Is it possible for a single Charles Schwab securities account to use multiple API keys for trading on QuantConnect?

Based on the official QuantConnect documentation and your quoted section, here’s the situation regarding Charles Schwab and multiple API keys/strategies:

Key Limitation (from QuantConnect Docs):

“Charles Schwab only supports authenticating one account at a time per user. If you have an algorithm running with Charles Schwab and then deploy a second one, the first algorithm stops running.”

What this means:

• You cannot have more than one live QuantConnect algorithm running against the same Charles Schwab securities account at the same time, regardless of how many API keys you have.
• Deploying a second live algorithm with Schwab will automatically terminate any existing live deployment using the same Schwab account. This is enforced by the Schwab API and QuantConnect integration.
• This is a Schwab platform-level restriction, not something you can work around by using multiple keys, projects, or strategies.

Practical example:

• If you start Strategy A live on your Schwab account via QuantConnect, it will run normally.
• If you then start Strategy B (even in a separate project), the Schwab integration will first disconnect Strategy A before activating B.
• There is no API key/credential setup that supports running both simultaneously—Schwab authenticates only one “session” per account at a time via QuantConnect.

What can you do?

• Combine strategies: If you wish to have multiple trading strategies running live on Schwab, you must consolidate them into a single QuantConnect algorithm file/project.
• Sequential deployment: You may run them one after another, but not at the same time.
• Other brokers: Some brokerages (e.g., Interactive Brokers) may allow multiple strategies on the same account, subject to their own limits—review their integration details for this use case.

In summary:

With a single Charles Schwab securities account on QuantConnect, you may only have one live-deployed algorithm running at any given time. Running another will stop the first. This cannot be bypassed by using multiple API keys, different browser sessions, or projects.

If you wish to trade multiple strategies simultaneously, merge them into one algorithm, or consider an alternative brokerage that supports concurrent authenticated sessions.

Sources: Getting Started - QuantConnect.com, Charles Schwab - QuantConnect.com, Getting Started - QuantConnect.com

Hi Trader Ostburg ,

Thank you for your question.
Charles Schwab has user accounts and trading accounts. One user can have several trading accounts. 

When you authorize us to connect, you link your Schwab user account with your QuantConnect user account, so you cannot deploy to another Schwab user account. 

During the authorization, you will see the list of trading accounts. You can deploy one QuantConnect algorithm/project to one Schwab trading account (your can select them with a dropdown menu) under a Schwab user account.

Best regards,
Alex

Hi Alex,

To clarify, for a single user account, am I required to apply for multiple trading accounts directly with Charles Schwab, or does QuantConnect generate these automatically? If so, can I then link each of these trading accounts to separate QuantConnect live deployments to execute multiple strategies under the same user account?

Furthermore, where can I find the dropdown menu you mentioned?

Thanks!