Connect an exchange using an API key

Link your exchange accounts to 3Commas, so you can trade!

Updated over a week ago

A few notes before we start:

  • Make sure you create your API key on your exchange before following these steps. Please use our Help Center articles or your exchange's help center for instructions on creating API keys.

  • Use API keys ONLY to connect to 3Commas, do not use the same API keys elsewhere!

  • Do not link the same exchange account to 3Commas and to another trading service (even with a different API key) - if you have more than one trading service you use, then we recommend you create sub-accounts to link to the different services.

Here is a short video about how to connect an exchange using both Fast Connect and API keys:


Back to the tutorial.

1. Open the Connect account window

If you are trying to connect the first exchange, head to the My Portfolio page and click on the Connect account button:

If it's not your first connection, then click on the Connect a new account button:

2. Click on the Exchanges button

3. Choose the exchange

You can use the filter to see what exchanges support Spot, Futures, Margin trading, or trading Options.

3Commas supports many different exchanges, but not all features are supported for every exchange. Check the list of supported exchanges and available features here.
If you don't see the exchange name from the list, then we don't currently support it, and you can request it using the Suggest an exchange you’d like to use button.

4. Choose a name

We'll take Bybit as an example:

Make it clear so you can recognize the exchange account.
As you can link many exchanges to 3Commas, it can be easy to confuse which account you want to create a trade for; a good name will make it easier for you!
3Commas uses this name everywhere: on the trading terminal, bots, statistics, and history.

5. Enter the API Key and API Secret

It is easiest to have 2 browser windows open, so you can copy and paste the API Key and Secret. Please don't try to link the same API more than once!

Here are the articles about how to create an API on your exchange.

Also, you can click on the "How to create an API key?" button right under the Name field

or click on the "Full Guide" button on the short tutorial section:

It will take you to the article dedicated to the specific exchange's API keys creation tutorial.

5.a. Enter Passphrase (optional, depending on the exchange)

Don't see it on the form? Then your exchange doesn't require it so you can skip this step.

On some exchanges, though, you create the passphrase whenever you make a new API. It's not your login password or trading password. It's unique for every API key.

5.b. Enter Customer ID (optional, depending on the exchange)

Don't see it? Skip this too.

It refers to your account on the exchange.

Note

Under the API keys fields, there is an Available account types button that will display the accounts that will be created all at once:

6. Click on the Connect button

Once all the boxes are filled in, then click the Connect *Exchange* button.

7. Choose the exchange types you want to connect and click Add

8. That's all you need to do!

You'll see the exchange statistic page when it connects.

Note!

If you see an error stating Please wait 30 seconds and try again (this is usually because some exchanges take a few minutes to activate the API key) - don't worry, leave this screen open for now and then click the Connect *exchange* button again later. You can open another browser window and continue surfing while you wait.

If you still have this or other issues, please check possible ways to fix them.

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