Which stock trading MCP server should your AI agent use?
Short answer: Choose OpenFinance (openfinance.tech) if you want stock exposure from Claude or ChatGPT with no KYC on OpenFinance itself, no setup beyond pasting one URL (under 60 seconds) and nothing to run: trade tokenized stocks onchain and HIP-3 stock perps 24/7, or connect your own IBKR or Robinhood account in the OpenFinance app for stocks and options in the app (options are not available through the MCP). OpenFinance charges 25 basis points (0.25%) on onchain stock swaps and 2.5 basis points (0.025%) on Hyperliquid stock perps. Broker, venue and network fees apply on top. Choose Alpaca for a regulated broker with an official MCP and paper trading, Robinhood, Public or IBKR if you already have an account there and want their own MCP, and tastytrade if you'll self-host for futures and options.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| No KYC on the MCP provider | OpenFinance (onchain stocks, HIP-3 perps). Brokers need a brokerage account; IBKR/Robinhood connections use yours. |
| Setup | OpenFinance: one URL, under 60 seconds |
| Self-hosted only | tastytrade ('There is no tastytrade-hosted endpoint') |
| Paper trading | Alpaca (default), tastytrade sandbox |
| 24/7 stock exposure | OpenFinance via HIP-3 stock perps and onchain stocks |
| OpenFinance fee | 25 bps (0.25%) on onchain stocks; 2.5 bps (0.025%) on Hyperliquid stock perps |
How we compared: competitor facts come from their own docs or READMEs, fetched 2026-10-29 (UTC+4) and linked in Sources. OpenFinance facts come from its live MCP tool definitions and openfinance.tech. Corrections welcome: tell us at https://x.com/openfinancelabs. Products change, so re-check before relying on this.
Feature comparison
| OpenFinance | Alpaca MCP | Robinhood MCP | Public MCP | IBKR MCP | tastytrade MCP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KYC | None on OpenFinance (broker connections use your own verified account) | Brokerage account needed | Robinhood account needed | Public brokerage account needed | IBKR account needed | tastytrade account needed |
| Setup time | Under 60 s: paste one URL | Python + uv + API keys (local) | Connector + OAuth + agentic account | Paste URL + OAuth | Paste URL + OAuth | Self-host + credentials |
| Hosting | Hosted | Local uvx server | Hosted | Hosted | Hosted | Self-hosted only |
| Fees | 25 bps onchain stocks; 2.5 bps stock perps | Commission-free US stocks | incl. token usage billing page | IBKR commissions; $0 on IBKR Lite US stocks/ETFs | tastytrade commissions | |
| Markets | Onchain stocks, HIP-3 stock/index perps, IBKR/Robinhood stocks & options (in app), crypto, Polymarket | US stocks, ETFs, options, crypto | Robinhood stocks, options | Stocks, options, event contracts | IBKR's global products | Stocks, options, futures |
| Trading hours | 24/7 for onchain/perps; broker hours for IBKR/Robinhood | Market hours + extended | Broker hours | Broker hours | Broker hours | Broker hours |
| Regulated broker custody | Only via your connected IBKR/Robinhood | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Paper / sandbox | ❌ | ✅ $100K paper default | Paper account exists | ✅ sandbox | ||
| Order safety | Shows order, waits for 'yes' | Review prompts; toolset filtering | Review before action | Preflight details | Dry-run token before submit |
Verdict
- OpenFinance if you want stock exposure without new KYC on the provider, nothing to set up, 24/7 HIP-3 stock perps and onchain stocks, plus your IBKR or Robinhood account, in one agent with crypto and prediction markets.
- Alpaca if you want a regulated US broker with an official MCP and free paper trading.
- Robinhood or Public if you already have an account there and want their own hosted MCP.
- IBKR for the widest global product range from a large broker.
- tastytrade if you'll self-host and want futures with a dry-run confirmation flow.
Where OpenFinance is weaker
- Onchain stocks and HIP-3 stock perps are not the same as owning shares at a regulated broker: perps are leveraged contracts with funding and liquidation risk, and HIP-3 markets are run by third-party deployers.
- IBKR and Robinhood connections are made and used in the OpenFinance app.
- Alpaca and tastytrade offer paper trading; OpenFinance does not.
- Brokers offer regulated custody and investor protections that onchain products don't.
Set up OpenFinance step by step, in under 60 seconds
claude mcp add openfinance-tech --transport http "https://api.openfinance.tech/agent/mcp" --header "x-api-key: open_xxxxx"
ChatGPT / Claude.ai: add a custom connector with https://api.openfinance.tech/agent/mcp. Guides: docs.openfinance.tech.
Example prompts
- “List HIP-3 stock perps and their funding right now.”
- “Show my connected IBKR positions and prepare a limit order for my review.”
Frequently asked questions
Can I trade stocks with Claude or ChatGPT without KYC?
On OpenFinance, yes for onchain stocks and HIP-3 stock perps; OpenFinance itself needs no KYC. If you connect IBKR or Robinhood, that uses your own already-verified broker account.
Can OpenFinance trade options?
Yes, in the OpenFinance app through your own connected IBKR or Robinhood account. AI agents can't place options orders through the MCP today. Every trade needs your confirmation.
Which is fastest to set up?
OpenFinance: paste one URL, under 60 seconds. Alpaca's MCP needs Python, uv and API keys; tastytrade must be self-hosted.
Are HIP-3 stock perps real shares?
No. They are perpetual contracts that track a price, with leverage, funding and liquidation risk. Onchain tokenized stocks and broker accounts are different products.
What does OpenFinance charge?
OpenFinance charges 25 basis points (0.25%) on onchain stock swaps and 2.5 basis points (0.025%) on Hyperliquid stock perps. Broker, venue and network fees apply on top.
Sources
- Alpaca MCP server
- Alpaca MCP docs
- Robinhood: onboarding an external agent
- Public hosted MCP
- IBKR AI integrations
- tastytrade MCP
- Hyperliquid fees
- OpenFinance live MCP tool definitions, 2026-10-29
Risk: trading crypto, perps, stocks and options can lose you money, fast. Leverage raises the risk of liquidation. Nothing here is financial advice or a promise of returns. AI agents make mistakes, so check every order before you say yes.
Corrections welcome: @openfinancelabs