Chrome Browser extension: MtGox trading bot

[piotr_n]

There is a topic Goomboo's Journal, in the Speculation board - I learned a lot there.

Let me present you a Chrome extension that is able to automatically follow the trading strategy explained by Goomboo in that topic (so people could get some sleep).

How it works

• This is not a high frequency trading bot. It is making decisions to trade, based on H1 historical prices (at most 1 trade every 2 hours, but in practice rather ~1 trade per day)
• The bot executes trades automatically, without a warning, according to the current trend. It does not wait for the EMA lines to cross first! Read also here
• Any SELL executed by the bot will sell all the bitcoins available at the account. Any BUY will spend all the USD you have there, turning them into bitcoins - all at the current market price

Installation

• You can install the extension here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/iejmifigokhpcgpmoacllcdiceicmejb
• After installing, wait for it to fetch the historical prices and then (after the "progress bar" turns into a number) go the Options to configure your MtGox API Key (also some other options if you want)
• After you configure the API access, just leave your browser running 24/7 and it will be trading for you, according to the trend

Security
I don't care about any feedback like 'I don't trust you', so don't bother letting me know. In fact if I were you I wouldn't trust myself either.
But here is what you should know to protect yourself from a potential fraud:

• The bot uses the MtGox API and it does not require you to be logged into your MtGox account at any time. So better don't be
• Setup the API key (in your MtGox account settings), to only allow get_info and trade access right - this way the bot cannot do you much harm, even if I wanted to

Warning!
This is an early version.
Until more people test it and the code gets well reviewed, I strongly advise you to try it only with a testing account and a small amount in.


I'm looking forward for any feedback or questions. Otherwise, have fun with it!

[Otoh]

I look forward to testing it on a mini me Mt.Gox account

[Timbo925]

I look forward to testing it on a mini me Mt.Gox account

subscribing to this. 

[CrownCloud]

Trying this now Hope it works out well Looks neat

[muyuu]

Interesting concept.

[Crypt_Current]

Can you make the source code available?

[piotr_n]

Can you make the source code available?

The extension is the source code itself - you can download it from google apps, even without installing.
But if you don't know how, this is the current version: http://speedy.sh/z2eTZ/mtbot.zip

This may also come handy: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Chrome/thread?tid=76ac2782e7f28bd4
the crx file is in fact a zip file - just rename it and there will be the source code inside.

[Crypt_Current]

Also, I got the API key, but what do I put for the "secret"?

[piotr_n]

Also, I got the API key, but what do I put for the "secret"?

Both the values are at the same MtGox page:

[moocow1452]

Coolio. How would a bunch of these effect the econ at any given time? Granted we have people with way too much time on their hands already, but if the bit market starts to slump, this could seriously mess with the network at large, right?

[piotr_n]

Coolio. How would a bunch of these effect the econ at any given time? Granted we have people with way too much time on their hands already, but if the bit market starts to slump, this could seriously mess with the network at large, right?

No, I don't think so. But you never know...

[Crypt_Current]

Also, I got the API key, but what do I put for the "secret"?

Both the values are at the same MtGox page:

Hmm, my gox settings page does not look like this...

[Crypt_Current]

Also, I got the API key, but what do I put for the "secret"?

Both the values are at the same MtGox page:

Hmm, my gox settings page does not look like this...

Nevermind; I got it now

[moocow1452]

Bad that I can't make heads or tails of economic theory outside of "buy low, sell high," but I immediately figure that I should have used affect instead of effect in my post. Why am I trading again?

[piotr_n]

Why am I trading again?

I don't know why you are trading... I am trading to multiply my bitcoins, but to be honest: with no real success so far... maybe if it was May 2011...?

I found it actually much more efficient to go to work, from time to time, and then "multiply" my bitcoins using the money I earned there

[2weiX]

so in

[BTC-engineer]

Thanks piotr_n for this nice tool. Just installed and playing around with it.

I've two questions.

1. I'm a little bit confused about your statement regarding the EMA line crossing ("The bot executes trades automatically, without a warning, according to the current trend. It does not wait for the EMA lines to cross first!").  
Isn't it always a crossing of the lines when the treshold value under option is >0% ?

2. I'm also interesting in looking into the sourcecode and modify it. I haven't any experience with chrome extentions, so maybe my question is very stupid. I've found the code under chrome->Extentions->...
If I would like to make some code modifications, do I first have to stop chrome and start it after the modification or is there any kind of reloading procedure?

  

[carafleur]

Thanks for your work piotr_n !
I'm new at trading, but isn't the default 0.25% treshold a little low ?
considering mtgox fees are 0.6% , aren't we losing money when price doesn't move enough ?

Anyway, I put 2.36 btc in there, let's see where it goes
I will consider donating 5% of gains every week if it works !

[piotr_n]

Thanks piotr_n for this nice tool. Just installed and playing around with it.

I've two questions.

Sure, you're welcome - finally some normal questions

1. I'm a little bit confused about your statement regarding the EMA line crossing ("The bot executes trades automatically, without a warning, according to the current trend. It does not wait for the EMA lines to cross first!").  
Isn't it always a crossing of the lines when the treshold value under option is >0% ?

The treshold defines how much the two lines need to be apart to trigger a trade.
It has nothing to do with crossing.
For instance, if you have a nice continuous uptrend lasting for a week - there will be no cross for a week - the last cross was a week ago.
But you are still able to figure out from the EMA(short)-EMA(long) difference that the trend is up. So if the lines are far enough from each other, the bot will spend all your USD seeing that.
And the treshold is there to protect you from unnecessary buy/sell swaps every few hours, when the two lines are not as much crossing, as they are rather aligned.

2. I'm also interesting in looking into the sourcecode and modify it. I haven't any experience with chrome extentions, so maybe my question is very stupid. I've found the code under chrome->Extentions->...
If I would like to make some code modifications, do I first have to stop chrome and start it after the modification or is there any kind of reloading procedure?

Sure - you can modify it easily. First of all you want to uninstall the extension installed via google apps.
Then extract all the source files to a separate folder,
Then (if you used the crx file), remove the "update_url" line from the .json file.
And then go to "chrome->Extentions->", enable the "developer mode", press "Load unpacked extension..." and point it to the directory with the extracted/modified files - it should load.
And no - you don't need to restart Chrome ever - just expand the extension's properties and click on "Reload" any time you need it.

[piotr_n]

I'm new at trading, but isn't the default 0.25% treshold a little low ?

I'm only giving you the tool - the defaults are what they are, but you should tune them up to get the most of it.
I personally think that 0.25% is quite reasonable. What matters more IMO is rather the two EMA parameters - but nobody knows the future; which values would be best.