How to set up a sub-account on Bybit for separate trading strategies?

Sub-Account Creation Process

1. Log in to your Bybit main account using verified credentials and two-factor authentication.

2. Navigate to the Account Settings section and select “Sub-Accounts” from the left-hand menu.

3. Click “Create Sub-Account”, choose a unique name, and assign a role—either “Trader”, “Viewer”, or “API Manager”.

4. Confirm creation via email and SMS verification; each sub-account receives its own isolated API key dashboard.

5. No deposit is automatically transferred—funds must be manually allocated from the main wallet using the internal transfer interface.

Fund Allocation and Isolation Rules

1. Transfers between main and sub-accounts occur instantly with zero fees and no blockchain confirmation delays.

2. Each sub-account maintains independent margin balances, PnL tracking, and position history visible only to its assigned role.

3. Margin modes—cross or isolated—are set per sub-account at activation and cannot be changed retroactively without closing all open positions.

4. Withdrawals from sub-accounts are disabled by default; enabling them requires explicit approval in the main account’s security settings.

5. Spot and derivatives balances are segregated by default—even within the same sub-account, USDT-margined futures positions do not share collateral with spot holdings.

API and Strategy Integration

1. Sub-accounts support full REST and WebSocket API access, including order placement, position management, and balance polling endpoints.

2. API keys generated for a sub-account inherit its permission scope and cannot access main account data or other sub-accounts.

3. Trading bots configured on Bybit’s official Bot Marketplace can be bound exclusively to one sub-account, preventing cross-strategy interference.

4. Webhook-based strategy triggers—such as price alerts or liquidation notifications—are scoped to the sub-account’s symbol-specific activity only.

5. Rate limits apply independently per sub-account API key, allowing parallel execution of high-frequency scalping and low-frequency swing strategies without throttling conflicts.

Security and Audit Controls

1. IP whitelisting is enforced per sub-account, requiring pre-approved IPv4/IPv6 ranges for all login and API sessions.

2. Activity logs record every trade, transfer, and configuration change with timestamps accurate to the millisecond and immutable hash signatures.

3. Main account holders can freeze or terminate any sub-account instantly, halting all active orders and disabling API keys without delay.

4. Sub-account login sessions expire after 15 minutes of inactivity, and session tokens are invalidated upon any password or 2FA change in the parent account.

5. All internal transfers generate on-chain-like audit trails stored in Bybit’s internal ledger, accessible via CSV export with UTC timestamps and transaction IDs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can a sub-account hold native chain assets like ETH or SOL directly?Yes. Sub-accounts support native asset deposits and withdrawals, but only after completing KYC Level 2 and enabling the corresponding blockchain network in the sub-account’s asset settings.

Q: Do sub-accounts share the same VIP fee tier as the main account?No. Fee tiers are calculated separately based on each sub-account’s individual 30-day trading volume and asset holdings, not aggregated with the parent account.

Q: Is it possible to migrate an existing API key to a newly created sub-account?No. API keys are bound at creation time and cannot be reassigned. A new key must be generated specifically for the target sub-account.

Q: Can I view consolidated PnL across all sub-accounts in one dashboard?Bybit does not provide native consolidated reporting. Third-party portfolio tools like CoinGecko Portfolio or Delta require manual import of each sub-account’s API key to aggregate metrics.