Non-professional subscriber (market data status)

Non-professional status is the market data classification for individuals who use exchange data for their own private trading rather than for a business or a regulated role. Exchanges charge non-professional subscribers lower data fees than professionals, and providers usually require each subscriber to self-certify their status before the data is switched on.

Senzoukria · Glossary · Updated September 2026


Definition

Exchanges distinguish between professional and non-professional users of their data. Broadly, a non-professional uses the data for personal investment, is not registered or employed in a professional financial capacity, and does not use it on behalf of a firm. The exact definition is written in each exchange's subscriber terms, and the category is decided by those terms, not by the trader's preference.

Why it matters

  • Fees: professional data fees are typically much higher than non-professional ones.
  • Obligations: the subscriber agreement states how the data may be used and displayed.
  • Access: providers often keep the data feed off until the status declaration is completed.
  • Accuracy: declaring the wrong status can lead to back-billing if it is later corrected.

Worked example

A trader holds two data subscriptions, one through a broker and one through a prop firm's platform, each covering the same exchange. Each subscription is usually a separate subscriber relationship with its own declaration, so completing it with one provider does not complete it with the other. Two providers, two declarations, even for one person and one exchange.

In Senzoukria

The dxFeed connection form states a prerequisite observed with prop firms: most require a Professional / Non-Professional self-certification on their dashboard before the dxFeed account goes live, and until then the login is refused even on the firm's own dxFeed portal. The suggested check does not involve the application: log in to the firm's dxFeed portal in a browser, and if it refuses the credentials there, the fix is on the firm's side. The application itself does not classify users or collect declarations.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping the status declaration and concluding that the software cannot connect.
  • Declaring non-professional status while trading for a firm.
  • Assuming one declaration covers every provider.

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Frequently asked questions

Am I a professional if I trade a funded prop firm account?
It depends on the exchange's definitions and on how the firm structures the relationship. The firm's own data agreement tells you which status to declare; when in doubt, ask the firm before certifying.
Why was my data login refused right after sign-up?
One common reason is an unfinished status declaration: many providers keep the data account inactive until the professional or non-professional certification is completed on their dashboard.

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