (IBKR) so that both accounts can operate simultaneously with their own market data.

1. Background

Many users share the Live Market Data from their primary user with the Paper Account. This works without issues as long as only the Paper Account or only the Live Account is used.

However, when both the Live Account and the Paper Account are opened simultaneously, the Live Account generally takes priority. In this case, Interactive Brokers withdraws the shared Market Data from the Paper Account.

Since OptionsApp requires Live Market Data to determine current Underlying prices and to select and place Orders, no trades can be opened without available Market Data.

2. Solution

To use both the Live Account and the Paper Account simultaneously with OptionsApp, you need two independent Market Data subscriptions.

To do this, a second user is created with Interactive Brokers in addition to the primary user.

The following assignment then applies:

• Primary user -> Live Account
• Second user -> Paper Account

Both users have their own Market Data subscriptions. The Market Data of the second user is then shared with the Paper Account.

This ensures that both Sessions have their own Live Market Data available simultaneously.

3. Create a Second User

The second user is created directly in the IBKR Client Portal.

Procedure:

1. In the Client Portal Users & Access Rights open.
2. In the Users section, click on the Plus symbol (+).
3. Do not use the User Roles section.
4. Create a new user with the desired information.
5. Complete the creation.

4. Confirm the Second User

After the new user is created, it must be confirmed by the primary user.

Procedure:

1. Log in to the Client Portal with the newly created user once.
2. Then log back in with the primary user.
3. Click on the Bell icon (Notifications) in the top right.
4. Confirm the pending user approval.

Only after this can the new user be fully utilized.

5. Subscribe to Market Data

After the second user is set up, you must also subscribe to the required Market Data for this user.

Market Data is configured - just as for the primary user - in the Client Portal under Market Data Subscriptions.

You need the same Live Market Data that is required for operating OptionsApp with the Live Account.

6. Share Market Data with the Paper Account

After Market Data subscriptions are completed, they must be assigned to the Paper Account.

This is done in the Client Portal under:

Settings -> Paper Trading Account -> Share Market Data

There, you enable the Market Data of the second user for the Paper Account.

7. Result

After setup, the following configuration is in place:

• Primary user with its own Market Data for the Live Account.
• Second user with its own Market Data for the Paper Account.
• Both accounts can be operated simultaneously without Market Data being withdrawn from each other.

This ensures that both the Live Account and the Paper Account always have the required Live Market Data available for trading with OptionsApp.