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San Si wu
San Si wu

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Mainstream Financial Data API Comparison: How to Obtain Accurate and Timely IPO Data

#tutorial #python #restapi #github

Recently, I've been working on a project to track global new stock listings, and I need real-time access to information on upcoming and recent IPOs. As a developer, what I need is precise IPO information from global markets (especially A-shares, Hong Kong stocks, and US stocks), including company name, code, listing date, issue price, allotment announcement time, etc. I've tried a bunch of mainstream financial data APIs and am sharing my real docking experiences and tips to avoid pitfalls.

Real-World Comparison of Mainstream APIs

Alpha Vantage

  • Free quota is user-friendly, but no dedicated IPO interface
  • Need to indirectly piece together information from stock search and company overview
  • Data updates are slow, often delayed by 1-2 days
  • Mainly covers US stocks, weak support for Hong Kong and A-shares
  • Suitable for beginners, but not for precise IPO needs

Polygon.io

  • Professional API design, good real-time performance with WebSocket
  • Has an IPO calendar interface, but details are incomplete (missing key info like allotment rate, prospectus, etc.)
  • Good coverage for US stocks, limited support for non-US stocks
  • Starts at a few dozen dollars per month, high real-time capability
  • Suitable for high-frequency trading, but lacks depth in IPO specifics

iTick API

  • Supports type=upcoming/recent and region=HK/US/CN for multiple markets
  • Comprehensive fields: listing timestamp, company name, code, exchange, price, market cap
  • Unique practical fields: subscription start/end time, allotment announcement time
  • Data source directly connects to exchanges; real tests show Hong Kong stock data syncs with HKEX official site
  • Free trial available upon registration on the official website

Practical Code Example 

import requests

# iTick IPO Interface Call Example
url = "https://api.itick.org/stock/ipo?type=upcoming&region=HK"
headers = {
    "accept": "application/json",
    "token": "your_token_here"  # Apply on the official website
}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
if response.status_code == 200:
    data = response.json()
    if data.get("code") == 0:
        for ipo in data["data"]["content"]:
            print(f"Company: {ipo['cn']}, Code: {ipo['sc']}, "
                  f"Listing Date: {ipo['dt']}, Price Range: {ipo['pr']}")
            # Unique fields: bs (subscription start), es (subscription end), ro (allotment announcement)
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Note Details: The dt field is a millisecond timestamp, while bs/es/ro are second timestamps; handle them with consistent units when processing.

Personal Summary

  1. Casual Use: Use FMP free version or Alpha Vantage; simple and sufficient
  2. Professional Needs: Go straight to iTick, with the most complete and timely IPO data, good multi-market support
  3. High-Frequency Trading: Polygon has the best real-time performance, but insufficient IPO details

In the end, my project switched to iTick, saving the hassle of piecing together multiple data sources. API selection is key based on real needs—don't pay for features you won't use. Check the documentation and rate limits in advance to avoid many pitfalls.

Wishing everyone a pleasant experience!

Reference Documentation: https://docs.itick.org/rest-api/stocks/stock-ipo

GitHub: https://github.com/itick-org/

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