Trading bots and profitability - any long term experiences?

[allyouracid]

Hey guys,

simple and short question: does anyone here have any longer termed experience regarding the profitability of trading bots?
I am currently coding one, and I have it returning around 1% per day, since it runs (only a couple of days - since August 30th). And I calculated this up and came to the conclusion that trading bots might be profitable over the long run, even if they only return a small percentage of gains per day.

I am aware of the fact that this is depending on a set of factors, such as strategies used, coding of the bot and even the user who has the bot running.

Maybe we can get a discussion here about:

• if there actually are users who have long term experience running a certain bot (let's say several months and more)
• what strategies their bots are using
• how much profit (percentage values are fine) you gained
• what volumes do you trade (if you mind talking about that)

Many bots are for sale on the forums, and you can read endless descriptions of the bots. But what I'm lacking a bit is the long term experience. We don't need to discuss specific bots here, I think, because at the end of the day, everybody has to do his own due diligence.

[allyouracid]

Nothing, yet?

Okay, I'll start by posting what my bot currently makes. It's running since several days now, and I wonder if a constant profit of 1% a day can be achieved over a long period of time.
Today, I saw that it already created almost 4% of profit in the last 24 hours. I guess it just had a good day.

Code:

date			type	amount		price	total
04.09.2015 09:56:09	buy	0.4951078	225.17	111.483
04.09.2015 09:44:07	sell	0.49252398	226.814	111.711
04.09.2015 09:42:09	buy	0.493511	223.021	110.063
04.09.2015 07:08:08	sell	0.48943637	225.293	110.267
04.09.2015 02:22:09	buy	0.4904172	223.62	109.667
04.09.2015 01:18:08	sell	0.48873917	224.845	109.891
03.09.2015 21:32:08	buy	0.4897186	223.303	109.356
03.09.2015 20:42:09	sell	0.48744436	224.816	109.585
03.09.2015 19:24:08	buy	0.4884212	223.02	108.928
03.09.2015 14:58:08	sell	0.48624916	224.48	109.153
03.09.2015 13:42:09	buy	0.4872236	222.818	108.562
03.09.2015 12:46:10	sell	0.48355995	224.929	108.767
03.09.2015 12:12:08	buy	0.484529	222.53	107.822
03.09.2015 11:16:09	sell	0.48087075	224.667	108.036
03.09.2015 09:56:15	buy	0.4818344	223.022	107.460
02.09.2015 13:56:09	sell	0.48053737	224.479	107.871

.edit:
The bot can be seen trading publicly on my website (account needed): http://bitshit.shice.info/bitshit.frontend/standard/btcewalltrader

[Sampey]

I'm coding a bot since 2013. 40 Releases (10 Beta + 30 Officials) : https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=507103.0

Users seems happy with that, BUT the story is simple : if you know what to do and how to parametrize the algorithm you can have a profit, if you choose random market and start a "default" bot you will probably have a loss.

[Serpens66]

I wrote an amateur arbitrage bot for my own use. It's not that profitable at normal days =/

So I wonder which strategy your bot uses allyouracid ? And are there also days with a negative return?

[allyouracid]

Hey guys,

thanks for your replies.

I'm coding a bot since 2013. 40 Releases (10 Beta + 30 Officials) : https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=507103.0

Users seems happy with that, BUT the story is simple : if you know what to do and how to parametrize the algorithm you can have a profit, if you choose random market and start a "default" bot you will probably have a loss.

Funny. I was made aware of that bot just today, when a member of our trading group (no PnD, it's really a trading group: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=762278.0 ) told me he bought it, when we were talking about current and potential features of my bot.
You're pointing out what I meant: at the end of the day, it's all depending on the settings, strategy etc..
I saw that it's a Java application, so you probably don't have any access to historical trading data? Mine runs on my website, and I'm storing all trades - synchronized with the BTC-e API - in my local database on the server (I have to, because I have to take previous trades into consideration to determine the next entry position). This way, I can monitor the profits nicely and adjust parameters. In fact, I'm planning to auto-analyze the profits, and when profits decrease, the bot will adapt to the current situation by adjusting its parameters.

By the way, you can see its trade results here: http://bitshit.shice.info/bitshit.frontend/standard/btcewalltrader
That's my overall project. If you're interested in seeing it perform, an account is needed to get access to these pages. No worries, the page is legit. I even have an imprint on the bottom of my website (probably the only person in crypto doing so, heh), and I'm way too passionate about all this stuff here to waste my reputation.

.edit: just had a closer look at CAT - wow, your piece of software really looks sophisticated!

I wrote an amateur arbitrage bot for my own use. It's not that profitable at normal days =/

So I wonder which strategy your bot uses allyouracid ? And are there also days with a negative return?

Basically, it's just a "buy-low-sell-high"-Bot (even though this term does not satisfy all the work and logic I put into it in any way). I haven't implemented any indicators (yet), but I'm planning to do so, because I want to save the user from the "hassle" of determining whether it's a good time to enter a buy- or a sell position. Planning to use EMAs here, set on values which roughly represent the waves on BTC-e's chart.
My intention was to build a trading bot without being influenced by other similar software, so I can make sure that I'm implementing the core exactly in a way I would do it. For that reason, I haven't looked any deeper into existing trading bots.

It already has quite some logic: it determines the volume to check if a price target is realistic to reach, plus it checks the waves/price movement in the past time. For now (remember, the bot is only running since 08/30), I think I have found quite a good way to set price targets. It has already caught some near-tops and near-bottoms.

Because of the way it is built, it has kind of a built-in loss protection. Or, it depends on what you regard as a loss: if you're okay with accumulating BTC, the worst thing that can happen is that the bot buys BTC higher than necessary if a downtrend occurs (but never above the last sell price!). In such situations, users get an email (additionally to the mail after executed trades) which informs them that the bot hasn't made any trades since xx hours.
In that case, you're likely to have more BTC in your account due to previous trades.

The other scenario would be that an uptrend starts. Then, the bot would have sold at its target (determined by the last trade's price) and doesn't find a reentry. Then, the user (currently only me, heh) also gets an email notification. The bot does not reenter the market at a higher price, so in that case, you have maybe sold earlier than necessary, but increased your USD holdings anyway.

The bot works best when the price is moving more or less sideways. It rides the waves up and down, and when it loses track, the user has to decide if/when to reenter the market. Best would be to wait until a certain price level has established.

[juzz38]

they can work but if they do 'cock' up then they can really cost you some money you need to make sure that you are either sure you can code a program which can do it or have hired a dev which is competent enough and has experince which he can show or you purchase a already established one which has many positive reviews

[allyouracid]

they can work but if they do 'cock' up then they can really cost you some money you need to make sure that you are either sure you can code a program which can do it or have hired a dev which is competent enough and has experince which he can show or you purchase a already established one which has many positive reviews

Hi & welcome to the forum!

I am a (web-)developer, by profession. Altogether, including studies, since 9 years now.

What I'd like to hear about is actual results. Did anybody use a trading bot for several months, maybe with constant settings, and if so, what was the average return per day in percentage?

Regarding my bot: for the moment, I don't want to be responsible for situations in which users might lose, so I'm coding the bot in a way that it cannot lose money. It can just stop making money, and situations which would otherwise cost the user money should be handled by him.

[klee]

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=643235.0

[allyouracid]

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=643235.0

Yeah, I also read that thread. Though I cannot find anything in this thread about long term profitability. Can you point me to the post?

[gallery2000]

Nothing, yet?

Okay, I'll start by posting what my bot currently makes. It's running since several days now, and I wonder if a constant profit of 1% a day can be achieved over a long period of time.
Today, I saw that it already created almost 4% of profit in the last 24 hours. I guess it just had a good day.

Code:

date			type	amount		price	total
04.09.2015 09:56:09	buy	0.4951078	225.17	111.483
04.09.2015 09:44:07	sell	0.49252398	226.814	111.711
04.09.2015 09:42:09	buy	0.493511	223.021	110.063
04.09.2015 07:08:08	sell	0.48943637	225.293	110.267
04.09.2015 02:22:09	buy	0.4904172	223.62	109.667
04.09.2015 01:18:08	sell	0.48873917	224.845	109.891
03.09.2015 21:32:08	buy	0.4897186	223.303	109.356
03.09.2015 20:42:09	sell	0.48744436	224.816	109.585
03.09.2015 19:24:08	buy	0.4884212	223.02	108.928
03.09.2015 14:58:08	sell	0.48624916	224.48	109.153
03.09.2015 13:42:09	buy	0.4872236	222.818	108.562
03.09.2015 12:46:10	sell	0.48355995	224.929	108.767
03.09.2015 12:12:08	buy	0.484529	222.53	107.822
03.09.2015 11:16:09	sell	0.48087075	224.667	108.036
03.09.2015 09:56:15	buy	0.4818344	223.022	107.460
02.09.2015 13:56:09	sell	0.48053737	224.479	107.871

.edit:
The bot can be seen trading publicly on my website (account needed): http://bitshit.shice.info/bitshit.frontend/standard/btcewalltrader

Is your http://eatshit.shice.info/bitshit.frontend/ bot for free?

[allyouracid]

Nothing, yet?

Okay, I'll start by posting what my bot currently makes. It's running since several days now, and I wonder if a constant profit of 1% a day can be achieved over a long period of time.
Today, I saw that it already created almost 4% of profit in the last 24 hours. I guess it just had a good day.

Code:

date			type	amount		price	total
04.09.2015 09:56:09	buy	0.4951078	225.17	111.483
04.09.2015 09:44:07	sell	0.49252398	226.814	111.711
04.09.2015 09:42:09	buy	0.493511	223.021	110.063
04.09.2015 07:08:08	sell	0.48943637	225.293	110.267
04.09.2015 02:22:09	buy	0.4904172	223.62	109.667
04.09.2015 01:18:08	sell	0.48873917	224.845	109.891
03.09.2015 21:32:08	buy	0.4897186	223.303	109.356
03.09.2015 20:42:09	sell	0.48744436	224.816	109.585
03.09.2015 19:24:08	buy	0.4884212	223.02	108.928
03.09.2015 14:58:08	sell	0.48624916	224.48	109.153
03.09.2015 13:42:09	buy	0.4872236	222.818	108.562
03.09.2015 12:46:10	sell	0.48355995	224.929	108.767
03.09.2015 12:12:08	buy	0.484529	222.53	107.822
03.09.2015 11:16:09	sell	0.48087075	224.667	108.036
03.09.2015 09:56:15	buy	0.4818344	223.022	107.460
02.09.2015 13:56:09	sell	0.48053737	224.479	107.871

.edit:
The bot can be seen trading publicly on my website (account needed): http://bitshit.shice.info/bitshit.frontend/standard/btcewalltrader

Is your http://eatshit.shice.info/bitshit.frontend/ bot for free?

Funny that this link even works - default host entry in server config points to the project.
As for your question: I don't have a price model in mind, right now, but it'll take a small fee.

[Q7]

Well not on cryptocurrencies but i tried before doing trading on eur usd currency using the metatrader platform but it failed miserably as it often missed the target price execution. Maybe it was the speed and volatility but never mind.

But looking at your strategy if it can consistently generate 1% of return, then you shouldn't stop.you could leveraged it thousands of times by increasing your volume.

[allyouracid]

Sure. If collecting USD is the target, things will be fine. I just still have to cope with uptrends; right now, the boot isn't doing anything because it doesn't find a reentry. I thought about including some indicator based trading strategies for that purpose, this way, the profitability should increase.

[klee]

1) You have to go on the link: https://cryptotrader.org/strategies/ProaDkrjXsZkFGei4

    In this link there is a detail description of the ∰ Thanasis REFUND Strategy Director bot.

2)  In this description you will find a TAB called "backtest". In this TAB there is a plenty of backtests.

3) It is easy to do your own backtest with any platform, any currency pair, any time period (long or short), picking any technical analysis tool through the bot.

You have just to click the small blue rectangle and then on the top of the page to set the above parameters.

You will be expired from the possibilities in front of you !!!!

[allyouracid]

Sure, but are there any actual users who can report that they ran the bot for x amount of time and gained y amount of money by doing so?

[klee]

Sure, but are there any actual users who can report that they ran the bot for x amount of time and gained y amount of money by doing so?

Ehm, you should better ask him in his thread! 

[knowhow]

well is good to see people working into bots does anyone use them for a long time as you asking? making 1% daily is a great income means 30% montly soo if those bots keeps working for sure you must resell and maybe some free to test mode,only btc at it altcoins nothing?

[Bobsurplus]

I use bots daily. I have used CAT, QTL, CIRC and BOT.
BOT is by far my favorite and has paid for itself in the 1st 2 days of running it.
QTL and CAT are trash, old and broken and CIRC bot is a bit pricey for what it's offering currently.
BOT all the way.

[Sampey]

QTL and CAT are trash, old and broken

Wtf???
First you're not one of my customers.
Second, C.A.T. is not broken and is not old, yesterday i release the 40th Version and i usually release an update every 1/2 month.

 

Edit : Ok, now i understand, you're a BOT investor, so you're trying to discredit other Traders to convince people investing in BOT.
Very unfair from an Hero Member.

But when you talk bad about one of the most sold and appreciated (read feedbacks here : https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=trust;u=130152) Trader remember that i could be there to read and answer these lies.

Peace 

[allyouracid]

well is good to see people working into bots does anyone use them for a long time as you asking? making 1% daily is a great income means 30% montly soo if those bots keeps working for sure you must resell and maybe some free to test mode,only btc at it altcoins nothing?

At the moment, the bot is in pause mode, because the current market situation is not what it's programmed to handle.

In general, you can imagine the bot consisting of two "modes" (with one not yet being implemented), or strategies, if you like:

• Trading sideways, when the market is relatively calm with up -and downswings which occur in a stable range: that's what it handles best. I haven't seen anything yet that takes that much out of a market situation like this - most bots generate little profit in such times.
• Trading trends/volatility: that's probably what most bots do, and they do it well, most of the time. I haven't implemented that, yet, but I thought about a simple EMA based strategy which buys and sells at certain conditions.

Now the art is to determine the market conditions correctly, so the bot switches modes as needed. I have already thought about a concept which I'm currently bringing to paper.
Soon, I will start a test mode for the bot which allows it to continue trading the first strategy, and it only notifies me via email when the market conditions have changed. I will monitor this for a while, and if it switches its strategies nicely and reliably, I will finish this feature.

At the moment, with only the first strategy being implemented, the bot is profitable in sideways movements, but not so much when trending occurs. In fact, trends can destroy former profits, or, better: prevent the bot from continuing to trade.

I'll leave my posts here as I'm making progress.