How to get Upbit's market data through the API?

To use Upbit's API, set up an API key, understand endpoints like /market/all and /ticker, and handle rate limits for smooth data retrieval.

Apr 12, 2025 at 03:49 am

To access Upbit's market data through their API, understanding the process and tools required can be crucial for developers and traders alike. Upbit, one of South Korea's leading cryptocurrency exchanges, offers a robust API that allows users to retrieve real-time and historical market data. This guide will walk you through the steps to connect to Upbit's API, retrieve market data, and understand the various endpoints available.

Setting Up Your API Key

Before you can start pulling data from Upbit's API, you need to set up an API key. This key will authenticate your requests to the API. Here’s how to do it:

• Visit the Upbit website and log in to your account.
• Navigate to the API Management section. This is usually found under your account settings or a similar area.
• Click on Create New API Key. You will be prompted to enter a name for your key and possibly a description.
• Enable the necessary permissions for your key. For market data, you will typically need read-only access.
• After generating the key, you will receive an API Key and a Secret Key. Keep these secure, as they grant access to your account.

Understanding API Endpoints

Upbit provides several endpoints that cater to different types of market data. Here are the key endpoints you should be familiar with:

• Market Information: /market/all - This endpoint returns a list of all available markets on Upbit.
• Ticker: /ticker - This endpoint provides real-time ticker data for specified markets.
• Candlestick Data: /candles/minutes/{unit} or /candles/days - These endpoints return candlestick data for specified time intervals.
• Orderbook: /orderbook - This endpoint provides the current orderbook for specified markets.
• Trades: /trades/ticks - This endpoint returns recent trade data for specified markets.

Making API Requests

To make requests to Upbit's API, you will need to use an HTTP client. Here’s how to make a request using Python and the requests library:

• Install the requests library if you haven't already:

  pip install requests

• Import the library and set up your API key:

  import requests
  api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
  secret_key = 'YOUR_SECRET_KEY'

• Make a request to the /market/all endpoint to get a list of all markets:

  url = 'https://api.upbit.com/v1/market/all'
  headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}"}
  response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
  markets = response.json()

• Parse the response to extract the market data:

  for market in markets:
  print(market['market'], market['korean_name'], market['english_name'])

Retrieving Real-Time Ticker Data

To retrieve real-time ticker data, you can use the /ticker endpoint. Here’s how to do it:

• Set up the request for the ticker data:

  market = 'KRW-BTC'  # Example market

  url = f'https://api.upbit.com/v1/ticker?markets={market}'
response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
ticker_data = response.json()[0]

• Extract and use the ticker data:

  print(f"Current price: {ticker_data['trade_price']}")
  print(f"24-hour volume: {ticker_data['acc_trade_price_24h']}")

Accessing Historical Candlestick Data

For historical data, you can use the candlestick endpoints. Here’s how to retrieve daily candlestick data:

• Set up the request for daily candlestick data:

  market = 'KRW-BTC'  # Example market
  url = f'https://api.upbit.com/v1/candles/days?market={market}&count=10'
  response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
  candles = response.json()

• Extract and use the candlestick data:

  for candle in candles:
  print(f"Date: {candle['candle_date_time_utc']}, Open: {candle['opening_price']}, High: {candle['high_price']}, Low: {candle['low_price']}, Close: {candle['trade_price']}")

Handling API Rate Limits

Upbit, like many other APIs, has rate limits to prevent abuse. It’s important to handle these limits to ensure your application runs smoothly:

• Check the response headers for rate limit information:

  remaining = response.headers.get('Remaining-Req')

  reset_time = response.headers.get('Reset-Time-In-Seconds')
print(f"Remaining requests: {remaining}, Reset time: {reset_time}")

• Implement a delay in your code if you are approaching the rate limit:

  import time
  if int(remaining) < 10:
  time.sleep(int(reset_time) + 1)

FAQs

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

A: Yes, Upbit's API supports automated trading through various endpoints that allow you to place orders and manage your trades. However, ensure you have the necessary permissions enabled on your API key.

Q: Is there a limit to the amount of historical data I can retrieve at once?

A: Yes, Upbit limits the number of data points you can retrieve in a single request. For example, the candlestick data endpoint allows you to retrieve up to 200 candles per request. You may need to make multiple requests to gather more extensive historical data.

Q: How can I ensure the security of my API key?

A: To ensure the security of your API key, never share it with anyone, use it only on secure networks, and consider using environment variables or a secure vault to store your keys instead of hardcoding them in your scripts.

Q: Can I access Upbit's API from any country?

A: Upbit's API is primarily designed for users in South Korea, but it can be accessed from other countries. However, some features might be restricted based on your location and the regulations in your country.