How to use IMX trading API? What are the advantages of automated trading?

The IMX trading API enhances trading on Immutable X with instant trade confirmations, zero gas fees, and automation for efficient strategy execution.

May 07, 2025 at 01:21 pm

Using the IMX trading API can significantly enhance your trading experience on the Immutable X platform. IMX, or Immutable X, is a layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum that offers instant trade confirmation, massive scalability, and zero gas fees. The IMX trading API allows developers and traders to automate their trading strategies, making it easier to execute trades quickly and efficiently. In this article, we will guide you through the process of using the IMX trading API and discuss the advantages of automated trading.

Setting Up the IMX Trading API

To start using the IMX trading API, you need to follow a few initial steps. First, you need to register an account on the Immutable X platform. Once registered, you will have access to your API keys, which are essential for making API calls.

• Visit the Immutable X website and sign up for an account.
• Log in to your account and navigate to the developer section.
• Generate your API keys. You will receive an API key and a secret key, which you should keep secure.

After obtaining your API keys, you need to set up your development environment. You can use any programming language that supports HTTP requests, such as Python or JavaScript. For this example, we will use Python.

• Install the necessary libraries. You will need the requests library to make HTTP requests. You can install it using pip:

  pip install requests

• Set up your API keys in your code. You will need to include your API key and secret key in your code to authenticate your requests.

Making API Calls with the IMX Trading API

Once your environment is set up, you can start making API calls to interact with the IMX platform. The IMX trading API supports various endpoints for different functionalities, such as retrieving market data, placing orders, and managing your account.

• To retrieve market data, you can use the GET /v1/markets endpoint. Here is an example of how to make this request in Python:

  import requests
  api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
  api_secret = 'YOUR_API_SECRET'
  headers = {
  'X-API-Key': api_key,
  'X-API-Secret': api_secret
  }
  response = requests.get('https://api.x.immutable.com/v1/markets', headers=headers)
  print(response.json())

• To place an order, you can use the POST /v1/orders endpoint. Here is an example of how to place a buy order:

  import requests
  api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
  api_secret = 'YOUR_API_SECRET'
  headers = {
  'X-API-Key': api_key,
  'X-API-Secret': api_secret,
  'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
  data = {
  'market': 'ETH/USDT',
  'side': 'buy',
  'type': 'limit',
  'price': '3000',
  'amount': '1'
  }
  response = requests.post('https://api.x.immutable.com/v1/orders', headers=headers, json=data)
  print(response.json())

Managing Your Account with the IMX Trading API

The IMX trading API also allows you to manage your account, including checking your balance and withdrawing funds. To check your balance, you can use the GET /v1/accounts/balance endpoint.

• Here is an example of how to check your balance:

  import requests
  api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
  api_secret = 'YOUR_API_SECRET'
  headers = {
  'X-API-Key': api_key,
  'X-API-Secret': api_secret
  }
  response = requests.get('https://api.x.immutable.com/v1/accounts/balance', headers=headers)
  print(response.json())

• To withdraw funds, you can use the POST /v1/withdrawals endpoint. Here is an example of how to withdraw ETH:

  import requests
  api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
  api_secret = 'YOUR_API_SECRET'
  headers = {
  'X-API-Key': api_key,
  'X-API-Secret': api_secret,
  'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
  data = {
  'asset': 'ETH',
  'amount': '0.1',
  'address': 'YOUR_ETH_ADDRESS'
  }
  response = requests.post('https://api.x.immutable.com/v1/withdrawals', headers=headers, json=data)
  print(response.json())

Advantages of Automated Trading

Automated trading offers several advantages that can enhance your trading experience on the IMX platform. One of the main advantages is speed. Automated trading systems can execute trades much faster than humans, which is crucial in the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency trading.

• Speed: Automated trading systems can analyze market data and execute trades in milliseconds, allowing you to take advantage of market opportunities that would be impossible to catch manually.

• Accuracy: Automated trading systems can execute trades with high precision, reducing the risk of human error. This can lead to more consistent and reliable trading results.

• Emotionless Trading: One of the biggest challenges for human traders is managing emotions. Automated trading systems can execute trades based on predefined rules, eliminating the influence of emotions such as fear and greed.

• Backtesting: Automated trading systems allow you to backtest your trading strategies using historical data. This can help you refine your strategies and improve your trading performance.

• 24/7 Trading: The cryptocurrency market operates 24/7, and automated trading systems can monitor the market and execute trades at any time, even when you are not actively trading.

Implementing Automated Trading Strategies

To implement automated trading strategies using the IMX trading API, you need to develop a trading bot that can interact with the API. A trading bot is a software program that can execute trades based on predefined rules and algorithms.

• Develop your trading strategy. You need to define the rules and conditions that will trigger your trades. This can include technical indicators, price levels, and other market data.

• Implement your strategy in code. You can use the IMX trading API to retrieve market data and execute trades based on your strategy. Here is an example of a simple trading bot that buys ETH when the price drops below a certain level and sells when the price rises above another level:

  import requests
  import time
  api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
  api_secret = 'YOUR_API_SECRET'
  headers = {
  'X-API-Key': api_key,
  'X-API-Secret': api_secret,
  'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
  buy_price = 2900
  sell_price = 3100
  while True:
  response = requests.get('https://api.x.immutable.com/v1/markets', headers=headers)
  market_data = response.json()
  
  current_price = float(market_data['markets'][0]['lastPrice'])
  
  if current_price <= buy_price:
      data = {
          'market': 'ETH/USDT',
          'side': 'buy',
          'type': 'limit',
          'price': str(buy_price),
          'amount': '1'
      }
      response = requests.post('https://api.x.immutable.com/v1/orders', headers=headers, json=data)
      print('Buy order placed:', response.json())
  
  elif current_price >= sell_price:
      data = {
          'market': 'ETH/USDT',
          'side': 'sell',
          'type': 'limit',
          'price': str(sell_price),
          'amount': '1'
      }
      response = requests.post('https://api.x.immutable.com/v1/orders', headers=headers, json=data)
      print('Sell order placed:', response.json())
  
  time.sleep(60)  # Wait for 1 minute before checking again

Monitoring and Optimizing Your Trading Bot

Once your trading bot is up and running, it is important to monitor its performance and make adjustments as needed. You can use the IMX trading API to retrieve data on your trades and account balance.

• Monitor your trades. You can use the GET /v1/orders endpoint to retrieve data on your open and closed orders. Here is an example of how to retrieve your orders:

  import requests
  

  api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
api_secret = 'YOUR_API_SECRET'

  headers = {

  'X-API-Key': api_key,
  'X-API-Secret': api_secret

  }

  response = requests.get('https://api.x.immutable.com/v1/orders', headers=headers)
print(response.json())

• Optimize your strategy. Based on the performance of your trading bot, you can make adjustments to your strategy. This can include changing your buy and sell prices, adjusting your technical indicators, or adding new rules to your strategy.

• Backtest your strategy. You can use historical data to backtest your strategy and see how it would have performed in the past. This can help you identify potential improvements and refine your strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use the IMX trading API for other cryptocurrencies besides ETH?

A: Yes, the IMX trading API supports trading for various cryptocurrencies, not just ETH. You can check the available markets using the GET /v1/markets endpoint and trade other cryptocurrencies by specifying the appropriate market in your API calls.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of API calls I can make per day?

A: Yes, there are rate limits on the number of API calls you can make per day. The specific limits depend on your account type and can be found in the IMX API documentation. It is important to manage your API calls to avoid hitting these limits.

Q: Can I use the IMX trading API to trade on other platforms?

A: No, the IMX trading API is specific to the Immutable X platform and cannot be used to trade on other platforms. If you want to trade on other platforms, you will need to use their respective APIs.

Q: How secure is the IMX trading API?

A: The IMX trading API uses secure authentication methods, such as API keys and secret keys, to ensure that only authorized users can make API calls. However, it is important to keep your API keys secure and to use HTTPS to encrypt your API calls.