Direct answer
In practice, no single person “decides” forex charts. A chart is the result of (1) the price data source a platform uses and (2) the chart’s display settings (for example, timeframe and the selected instrument). In CTrader Charts, these choices are determined by the platform’s charting engine and the available inputs you select, rather than by an independent human authority.
How “deciding the chart” works
Think of a forex chart as a visual calculation pipeline:
- Price data selection: The chart draws from a feed that converts market activity into a time series. The identity and rules of that feed are determined by the platform and its connected data source(s).
- Instrument mapping: “Forex symbol” names can map to different underlying quote streams. The platform decides how a symbol corresponds to bid/ask, mid-price, or another pricing convention.
- Timeframe and aggregation: To draw candles/bars/lines, the chart groups ticks or smaller bars into larger time buckets. The timeframe selection (and the aggregation rules) is a key part of what you are “seeing.”
- User-applied display settings: Even when the underlying feed is fixed, chart settings can change the output you observe (such as timeframe). So, the user effectively “decides” the displayed form, while the platform decides how inputs are processed.
Example checks and what can differ
To independently verify what is influencing your chart:
- Compare the same instrument across sessions: If the chart changes when only settings change, that suggests the effect is display-related.
- Compare different symbol selections that look similar: If two symbols map differently, the chart can differ because the underlying price stream differs.
- Compare timeframe changes: A switch in timeframe will alter candle construction even with the same price feed.
- Look for consistent mapping indicators in your platform UI: Many charting systems show which symbol and price basis are selected; confirming those selections helps explain differences.
Limitations and what you cannot conclude
Because chart output depends on data sources and processing rules, you cannot reliably infer a “truth” chart from a single screenshot. Also, without knowing the exact data origin and chart settings, it is not possible to say who is “right.” Finally, this explanation is general and does not cover any specific current configuration details inside CTrader Charts.