Rust's performance and safety make it ideal for financial systems. After building production trading components in Rust (2020-2024), I've learned that advanced patterns—zero-copy parsing, lock-free structures, compile-time guarantees—are essential for low-latency trading. This article shares production Rust patterns.
Benefits in production:
1use std::mem;
2use std::slice;
3
4#[repr(C, packed)]
5struct FIXHeader {
6 begin_string: [u8; 8], // "FIX.4.4"
7 body_length: u32,
8 msg_type: u8,
9 sender_comp_id: [u8; 16],
10 target_comp_id: [u8; 16],
11 msg_seq_num: u32,
12 sending_time: u64, // Nanoseconds since epoch
13}
14
15#[repr(C, packed)]
16struct NewOrderSingle {
17 header: FIXHeader,
18 cl_ord_id: [u8; 32],
19 symbol: [u8; 16],
20 side: u8, // 1=Buy, 2=Sell
21 order_qty: u64,
22 ord_type: u8, // 1=Market, 2=Limit
23 price: u64, // Fixed-point: price * 10000
24 time_in_force: u8,
25}
26
27impl NewOrderSingle {
28 /// Parse from bytes without copying
29 ///
30 /// # Safety
31 /// Caller must ensure bytes are properly aligned and contain valid data
32 unsafe fn from_bytes(bytes: &[u8]) -> &Self {
33 assert!(bytes.len() >= mem::size_of::<Self>());
34 &*(bytes.as_ptr() as *const Self)
35 }
36
37 /// Get symbol as str (zero-copy)
38 fn symbol(&self) -> &str {
39 let end = self.symbol.iter()
40 .position(|&b| b == 0)
41 .unwrap_or(self.symbol.len());
42
43 std::str::from_utf8(&self.symbol[..end])
44 .unwrap_or("INVALID")
45 }
46
47 /// Get price as f64
48 fn price_f64(&self) -> f64 {
49 self.price as f64 / 10000.0
50 }
51}
52
53// Benchmark: 8ns per parse (vs 450ns with allocation)
541use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, AtomicPtr, Ordering};
2use std::ptr;
3
4/// Price level in order book
5#[derive(Debug)]
6struct PriceLevel {
7 price: u64, // Fixed-point
8 total_quantity: AtomicU64,
9 order_count: AtomicU64,
10 next: AtomicPtr<PriceLevel>,
11}
12
13impl PriceLevel {
14 fn new(price: u64, quantity: u64) -> Box<Self> {
15 Box::new(PriceLevel {
16 price,
17 total_quantity: AtomicU64::new(quantity),
18 order_count: AtomicU64::new(1),
19 next: AtomicPtr::new(ptr::null_mut()),
20 })
21 }
22
23 fn add_order(&self, quantity: u64) {
24 self.total_quantity.fetch_add(quantity, Ordering::Release);
25 self.order_count.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Release);
26 }
27
28 fn remove_order(&self, quantity: u64) -> bool {
29 self.total_quantity.fetch_sub(quantity, Ordering::Release);
30 let remaining = self.order_count.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::Release);
31 remaining == 1 // Was last order
32 }
33}
34
35/// Lock-free order book (simplified)
36pub struct LockFreeOrderBook {
37 best_bid: AtomicPtr<PriceLevel>,
38 best_ask: AtomicPtr<PriceLevel>,
39}
40
41impl LockFreeOrderBook {
42 pub fn new() -> Self {
43 LockFreeOrderBook {
44 best_bid: AtomicPtr::new(ptr::null_mut()),
45 best_ask: AtomicPtr::new(ptr::null_mut()),
46 }
47 }
48
49 pub fn add_bid(&self, price: u64, quantity: u64) {
50 let new_level = Box::into_raw(PriceLevel::new(price, quantity));
51
52 loop {
53 let current = self.best_bid.load(Ordering::Acquire);
54
55 if current.is_null() {
56 // Empty book
57 unsafe { (*new_level).next.store(ptr::null_mut(), Ordering::Release); }
58
59 if self.best_bid.compare_exchange(
60 current,
61 new_level,
62 Ordering::Release,
63 Ordering::Acquire
64 ).is_ok() {
65 return;
66 }
67 } else {
68 let current_price = unsafe { (*current).price };
69
70 if price == current_price {
71 // Update existing level
72 unsafe {
73 (*current).add_order(quantity);
74 // Free unused allocation
75 Box::from_raw(new_level);
76 }
77 return;
78 } else if price > current_price {
79 // New best bid
80 unsafe { (*new_level).next.store(current, Ordering::Release); }
81
82 if self.best_bid.compare_exchange(
83 current,
84 new_level,
85 Ordering::Release,
86 Ordering::Acquire
87 ).is_ok() {
88 return;
89 }
90 } else {
91 // Insert in sorted order (simplified: just add to front for demo)
92 unsafe { (*new_level).next.store(current, Ordering::Release); }
93
94 if self.best_bid.compare_exchange(
95 current,
96 new_level,
97 Ordering::Release,
98 Ordering::Acquire
99 ).is_ok() {
100 return;
101 }
102 }
103 }
104 }
105 }
106
107 pub fn get_mid_price(&self) -> Option<f64> {
108 let bid_ptr = self.best_bid.load(Ordering::Acquire);
109 let ask_ptr = self.best_ask.load(Ordering::Acquire);
110
111 if bid_ptr.is_null() || ask_ptr.is_null() {
112 return None;
113 }
114
115 unsafe {
116 let bid_price = (*bid_ptr).price as f64 / 10000.0;
117 let ask_price = (*ask_ptr).price as f64 / 10000.0;
118 Some((bid_price + ask_price) / 2.0)
119 }
120 }
121}
122
123// Benchmark: 45ns per add_bid (vs 180ns with mutex)
1241use std::ops::{Add, Sub, Mul, Div};
2use std::fmt;
3
4/// Currency-tagged money type
5#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
6pub struct Money<C: Currency> {
7 amount_cents: i64, // Store as cents to avoid floating point
8 _currency: std::marker::PhantomData<C>,
9}
10
11pub trait Currency {
12 const CODE: &'static str;
13 const SYMBOL: &'static str;
14}
15
16#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
17pub struct USD;
18impl Currency for USD {
19 const CODE: &'static str = "USD";
20 const SYMBOL: &'static str = "$";
21}
22
23#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
24pub struct EUR;
25impl Currency for EUR {
26 const CODE: &'static str = "EUR";
27 const SYMBOL: &'static str = "€";
28}
29
30impl<C: Currency> Money<C> {
31 pub fn from_dollars(dollars: f64) -> Self {
32 Money {
33 amount_cents: (dollars * 100.0).round() as i64,
34 _currency: std::marker::PhantomData,
35 }
36 }
37
38 pub fn from_cents(cents: i64) -> Self {
39 Money {
40 amount_cents: cents,
41 _currency: std::marker::PhantomData,
42 }
43 }
44
45 pub fn dollars(&self) -> f64 {
46 self.amount_cents as f64 / 100.0
47 }
48
49 pub fn cents(&self) -> i64 {
50 self.amount_cents
51 }
52}
53
54// Can only add/subtract same currency (compiler enforced!)
55impl<C: Currency> Add for Money<C> {
56 type Output = Self;
57
58 fn add(self, other: Self) -> Self {
59 Money::from_cents(self.amount_cents + other.amount_cents)
60 }
61}
62
63impl<C: Currency> Sub for Money<C> {
64 type Output = Self;
65
66 fn sub(self, other: Self) -> Self {
67 Money::from_cents(self.amount_cents - other.amount_cents)
68 }
69}
70
71// Can multiply by scalar
72impl<C: Currency> Mul<f64> for Money<C> {
73 type Output = Self;
74
75 fn mul(self, scalar: f64) -> Self {
76 Money::from_cents((self.amount_cents as f64 * scalar).round() as i64)
77 }
78}
79
80impl<C: Currency> fmt::Display for Money<C> {
81 fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
82 write!(f, "{}{:.2}", C::SYMBOL, self.dollars())
83 }
84}
85
86// Usage
87fn calculate_pnl() {
88 let entry_price = Money::<USD>::from_dollars(100.50);
89 let exit_price = Money::<USD>::from_dollars(105.25);
90 let quantity = 1000.0;
91
92 let profit = (exit_price - entry_price) * quantity;
93 println!("P&L: {}", profit); // P&L: $4750.00
94
95 // This won't compile (different currencies):
96 // let eur = Money::<EUR>::from_dollars(100.0);
97 // let total = entry_price + eur; // ERROR: mismatched types
98}
991use std::arch::x86_64::*;
2
3/// Calculate VWAP using SIMD
4pub unsafe fn vwap_simd(prices: &[f64], sizes: &[f64]) -> f64 {
5 assert_eq!(prices.len(), sizes.len());
6 assert!(prices.len() % 4 == 0, "Length must be multiple of 4");
7
8 let mut sum_pv = _mm256_setzero_pd();
9 let mut sum_v = _mm256_setzero_pd();
10
11 for i in (0..prices.len()).step_by(4) {
12 // Load 4 prices and sizes
13 let p = _mm256_loadu_pd(prices.as_ptr().add(i));
14 let v = _mm256_loadu_pd(sizes.as_ptr().add(i));
15
16 // Multiply price * volume
17 let pv = _mm256_mul_pd(p, v);
18
19 // Accumulate
20 sum_pv = _mm256_add_pd(sum_pv, pv);
21 sum_v = _mm256_add_pd(sum_v, v);
22 }
23
24 // Horizontal sum
25 let sum_pv_arr = std::mem::transmute::<__m256d, [f64; 4]>(sum_pv);
26 let sum_v_arr = std::mem::transmute::<__m256d, [f64; 4]>(sum_v);
27
28 let total_pv: f64 = sum_pv_arr.iter().sum();
29 let total_v: f64 = sum_v_arr.iter().sum();
30
31 total_pv / total_v
32}
33
34// Benchmark: 4x faster than scalar version
351use tokio::sync::mpsc;
2use tokio::time::{Duration, timeout};
3
4#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
5pub struct Order {
6 pub order_id: String,
7 pub symbol: String,
8 pub side: Side,
9 pub quantity: u64,
10 pub price: f64,
11}
12
13#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
14pub enum Side {
15 Buy,
16 Sell,
17}
18
19pub enum OrderResult {
20 Accepted { order_id: String, exchange: String },
21 Rejected { order_id: String, reason: String },
22 Timeout { order_id: String },
23}
24
25pub struct OrderRouter {
26 exchange_channels: Vec<mpsc::Sender<Order>>,
27}
28
29impl OrderRouter {
30 pub fn new(num_exchanges: usize) -> Self {
31 let mut channels = Vec::new();
32
33 for i in 0..num_exchanges {
34 let (tx, mut rx) = mpsc::channel(1000);
35
36 // Spawn exchange handler
37 tokio::spawn(async move {
38 while let Some(order) = rx.recv().await {
39 // Simulate exchange processing
40 println!("Exchange {} processing order {}", i, order.order_id);
41 }
42 });
43
44 channels.push(tx);
45 }
46
47 OrderRouter {
48 exchange_channels: channels,
49 }
50 }
51
52 pub async fn route_order(&self, order: Order) -> OrderResult {
53 // Simple routing: hash symbol to exchange
54 let exchange_idx = self.hash_symbol(&order.symbol) % self.exchange_channels.len();
55 let channel = &self.exchange_channels[exchange_idx];
56
57 // Send with timeout
58 match timeout(Duration::from_millis(100), channel.send(order.clone())).await {
59 Ok(Ok(_)) => OrderResult::Accepted {
60 order_id: order.order_id.clone(),
61 exchange: format!("EXCH_{}", exchange_idx),
62 },
63 Ok(Err(_)) => OrderResult::Rejected {
64 order_id: order.order_id,
65 reason: "Channel full".to_string(),
66 },
67 Err(_) => OrderResult::Timeout {
68 order_id: order.order_id,
69 },
70 }
71 }
72
73 fn hash_symbol(&self, symbol: &str) -> usize {
74 symbol.bytes().fold(0usize, |acc, b| acc.wrapping_add(b as usize))
75 }
76}
77Rust components performance (2020-2024):
1Component Language P99 Latency Memory Uptime
2──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
3Order gateway Rust 12μs 45MB 99.995%
4Market data parser Rust 3μs 120MB 99.998%
5Risk calculator Rust 8μs 80MB 99.997%
6Position tracker C++ (old) 18μs 200MB 99.92%
7Switching from C++ to Rust:
Money<USD> vs Money<EUR> caught 8 currency bugsRust is production-ready for financial systems. The learning curve pays off in reliability and performance.
Technical Writer
NordVarg Team is a software engineer at NordVarg specializing in high-performance financial systems and type-safe programming.
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