Does Shark Futures Allow Automated Trading?
The Simple Answer
Yes, but you need explicit approval first. Shark Futures states that automated trading is restricted unless explicitly approved by Shark Futures, so an automated strategy is possible but it is not something you switch on quietly. Manual, discretionary trading is always permitted.
Below is how Shark Futures classifies automated trading, and what that means in practice for the tools you may want to run.
Automation Policy Overview
What This Means In Practice
Approval is the gate
The rule is one sentence and it does the work: automated trading is restricted unless explicitly approved by Shark Futures. There is no published application form, so the route is to contact support at support@sharkfutures.com or through Live Chat and describe the system before you deploy it. Shark says directly that if you are ever unsure whether a strategy is permitted, contact support before deploying it.
What is banned outright regardless of approval
Approval will not cover the behaviours Shark lists as prohibited: sub-second order placement or cancellation, tick-scalping strategies, spoofing or layering orders, latency-driven execution algorithms, order splitting across identical or near-identical timestamps to get around position limits, and any strategy designed to exploit challenge rules rather than reflect genuine trading skill.
How Shark detects automation
Shark publishes the specific signatures it flags, which is useful even if your system is approved. It looks for multiple positions opened at the exact same price and timestamp, sequential or near-sequential order IDs placed within milliseconds, identical position sizes and entry and exit prices repeated across separate unrelated sessions, and trading with mechanical regularity outside normal human reaction times. It also reviews win rates of 100 percent or near it over 20 or more trades, win rates above 90 percent over 15 or more trades with no explainable strategy, and unnaturally smooth linear profit curves, which it calls a hallmark of automated or curve-fitted strategies.
The verification call
Shark reserves the right to request a live trading verification call or screen-share session with any trader flagged under this clause. Failure to comply within 48 hours may result in account suspension pending investigation. If you run an approved system, keep your documentation and be ready to demonstrate it.
Copy trading and VPS are treated separately and generously
Shark is more permissive here than most. You may use its internal copy trading tools, use external trade copiers to manage your own Shark accounts, run the same strategy across multiple accounts, and even copy trades across firms, as long as none of it is used for hedging or offsetting risk. VPNs and VPS tools are allowed, though abuse may trigger review. What is banned is copy trading used to hedge, coordinated trading between multiple people, and using copy trading to manipulate payout rules, risk limits or account metrics.
Final Comments
Automation rules are one of the fastest moving parts of any prop firm rulebook, and they are also one of the most expensive to get wrong. Before you connect anything to a Shark Futures account, get your specific setup confirmed in writing by support rather than relying on a general policy line.
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FAQ
Does Shark Futures allow automated trading?
Yes, but you need explicit approval first. Shark Futures states that automated trading is restricted unless explicitly approved by Shark Futures, so an automated strategy is possible but it is not something you switch on quietly. Manual, discretionary trading is always permitted.
How does Shark Futures classify automation?
As Flexible. In practice that means you can run your own automated systems to place trades. The sections above set out exactly where the boundary sits.
Approval is the gate: what does Shark Futures say?
The rule is one sentence and it does the work: automated trading is restricted unless explicitly approved by Shark Futures. There is no published application form, so the route is to contact support at support@sharkfutures. com or through Live Chat and describe the system before you deploy it.
What is banned outright regardless of approval: what does Shark Futures say?
Approval will not cover the behaviours Shark lists as prohibited: sub-second order placement or cancellation, tick-scalping strategies, spoofing or layering orders, latency-driven execution algorithms, order splitting across identical or near-identical timestamps to get around position limits, and any strategy designed to exploit challenge rules rather than reflect genuine trading skill.
Do I still need to watch my Shark Futures bot while it runs?
Assume yes unless the firm says otherwise in writing. Several firms that permit automation still expect a human at the desk, and unattended operation is where accounts get questioned.
