Accurate, real-time pricing is essential for fair trading. However, some traders experience a deceptive practice where requotes are hidden behind chart delays. This tactic manipulates the trading environment, making it harder for traders to detect execution problems until it is too late. In this article, we explain why brokers use chart delays to hide requotes, the risks it creates, and how traders should respond effectively.

Understanding Requotes Hidden Behind Chart Delay

A requote occurs when a trader tries to execute a trade at a quoted price, but the broker cannot fill the order because the market has moved. In legitimate cases, the trader receives a notification offering a new price.

When a broker introduces a delay in updating charts or the price feed, it hides real-time price movements, making traders think prices are stable even when they are not. This manipulation makes requotes appear more justifiable and shifts execution risks unfairly onto the trader.

Why Brokers Hide Requotes with Chart Delays

Several motivations explain this unethical behaviour:

Protecting Broker Profits

By delaying price updates, brokers can widen spreads, trigger more requotes, and improve their own trading desk profits at the trader’s expense.

Reducing Trade Success Rates

Chart delays make it harder for traders to time entries and exits accurately, leading to poorer execution and increased trader losses.

Managing Liquidity Constraints

During periods of high volatility, brokers that cannot fill orders efficiently may use chart delays to control client trading activity.

Masking Platform Instability

Instead of investing in better technology, some brokers introduce chart delays to cover up system weaknesses.

Impact of Hidden Requotes on Traders

This deceptive tactic creates serious disadvantages for traders:

• Worse Trade Execution: Delayed charts prevent traders from reacting to live market conditions, causing slippage and missed opportunities.
• Increased Trading Costs: More requotes and slippage lead to higher trading costs and reduced profitability.
• Reduced Confidence in Trading Decisions: Traders lose trust in the platform and may second-guess legitimate strategies.
• Greater Emotional Stress: Repeated execution problems cause frustration and increase emotional trading mistakes.
• Loss of Trust: Discovering manipulation of the trading environment destroys trader confidence in the broker.

How to Respond If You Suspect Hidden Requotes

If you notice chart delays and frequent requotes:

• Compare Broker Prices with Independent Sources: Monitor live prices on reputable platforms like TradingView to spot discrepancies.
• Request Execution Quality Reports: Ask the broker for a detailed execution record showing trade times and fill prices.
• Document Evidence of Delays: Save screenshots or videos comparing broker charts with real-time market feeds.
• Submit a Formal Complaint: Escalate the issue to the broker’s compliance department with your evidence.
• Report to the Regulator: If the broker is regulated, file a complaint with the appropriate authority, attaching proof of price manipulation.
• Consider Changing Brokers: Persistent chart delays and hidden requotes are strong reasons to move to a more transparent and reputable firm.

Preventing Problems with Hidden Requotes

To avoid brokers that manipulate execution:

• Trade with ECN or STP Brokers: Brokers with true market access models are less likely to manipulate price feeds.
• Choose Brokers with Tier-1 Regulation: FCA, ASIC, and CySEC-regulated brokers must meet strict standards on fair execution.
• Test Execution Early: Open a small live account first and monitor execution quality before committing larger funds.
• Avoid Brokers Offering Unrealistic Spreads: Extremely tight spreads advertised by poorly regulated brokers often hide deeper execution problems.

Warning Signs of Brokers Likely to Hide Requotes

• Frequent Platform Lag During Volatility: Slow price updates when the market is moving fast.
• Vague Execution Policies: Brokers that do not clearly explain how prices and order fills are handled.
• Negative Reviews About Slippage and Requotes: Other traders reporting unexplained execution issues.

Conclusion

When a broker hides requotes behind chart delays, it manipulates the trading environment in their favour and severely disadvantages clients. Traders must act quickly to document evidence, escalate complaints, and, if necessary, move to a broker committed to real-time, transparent pricing and fair execution standards.

For professional-grade trade analysis, strategic insights, and expert advice on protecting your trading performance, subscribe to Insights Pro, the trusted trade analysis and insights subscription for serious traders.