Account states and lifecycle
Every account is always in one of three states: Running, Paused, or Stopped. This page lists each state, the two actions that move between them, and the one transition the system performs on its own.
The three states
User actions
Two actions move an account between states. Both are available on paper and live accounts.
- Pause moves a Running account to Paused.
- Stop moves a Running or Paused account to Stopped immediately, force-closing any open positions.
Stop force-closes every open position at once. Use Pause when you want existing positions to run to their natural close.
The automatic transition
A Paused account moves to Stopped automatically once its last open position has closed. This is the only transition the system performs without a user action.
It matters because reaching Stopped on its own is what lets a queued swap execute. See promotion and swaps for how a queued swap fires when the account settles into Stopped.
Initial state
A newly created account with no Portfolio attached starts in the Stopped state. This includes the default empty paper account the platform creates for you at signup.
An account reaches Running once a Portfolio is attached.
State required to attach or swap a Portfolio
Attaching or swapping a Portfolio requires the account to be Stopped. A Portfolio can only be attached or replaced while the account holds no open positions and does no trading.
Initiating a swap on a Running or Paused account offers two routes to Stopped: Stop now, or Queue the swap. See promotion and swaps for both routes and how each one behaves.