No matter which brokerage app you use, you can view the historical trading information and real-time market data of various securities on the app. This allows investors to make informed investment decisions based on accurate information. This is possible because the Stock API facilitates smooth data transmission between the market trading system and the brokerage app. In this article, we will introduce what a Stock API is and highlight the three most commonly used Taiwan Stock Market APIs, providing valuable references for investors.
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The full name of the API is Application Programming Interface, which facilitates the retrieval of data from another software program. This allows developers to integrate existing features from other software into their applications without rebuilding the database from scratch.
A Securities API enables traditional financial transactions to be completed more efficiently by directly connecting to market trading systems or stock exchanges in other countries. This allows for retrieving real-time dynamic data and the automation of trade execution. Below, the operation process of a Securities API is broken down into five steps to help investors better understand how it works.
Data is just being transmitted between two parties, but in a highly volatile financial market, the accuracy and timeliness of this data are crucial. Securities APIs achieve the goals of information sharing and integration, making them an indispensable tool for investors when analyzing the market.
Suppose you’re interested in trying your hand at analyzing the financial market. In that case, we’ll introduce three of the most commonly used Taiwan Stock Market APIs: finance API, FinMind API, and TEJ API. We’ll also provide a detailed explanation of each API’s unique features.
TEJ (Taiwan Economic Journal), Taiwan’s leading financial information company, developed the TEJ API. It specializes in providing essential data for fundamental analysis of financial markets, covering not only Taiwan but also Japan, Korea, China, and Hong Kong. The TEJ API supports database integration using Python, R, or .NET languages, allowing investors to access a wealth of data through multiple programming languages. The data provided by TEJ API is extensive and versatile, with the added assurance of being officially maintained by a Taiwanese team, offering more excellent reliability for users.
In the past, Yahoo Finance provided an official API that allowed investors to access financial data for free, but it was shut down in 2017. However, finance API is a free Python package that simulates web visits, enabling investors to continue retrieving real-time financial information from Yahoo Finance. However, there are limitations on the number of requests that can be made, and there is always the possibility of being blocked.
FinMind API is an open-source API primarily focused on providing financial information about the Taiwan stock market. The data transmitted via FinMind API includes technical, fundamental, sentiment, and news-related information. It also allows users to perform backtesting, create candlestick charts, and build dashboards, supporting investors in machine learning and data analysis. In addition to monitoring the stock market, it covers futures, options, and other derivatives. While it may not offer as comprehensive international financial data as it does for Taiwan stocks, it still provides information on U.S., U.K., European, and Japanese stock prices, money supply, and gold and oil prices, which is more than sufficient for beginner investors. However, a notable drawback is that it does not offer real-time data updates, with the most recent update and maintenance in 2021.
Below is a simple comparison of the three Taiwan stock market APIs provided as a reference for investors.
| TEJ API | yfinance API | FinMind API | |
| Data Richness | Includes information from major Asia-Pacific financial markets in addition to Taiwan stocks | Primarily sourced from Yahoo Finance | Focuses on Taiwan stocks, with some data on U.S., European, and Japanese stock prices, as well as gold and oil prices |
| Ease of Use | No restrictions on access methods | More complex compared to direct API queries | No restrictions on access methods |
| Request Limitations | Free database: 500 requests per day; Paid database: up to 2,000 requests per day | Subject to potential blocking at any time | Free registration allows 600 requests per hour |
| Maintenance and Updates | Operated and regularly updated by an official team | Financial data for individual stocks is less frequently updated, with unstable maintenance | Unstable maintenance, unable to provide real-time updates |
