Alpaca Crypto API
Blockchain · Trading
Alpaca is a US-regulated broker-dealer that provides commission-free trading APIs for both US stocks and cryptocurrencies through a unified REST and WebSocket interface. Alpaca's business model is built around empowering fintech developers and algorithmic traders with brokerage infrastructure meaning the API is first-class and well-maintained, not a secondary feature of a retail trading platform.
Alpaca Crypto API Highlights
Alpaca Crypto API is verified for developer integrations in global and multi-region environments, providing documented endpoints, sandbox testing, and developer support.
API Key + Secret
200 req/min for data; standard limits for trading endpoints
Global
United States
United Kingdom
AWSAlpaca Crypto API is best for:
US-based developers building commission-free crypto trading apps and algorithmic trading bots using a broker-dealer API that also covers US stocks and ETFs.
- crypto trading API
- 0% commission on crypto trades
- Paper trading (simulation) free
- Live trading requires account funding
Alpaca Crypto API Core Features & Capabilities
Features Included
Not Supported
Required Access Documents for Alpaca Crypto API
- Alpaca AccountRequiredUS residents and select countries only. Nigerian users cannot register. Paper trading accounts available for testing the API.
- API Key + SecretRequiredGenerated in Alpaca dashboard. Used as header credentials: APCA-API-KEY-ID and APCA-API-SECRET-KEY.
Different Alpaca Crypto API use cases
- Commission-free Crypto Bot for US Market:Developers building automated crypto trading strategies for US users can use Alpaca's zero-commission API to execute BTC, ETH, and altcoin trades without per-trade fees eating into returns particularly valuable for high-frequency or small-size systematic strategies.
- Multi-asset Portfolio (Stocks + Crypto) for US Investors:US-focused fintech apps can use Alpaca's unified API to manage portfolios combining US equities and crypto assets in a single interface enabling a true multi-asset brokerage experience through one API integration.
- Paper Trading Bot for Strategy Backtesting:Developers anywhere (including Nigeria, for testing purposes) can use Alpaca's free paper trading environment to simulate trading strategies against real market data without financial risk a valuable tool for validating algorithmic trading logic before committing real capital.