Alpaca has launched two new ChatGPT plugins that integrate account-level context into natural language market discussions, enabling users to analyze portfolios, monitor positions, and execute simulated trades without switching between applications.
- Paper Trading Plugin Features: Connects to paper trading and market data APIs for analyzing trends, monitoring accounts, and placing simulated trades across stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto
- Live Plugin Capabilities: Read-only access to live accounts for portfolio monitoring, market research, and account management; cannot submit, modify, or cancel live orders
- Supported Asset Classes: Stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies
- Key Limitation: AI-generated responses may be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated and should be independently reviewed before use
The plugins address a gap in financial research workflows by combining conversational AI with live account data. Previously, users asking ChatGPT about stocks had to manually reference their own account balances, open positions, and pending orders across separate platforms. Alpaca’s integration brings cash availability, portfolio holdings, and order status directly into the conversation context.
The Paper Trading plugin uses simulated funds to help users practice trading workflows without real capital at risk. Users can submit market orders, track order status, and monitor position changes through natural language prompts. Alpaca emphasizes that paper trading does not model market impact, price slippage, order queue position, or regulatory fees, meaning simulated fills do not predict live execution results.
The Live plugin operates in read-only mode, providing portfolio visibility and account summaries but preventing direct order execution through ChatGPT. Users seeking live trading must use Alpaca’s Trading API or Dashboard. Both plugins require users to authorize account access and review data entitlements, such as whether they hold free basic market data or paid Algo Plus Trader subscriptions. Alpaca is a brokerage and trading technology platform offering API-driven access to equities, options, and cryptocurrencies.
