While the main strategy functions (`populate_indicators()`, `populate_entry_trend()`, `populate_exit_trend()`) should be used in a vectorized way, and are only called [once during backtesting](bot-basics.md#backtesting-hyperopt-execution-logic), callbacks are called "whenever needed".
You do not _have_ to ensure that `min_stake <= returned_value <= max_stake`. Trades will succeed as the returned value will be clamped to supported range and this action will be logged.
Returning `0` or `None` will prevent trades from being placed.
## Custom sell signal
Called for open trade every throttling iteration (roughly every 5 seconds) until a trade is closed.
Allows to define custom sell signals, indicating that specified position should be sold. This is very useful when we need to customize sell conditions for each individual trade, or if you need trade data to make an exit decision.
For example you could implement a 1:2 risk-reward ROI with `custom_sell()`.
Using custom_sell() signals in place of stoploss though *is not recommended*. It is a inferior method to using `custom_stoploss()` in this regard - which also allows you to keep the stoploss on exchange.
!!! Note
Returning a (none-empty) `string` or `True` from this method is equal to setting sell signal on a candle at specified time. This method is not called when sell signal is set already, or if sell signals are disabled (`use_sell_signal=False` or `sell_profit_only=True` while profit is below `sell_profit_offset`). `string` max length is 64 characters. Exceeding this limit will cause the message to be truncated to 64 characters.
An example of how we can use different indicators depending on the current profit and also sell trades that were open longer than one day:
The usage of the custom stoploss method must be enabled by setting `use_custom_stoploss=True` on the strategy object.
The stoploss price can only ever move upwards - if the stoploss value returned from `custom_stoploss` would result in a lower stoploss price than was previously set, it will be ignored. The traditional `stoploss` value serves as an absolute lower level and will be instated as the initial stoploss (before this method is called for the first time for a trade).
The method must return a stoploss value (float / number) as a percentage of the current price.
E.g. If the `current_rate` is 200 USD, then returning `0.02` will set the stoploss price 2% lower, at 196 USD.
The absolute value of the return value is used (the sign is ignored), so returning `0.05` or `-0.05` have the same result, a stoploss 5% below the current price.
To simulate a regular trailing stoploss of 4% (trailing 4% behind the maximum reached price) you would use the following very simple method:
Custom stoploss logic, returning the new distance relative to current_rate (as ratio).
e.g. returning -0.05 would create a stoploss 5% below current_rate.
The custom stoploss can never be below self.stoploss, which serves as a hard maximum loss.
For full documentation please go to https://www.freqtrade.io/en/latest/strategy-advanced/
When not implemented by a strategy, returns the initial stoploss value
Only called when use_custom_stoploss is set to True.
:param pair: Pair that's currently analyzed
:param trade: trade object.
:param current_time: datetime object, containing the current datetime
:param current_rate: Rate, calculated based on pricing settings in ask_strategy.
:param current_profit: Current profit (as ratio), calculated based on current_rate.
:param **kwargs: Ensure to keep this here so updates to this won't break your strategy.
:return float: New stoploss value, relative to the current rate
"""
return -0.04
```
Stoploss on exchange works similar to `trailing_stop`, and the stoploss on exchange is updated as configured in `stoploss_on_exchange_interval` ([More details about stoploss on exchange](stoploss.md#stop-loss-on-exchange-freqtrade)).
!!! Note "Use of dates"
All time-based calculations should be done based on `current_time` - using `datetime.now()` or `datetime.utcnow()` is discouraged, as this will break backtesting support.
!!! Tip "Trailing stoploss"
It's recommended to disable `trailing_stop` when using custom stoploss values. Both can work in tandem, but you might encounter the trailing stop to move the price higher while your custom function would not want this, causing conflicting behavior.
### Custom stoploss examples
The next section will show some examples on what's possible with the custom stoploss function.
Of course, many more things are possible, and all examples can be combined at will.
#### Time based trailing stop
Use the initial stoploss for the first 60 minutes, after this change to 10% trailing stoploss, and after 2 hours (120 minutes) we use a 5% trailing stoploss.
In this example, we'll trail the highest price with 10% trailing stoploss for `ETH/BTC` and `XRP/BTC`, with 5% trailing stoploss for `LTC/BTC` and with 15% for all other pairs.
Use the initial stoploss until the profit is above 4%, then use a trailing stoploss of 50% of the current profit with a minimum of 2.5% and a maximum of 5%.
Please note that the stoploss can only increase, values lower than the current stoploss are ignored.
Stoploss values returned from `custom_stoploss()` always specify a percentage relative to `current_rate`. In order to set a stoploss relative to the *open* price, we need to use `current_profit` to calculate what percentage relative to the `current_rate` will give you the same result as if the percentage was specified from the open price.
The helper function [`stoploss_from_open()`](strategy-customization.md#stoploss_from_open) can be used to convert from an open price relative stop, to a current price relative stop which can be returned from `custom_stoploss()`.
#### Stoploss percentage from absolute price
Stoploss values returned from `custom_stoploss()` always specify a percentage relative to `current_rate`. In order to set a stoploss at specified absolute price level, we need to use `stop_rate` to calculate what percentage relative to the `current_rate` will give you the same result as if the percentage was specified from the open price.
The helper function [`stoploss_from_absolute()`](strategy-customization.md#stoploss_from_absolute) can be used to convert from an absolute price, to a current price relative stop which can be returned from `custom_stoploss()`.
---
## Custom order price rules
By default, freqtrade use the orderbook to automatically set an order price([Relevant documentation](configuration.md#prices-used-for-orders)), you also have the option to create custom order prices based on your strategy.
You can use this feature by creating a `custom_entry_price()` function in your strategy file to customize entry prices and `custom_exit_price()` for exits.
Each of these methods are called right before placing an order on the exchange.
!!! Note
If your custom pricing function return None or an invalid value, price will fall back to `proposed_rate`, which is based on the regular pricing configuration.
### Custom order entry and exit price example
``` python
from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
Modifying entry and exit prices will only work for limit orders. Depending on the price chosen, this can result in a lot of unfilled orders. By default the maximum allowed distance between the current price and the custom price is 2%, this value can be changed in config with the `custom_price_max_distance_ratio` parameter.
**Example**:
If the new_entryprice is 97, the proposed_rate is 100 and the `custom_price_max_distance_ratio` is set to 2%, The retained valid custom entry price will be 98, which is 2% below the current (proposed) rate.
Simple, time-based order-timeouts can be configured either via strategy or in the configuration in the `unfilledtimeout` section.
However, freqtrade also offers a custom callback for both order types, which allows you to decide based on custom criteria if an order did time out or not.
`max_entry_position_adjustment` property is used to limit the number of additional buys per trade (on top of the first buy) that the bot can execute. By default, the value is -1 which means the bot have no limit on number of adjustment buys.
The strategy is expected to return a stake_amount (in stake currency) between `min_stake` and `max_stake` if and when an additional buy order should be made (position is increased).
If there are not enough funds in the wallet (the return value is above `max_stake`) then the signal will be ignored.
Additional orders also result in additional fees and those orders don't count towards `max_open_trades`.
This callback is **not** called when there is an open order (either buy or sell) waiting for execution, or when you have reached the maximum amount of extra buys that you have set on `max_entry_position_adjustment`.
Position adjustments will always be applied in the direction of the trade, so a positive value will always increase your position, no matter if it's a long or short trade. Modifications to leverage are not possible.
Using 'unlimited' stake amount with DCA orders requires you to also implement the `custom_stake_amount()` callback to avoid allocating all funds to the initial order.