How to use Bithumb's API?

Using Bithumb's API can enhance trading strategies and automate processes; this guide covers registration, API key setup, and making your first API call effectively.

Apr 18, 2025 at 08:49 pm

Using Bithumb's API can significantly enhance your trading strategies, automate processes, and access real-time data. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to use Bithumb's API effectively, covering everything from registration to executing your first API call.

Registering and Setting Up an API Key

Before you can use Bithumb's API, you need to register for an account and set up an API key. Here's how you can do it:

• Visit the Bithumb website and sign up for a new account if you don't already have one. You'll need to provide your personal details and complete the verification process.
• Log into your Bithumb account. Navigate to the API Management section, which is usually found under the account settings or security settings.
• Create a new API key. You will be prompted to enter a name for your API key, which helps you manage multiple keys if needed. Make sure to enable the necessary permissions based on what you intend to do with the API.
• Generate the API key. You will receive an API Key and an API Secret. These are crucial for authenticating your API requests, so keep them secure.

Understanding Bithumb's API Endpoints

Bithumb's API is divided into several endpoints, each serving a specific purpose. Here are some key endpoints you should know:

• Public API: These endpoints do not require authentication and are used to fetch market data, such as ticker information, order books, and transaction history.
• Private API: These endpoints require authentication and allow you to perform actions like placing orders, canceling orders, and managing your account balance.

Making Your First API Call

To make your first API call, you'll need to use a programming language like Python, JavaScript, or any other language that supports HTTP requests. Here's a step-by-step guide using Python:

• Install the necessary libraries. You'll need requests to make HTTP requests and hmac for signing your requests. You can install them using pip:

pip install requests

• Import the libraries in your Python script:

import requests
import hmac
import hashlib
import time

• Set up your API credentials:

api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
api_secret = 'YOUR_API_SECRET'

• Construct the API call. Let's use the public API to fetch the ticker information for Bitcoin (BTC):

endpoint = 'https://api.bithumb.com/public/ticker/BTC'
response = requests.get(endpoint)
print(response.json())

• For private API calls, you need to sign your requests. Here's an example of how to place a buy order:

endpoint = 'https://api.bithumb.com/trade/place'
params = {
'order_currency': 'BTC',
'payment_currency': 'KRW',
'units': '0.001',
'price': '1000000',
'type': 'bid'
}
params['endpoint'] = endpoint
nonce = str(int(time.time() * 1000))
params['nonce'] = nonce
Create the signature
query_string = '&'.join([f"{k}={v}" for k, v in sorted(params.items())])
signature = hmac.new(api_secret.encode('utf-8'), query_string.encode('utf-8'), hashlib.sha512).hexdigest()
headers = {
'Api-Key': api_key,
'Api-Sign': signature,
'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'
}
response = requests.post(endpoint, data=params, headers=headers)
print(response.json())

Handling Errors and Responses

When using Bithumb's API, it's important to handle errors and parse responses correctly. Here's how you can do it:

• Check the status code of the response. A status code of 200 indicates success, while other codes indicate errors.
• Parse the JSON response. Bithumb's API returns data in JSON format, which you can easily parse using Python's json module.

import json
if response.status_code == 200:
data = response.json()
if data['status'] == '0000':
    print("Success:", data)
else:
    print("Error:", data['message'])
else:
print("HTTP Error:", response.status_code)
Using Bithumb's WebSocket API
For real-time data, Bithumb offers a WebSocket API. Here's how you can connect to it using Python:
Install the websocket-client library:
pip install websocket-client
Connect to the WebSocket:
import websocket
import json
def on_message(ws, message):
data = json.loads(message)
print(data)
def on_error(ws, error):
print(error)
def on_close(ws):
print("### closed ###")
def on_open(ws):
print("### opened ###")
websocket.enableTrace(True)
ws = websocket.WebSocketApp("wss://pubwss.bithumb.com/pub/ws",
                          on_message=on_message,
                          on_error=on_error,
                          on_close=on_close)
ws.on_open = on_open
ws.run_forever()

Best Practices for Using Bithumb's API

To ensure you use Bithumb's API effectively and securely, consider the following best practices:

• Secure your API keys. Never share your API keys or store them in version control systems. Use environment variables or secure vaults to store them.
• Rate limiting. Be mindful of Bithumb's rate limits to avoid having your API access restricted. Implement retry mechanisms with exponential backoff for handling rate limit errors.
• Error handling. Always include robust error handling in your code to deal with API failures gracefully.
• Testing. Before deploying your code to production, thoroughly test it in a sandbox or test environment to ensure it works as expected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use Bithumb's API for automated trading?

A: Yes, Bithumb's API supports automated trading through its private endpoints, allowing you to place orders, cancel orders, and manage your account balance programmatically.

Q: How often is the data updated on Bithumb's API?

A: The public API endpoints, such as ticker and order book data, are typically updated in real-time, while private API endpoints may have varying update frequencies based on your account's activity.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of API keys I can create on Bithumb?

A: Bithumb may have a limit on the number of API keys you can create per account. You should check the API documentation or contact Bithumb support for specific details.

Q: Can I use Bithumb's API to fetch historical data?

A: Bithumb's API primarily provides real-time data. For historical data, you might need to use third-party services or manually collect and store the data over time.