Raxx · internal docs

internal · gated ↑ index

Fidelity Broker API Integration — Research Briefing

Status: research-only. This document does NOT constitute legal or tax advice. Before filing, contracting, or acting on any item below, consult a securities attorney licensed in your jurisdiction (federal securities law questions) and a FINRA-experienced counsel for broker-dealer / RIA status questions. Last updated: 2026-05-05. Sources as of that date — verify freshness before the meeting.


TL;DR (3 sentences)

Fidelity does not offer a self-service, open API for retail brokerage order execution to unregistered third-party SaaS platforms; the closest official retail-side path is the "Fidelity Access" OAuth data-sharing program, which is currently read-only through aggregators like SnapTrade. Fidelity's institutional Integration Xchange (Wealthscape) and Designated Brokerage programs do support order routing, but they are gated on a relationship-manager contract process that appears to target RIAs, broker-dealers, and family offices — not independent SaaS platforms. The most practical near-term path to connecting a Fidelity account inside Raxx appears to be routing through an aggregator (SnapTrade), but that aggregator path carries a known hard limitation: no trade execution for Fidelity accounts as of the research date.


Decision Matrix

Path Fidelity Data (read) Order Execution Self-Serve Onboarding Raxx as SaaS eligible today Est. Cost (Raxx) Key Blocker
Fidelity Access (retail OAuth) Yes — via aggregator No No (requires aggregator partner) Likely yes, via SnapTrade/Plaid $2/user/mo (SnapTrade) Read-only; no trading
Fidelity Integration Xchange (institutional) Yes — real-time APIs Yes — FIX protocol No — relationship manager required Not confirmed; targets RIAs/BDs Undisclosed; likely contract-based Requires Fidelity partnership; RIA/BD audience
Fidelity Designated Brokerage API Yes — real-time + historical Yes — compliance context No — email inquiry only Not confirmed; targets employers/compliance platforms Undisclosed Designed for employer compliance monitoring, not SaaS algo platforms
SnapTrade aggregator (Fidelity via SnapTrade) Yes No Yes — developer signup Yes $2/connected user/mo; free plan up to 5 connections No order execution for Fidelity
Plaid Investments Yes — positions, balances (overnight refresh) No Yes — Growth/Custom plan Yes Not publicly listed on pricing page Read-only; overnight data latency; no orders
Screen scraping / unofficial automation Yes (unofficial) Partial (unofficial) N/A At operator's risk $0 + significant legal risk Fidelity ToS prohibits automated access without written approval; active enforcement

Recommended pre-meeting posture: route Fidelity read-only data through SnapTrade (unblocked today) while attorney explores whether Fidelity institutional partnership is achievable for a small SaaS without RIA/BD registration. Do NOT plan on trade execution via Fidelity for the near term.


1. What Fidelity API Surfaces Exist for Third-Party Integration

1a. Consumer / Retail Side: "Fidelity Access"

1b. Institutional Side: Wealthscape Integration Xchange (WIX)

1c. Designated Brokerage API

1d. Fidelity International Developer Portal (FIL)

1e. No Public Self-Service API for Retail Order Execution


2. Auth Model

2a. Consumer OAuth via Fidelity Access

2b. Credential Sharing: Active Enforcement (September 2024)

2c. Institutional Auth (Wealthscape / WIX)

2d. GLBA Implications of Credential Handling


3. Terms of Service / API License

3a. General Fidelity Website ToS — Automated Access Prohibition

3b. Full View ToS (eMoney aggregation product)

3c. FIL (International) Developer API ToS

3d. Clauses to Surface for Attorney Review

The following clause patterns appear across Fidelity's ToS surface and should be reviewed against Raxx's intended use:

Clause type What the ToS appears to say Flag for attorney
Automated access Prohibited without express written approval Does OAuth via aggregator count as "approved"?
Data redistribution Prohibited; personal use only (Full View, FIL) Showing customer their own data via Raxx UI — does this constitute redistribution?
Branding / trademark Not disclosed publicly for institutional programs May require "Powered by Fidelity" disclosure; confirm with Fidelity rep
Indemnification Not publicly disclosed for WIX/DBS programs Standard for institutional contracts to include broad indemn.; negotiate
Termination Termination "at any time" (FIL); eMoney same Platform risk: Fidelity could cut off Raxx with no notice; design for graceful degradation
Rate limits 100 req/min (FIL); 250 req/min (SnapTrade) Real-time position polling at scale may hit limits

4. Regulatory Posture

4a. Broker-Dealer Registration — Does Raxx Need to Register?

4b. Investment Adviser Act — Does Raxx Need to Register as an RIA?

4c. Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI)

4d. SEC Rule 17a-4 — Books and Records

4e. GLBA Safeguards Rule (revisited in regulatory context)


5. Customer Disclosure Requirements

5a. What Raxx Must Disclose When Connecting a Customer's Fidelity Account

The following disclosure obligations appear to apply, pending attorney review:

5b. Comparison to Alpaca Flow


6. Integration Partnership Options Compared

6a. Direct Fidelity API

6b. SnapTrade Aggregator (Fidelity via SnapTrade)

6c. Plaid Investments

6d. Summary Recommendation for Attorney / Fidelity Rep Meeting

The research suggests a two-phase posture: 1. Now: Integrate Fidelity read-only data via SnapTrade for portfolio visibility features. This is unblocked, self-service, OAuth-safe, and GLBA-defensible. 2. Future (requires meeting outcomes): Explore whether Fidelity institutional partnership (WIX or DBS) is achievable for a small SaaS, or whether an aggregator with order-execution capability for Fidelity will emerge. Neither path is open today without material effort.


7. Cost Comparison

Provider Per-user cost Setup cost Trading fee Rate limit
Alpaca (current) $0/account $0 $0 commission Per Alpaca API docs
SnapTrade (Fidelity read-only) $2/connected user/mo $0 N/A (no trading) 250 req/min
Plaid Investments Undisclosed (Growth plan) Undisclosed N/A (no trading) Not disclosed
Fidelity WIX direct Undisclosed (contract) Undisclosed Undisclosed Not disclosed
Fidelity DBS direct Undisclosed (contract) Undisclosed Undisclosed Not disclosed

8. Operational Considerations


Jurisdiction Flags


Timing / Deadlines

No hard regulatory deadlines identified for the research topics above. However:


Questions for Attorney (12 items)

  1. Does Raxx's current Alpaca integration trigger broker-dealer registration requirements under the Securities Exchange Act, and would the same analysis apply to a Fidelity integration? What specific facts about the routing mechanism determine the answer?

  2. Does the structure-enforcement framing ("user-defined rules, Raxx enforces them") qualify for the publisher's exclusion or any other exclusion from Investment Adviser status under the Advisers Act? What product or UI characteristics would push Raxx over the line into RIA territory?

  3. Is Raxx currently a "financial institution" subject to the FTC Safeguards Rule by virtue of the Alpaca integration? If so, what specific controls does the 2023/2024 updated rule require that Raxx may not yet have?

  4. If Raxx uses SnapTrade to provide read-only Fidelity portfolio data in the Raxx UI — where the customer sees their Fidelity positions alongside their Alpaca positions — does this constitute data redistribution that would violate Fidelity's ToS or require a Fidelity data-sharing agreement?

  5. Fidelity's website ToS prohibits automated access without express written approval. Does OAuth-based access via SnapTrade (where the customer authorizes through Fidelity's own OAuth flow) require separate written approval from Fidelity directed at Raxx? Or does Fidelity's authorization of SnapTrade as an aggregator partner cover Raxx as a downstream developer?

  6. What is the customer disclosure language Raxx must provide before connecting a Fidelity account? Specifically: GLBA Privacy Notice requirements, scope-of-access consent, and investment-advice disclaimer. Please draft or review draft language.

  7. Does firing an order to Fidelity via a formal institutional API (if Raxx ever achieved WIX access) make Raxx the "introducing broker" or "order originator" under applicable securities law, and what registration or disclosure obligations follow?

  8. SEC Rule 17a-4 aside — does Raxx have any independent obligation today to retain records of orders it generates, even if Raxx is not a registered broker-dealer or RIA? What is the retention period and format if yes?

  9. Does Fidelity's active enforcement action against credential-sharing platforms (Pontera case) have any precedential or practical implication for Raxx, even if Raxx uses OAuth rather than credentials? Is there litigation risk from Fidelity if the integration is perceived as unauthorized?

  10. Reg BI applies to broker-dealers; does the SEC's "conflicts of interest in technology" proposal (2023) or any finalized rule extend Reg BI-style obligations to non-BD fintech platforms offering automated trading?

  11. At what AUM, revenue, or customer count would Raxx be required to register as an RIA at the federal level vs. the state level? Is the "Internet Adviser exemption" (SEC rule finalized March 2024) available to Raxx's current business model?

  12. What contract terms should Raxx require from Fidelity in any institutional partnership agreement to protect against sudden API termination? Standard cure-period, SLA, and liability terms for a small SaaS vs. a Tier-1 financial institution.


Questions for Fidelity Representative (9 items)

  1. Is there a formal partner onboarding path in the Wealthscape Integration Xchange for an independent SaaS platform (not an RIA, not a broker-dealer) that wants to submit orders on behalf of retail Fidelity customers who have consented?

  2. What are the minimum eligibility requirements to become a WIX integration partner — specifically regarding registration status (do we need to be an RIA or BD, or is a fintech company sufficient)?

  3. Does Fidelity have or plan to offer a public developer program for retail brokerage order execution via OAuth, similar to Alpaca's model? If not, what is the roadmap?

  4. The "Fidelity Access" OAuth infrastructure currently supports read-only aggregators (e.g., SnapTrade). Is there a path for Fidelity Access to support order submission by authorized third-party platforms, and if so, what is the qualification process?

  5. What branding and disclosure obligations would Raxx have if it integrates with Fidelity? Does Fidelity require "Powered by Fidelity" or similar attribution in the customer UI?

  6. What API rate limits, uptime SLAs, and sandbox/test-environment access does Fidelity provide to WIX partners?

  7. How does Fidelity handle the books-and-records trail for orders originated by a third-party platform via the WIX API? Does Fidelity's confirmation data include the originating platform identifier?

  8. What data fields are available via WIX real-time APIs for a connected retail brokerage account (positions, balances, open orders, order history, buying power, margin status)? Are options positions included?

  9. Is there a Fidelity relationship manager assigned to early-stage fintech partnerships, or does the WIX program only engage with companies above a certain AUM or customer threshold?


Sources

https://www.fidelity.com/security/third-party-app-protection
https://www.fidelity.com/security/fidelity-access-data-security
https://newsroom.fidelity.com/pressreleases/update-on-fidelity-s-secure-data-sharing-efforts/s/7a30c2e4-f070-4396-b04c-b773678d59f9
https://clearingcustody.fidelity.com/app/item/RD_9883092/integration-xchange.html
https://integrationxchange.wealthscape.com/
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181016005148/en
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200218005068/en/Fidelity%C2%AE-Easier-Firms-Build-Tailored-Technology-Platforms
https://www.fidelity.com/go/designated-brokerage-services
https://developer.fil.com/
https://developer.fil.com/api-catalogue
https://developer.fil.com/terms-and-conditions
https://snaptrade.com/brokerage-integrations/fidelity-api
https://snaptrade.com/pricing
https://snaptrade.com/brokerage-integrations
https://plaid.com/products/investments/
https://plaid.com/docs/investments/
https://nb.fidelity.com/public/nb/default/resourceslibrary/articles/termsofuse
https://www.fidelity.com/spend-save/full-view/terms-of-use
https://www.planadviser.com/fidelity-limit-third-party-401k-access/
https://401kspecialistmag.com/held-away-assets-fidelity-pontera-feud-highlights-different-perspectives-on-access-vs-security/
https://investmentnews.com/goria/custodian/schwab-joins-fidelity-in-credential-sharing-crackdown-pontera-escalates-fidelity-blame/262952
https://www.sec.gov/about/divisions-offices/division-trading-markets/division-trading-markets-compliance-guides/guide-broker-dealer-registration
https://www.finra.org/registration-exams-ce/broker-dealers
https://www.sidley.com/en/insights/newsupdates/2024/02/us-sec-expands-dealer-registration-requirements-including-to-certain-private-funds
https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/key-topics/regulation-best-interest
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46115
https://tickeron.com/trading-investing-101/how-will-the-secs-new-rules-impact-algorithmbased-trading-platforms/
https://clsbluesky.law.columbia.edu/2025/06/04/regulating-algorithmic-accountability-in-financial-advising/
https://www.myrialawyer.com/sec-rule17a-4/
https://www.innreg.com/blog/sec-rule-204-2
https://cdp.cooley.com/fintech-faces-expanded-applicability-of-glbas-privacy-and-security-requirements/
https://specopssoft.com/blog/glba-safeguards-rule-requirements-update/
https://fingerprint.com/blog/what-fintechs-need-to-know-about-ftc-safeguards-rule/
https://perkinscoie.com/insights/update/ftc-announces-data-breach-reporting-obligation-under-glba-safeguards-rule
https://breachcraft.io/compliance/glba/
https://www.innreg.com/blog/glba-privacy-notice
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/06/22/2022-13307/request-for-comment-on-certain-information-providers-acting-as-investment-advisers
https://www.sec.gov/rules/2019/06/commission-interpretation-regarding-solely-incidental-prong-broker-dealer-exclusion
https://apitracker.io/a/fidelity
https://github.com/kennyboy106/fidelity-api
https://pypi.org/project/fidelity-api/
https://riabiz.com/a/2023/10/19/fidelity-just-dropped-the-hammer-on-screen-scrapers-to-cheers-but-some-firms-like-plaid-are-holdouts-and-the-cfpb-may-wield-the-final-gavel
https://www.americanbanker.com/news/fidelity-latest-financial-firm-to-roll-out-customer-data-api
https://workplacexchange.fidelity.com/public/wpx/api-catalog
https://clearingcustody.fidelity.com/campaigns/emerging-advisor