Built into AlgoGP Pro

How to get a Kraken API key

A Kraken API key has a public API key and a base64 private key, plus fine-grained permissions. A trading bot needs funds and order permissions only; withdrawals stay off.

Open Kraken Build a Kraken trading bot
About 10 minutes 5 steps Checked October 2026

Before you start

  • A verified Kraken account (Intermediate verification for trading)
  • Two-factor authentication enabled
  • Optional: the IP address of the machine running the bot

Create your Kraken API key

  1. 1

    Open API settings

    Sign in to Kraken (Kraken Pro), open the account menu and go to Settings → API (pro.kraken.com/app/settings/api).

  2. 2

    Create a key

    Click Create API key and give it a descriptive name such as algogp-btc-bot.

  3. 3

    Choose permissions

    Under Funds tick Query; under Orders and trades tick Query open orders & trades, Query closed orders & trades, Create & modify orders and Cancel & close orders. Leave Deposit and Withdraw unchecked.

  4. 4

    Optional hardening

    Add an IP allowlist, set a nonce window of a few seconds if you run several processes, and an expiry date for short experiments.

  5. 5

    Save and copy both keys

    Click Generate key. Copy the API key and Private key now: the private key is shown only once.

Test the key

Before wiring the key into a strategy, make one request by hand. It separates “the key is wrong” from “my code is wrong”.

import base64, hashlib, hmac, os, time, urllib.parse, urllib.request
path = "/0/private/Balance"
nonce = str(int(time.time() * 1000))
body = urllib.parse.urlencode({"nonce": nonce})
digest = hashlib.sha256((nonce + body).encode()).digest()
sig = hmac.new(base64.b64decode(os.environ["KRAKEN_API_SECRET"]), path.encode() + digest, hashlib.sha512)
req = urllib.request.Request("https://api.kraken.com" + path, body.encode(), {
    "API-Key": os.environ["KRAKEN_API_KEY"], "API-Sign": base64.b64encode(sig.digest()).decode()})
print(urllib.request.urlopen(req).read().decode())
{"error":[],"result":{…}} with your balances means the key works. EAPI:Invalid key or EGeneral:Permission denied point to the key or its permissions.

Add the key to your AlgoGP project

  1. 1

    Open your project’s APIs & keys tab

    Open the strategy project, select APIs & keys, and under Platforms choose Kraken (Pro).

  2. 2

    Paste each value

    Paste the values into KRAKEN_API_KEY and KRAKEN_API_SECRET and click Save. Values are encrypted at rest, never shown again and never written into code or exports.

  3. 3

    Run locally with the same names

    Exported projects read the same names from .env (copy .env.example). Keep .env out of version control.

KRAKEN_API_KEY=paste-your-value-here
KRAKEN_API_SECRET=paste-your-value-here
.env for local runs

Common Kraken API errors

EAPI:Invalid key
Wrong public key, or the key was deleted.
EAPI:Invalid signature
The private key is wrong or not base64-decoded before signing, or the body signed differs from the body sent.
EAPI:Invalid nonce
A nonce not larger than the previous one, usually two processes sharing a key.
EGeneral:Permission denied
The key lacks the permission for that endpoint.
EOrder:Insufficient funds
Not enough quote currency (or base, on a sell).

Frequently asked questions

Can I see my Kraken private key again?

No. It is shown once. Delete the key and create a new one if it is lost.

Should I enable withdrawals on a Kraken bot key?

No. A trading bot never needs to withdraw, and that permission is what makes a leaked key costly.

Build a Kraken trading bot in minutes

Describe the strategy in plain English, backtest it on years of data, then export Python that already talks to Kraken: paper, sandbox and live modes, keys handled for you.

  • Generated adapter for Kraken orders and balances
  • Backtests with costs, slippage and walk-forward checks
  • Paper first; live trading only after you opt in
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Free plan, no card required. Kraken is included with Pro.

How the Kraken API works

AlgoGP is not affiliated with Kraken. Menus get renamed from time to time; if a label differs, the official documentation has the current path.