Choosing an Instrument
Choosing an Instrument
Select the right trading instrument for your backtest. StratBase.ai supports crypto (spot & futures), forex, and US stocks across multiple exchanges.
Available Markets
| Market | Exchange | Instruments | Min Timeframe | |--------|----------|-------------|---------------| | Crypto Spot | Binance, Bybit | 1,500+ pairs | 1 min (Free), 1 sec (Premium+) | | Crypto Futures | Binance, Bybit | 500+ contracts | 1 min (Free), 1 sec (Premium+) | | Forex | Dukascopy | 27 major & cross pairs | 1 min | | US Stocks | Alpaca (NYSE/NASDAQ) | 130+ symbols + ETFs | 1 min | | Scalping | Binance Futures | 20 USDT perpetual | 1 sec | | FTT (Binary Options) | Simulated | All crypto instruments | 1 min |
How to Select an Instrument
Step 1: Choose Market Type
In the strategy configurator, select the market type:
- Crypto Spot — trade actual assets (BTC/USDT, ETH/BTC, etc.)
- Crypto Futures — leveraged contracts with funding rate, OI, and liquidation data
- Forex — currency pairs (EUR/USD, GBP/JPY, etc.)
- US Stocks — equities and ETFs (AAPL, TSLA, SPY, QQQ, etc.)
- Scalping — 1-second data with extended OHLCV+ fields (Premium+)
- FTT (Binary Options) — fixed-time trades with predetermined payout
Step 2: Search for the Instrument
Type the instrument name in the search field. The dropdown shows matching results with:
- Symbol name (e.g., BTC/USDT)
- Exchange (e.g., Binance)
- Available data period
Step 3: Check Data Coverage
Each instrument shows its available historical data range. Ensure the instrument has enough data for your desired test period.
Free Plan Instruments
Free users have access to 6 instruments:
- BTC/USDT — Bitcoin (Binance)
- ETH/USDT — Ethereum (Binance)
- EUR/USD — Euro/Dollar (Dukascopy)
- XAU/USD — Gold (Dukascopy)
- AAPL — Apple Inc. (NYSE)
- SPY — S&P 500 ETF (NYSE)
Upgrade to Pro for access to all 1,500+ instruments.
Crypto Spot vs Futures
| Feature | Spot | Futures | |---------|------|---------| | Leverage | No | Yes (configurable) | | Short selling | No | Yes | | Funding Rate data | No | Yes | | Open Interest data | No | Yes | | Liquidation data | No | Yes | | Futures-specific indicators | No | Yes (OI, FR, L/S Ratio, Liquidations) |
Tip: If your strategy uses futures-specific indicators (Open Interest, Funding Rate, Long/Short Ratio, Liquidations), you must select a Futures instrument. These indicators return no data on Spot pairs.
Instrument Naming
- Crypto:
BTC/USDT,ETH/BTC(with slash) - Forex:
EUR/USD,GBP/JPY(with slash) - Stocks:
AAPL,TSLA,SPY(ticker only)
FAQ
Q: Why can't I find my instrument? A: Check the market type — some instruments are only available on specific exchanges. Also verify your subscription plan allows access.
Q: Can I test with multiple instruments at once? A: Each backtest runs on a single instrument. Create separate backtests for different instruments.
Q: What if data coverage is shorter than my desired period? A: The backtest will use all available data. If data starts later than your requested start date, the test begins from the first available candle.