OKX API Guide: Mastering V5 REST and WebSocket Integration

Overview

Welcome to the comprehensive guide for OKX's V5 API, offering REST and WebSocket interfaces to streamline your trading experience.

Core API Features and Support Resources

Educational Tutorials

• V5 API Trading Best Practices: Learn optimal trading strategies with our API documentation
• Python Spot Trading: Step-by-step guide for spot market interactions
• Python Derivatives Trading: Detailed tutorial for futures and options trading

Development Tools

• Python SDK: Simplify integration with our official Python library
• Market Maker Samples: Explore our GitHub repository for algorithmic trading examples

👉 Boost your trading with OKX's advanced APIs

API Key Management

Key Generation Process

1. Navigate to API Management

2. Securely store these credentials:

   • API Key
   • Secret Key
   • Passphrase

Permission Levels

• Read: Access account data and history
• Trade: Execute and manage orders
• Withdraw: Process fund withdrawals

Security Best Practices

• Bind API keys to specific IP addresses (maximum 20)
• Monitor key usage via Security Center

REST API Authentication

Required Headers

OK-ACCESS-KEY: your_api_key
OK-ACCESS-SIGN: base64_encoded_signature
OK-ACCESS-TIMESTAMP: ISO_8601_timestamp
OK-ACCESS-PASSPHRASE: your_passphrase

Signature Generation

1. Concatenate: timestamp + method + requestPath + body
2. Sign with HMAC SHA256 using your SecretKey
3. Base64 encode the result

Example:

sign = CryptoJS.enc.Base64.stringify(
  CryptoJS.HmacSHA256(timestamp + 'GET' + '/api/v5/account/balance', SecretKey)
)

WebSocket Implementation

Connection Essentials

• Rate Limits: 3 connections/second per IP
• Public Channels: wss://ws.okx.com:8443/ws/v5/public
• Private Channels: wss://ws.okx.com:8443/ws/v5/private

Key Features

• Real-time market data streaming
• Efficient order management
• Connection count limits (30/channel/sub-account)

Authentication Protocol

{
  "op": "login",
  "args": [{
    "apiKey": "your_api_key",
    "passphrase": "your_passphrase",
    "timestamp": "unix_epoch_seconds",
    "sign": "generated_signature"
  }]
}

Account Management

Trading Modes

1. Spot Mode: Basic cryptocurrency trading
2. Futures Mode: Contract-based trading
3. Multi-Currency Margin: Cross-asset collateralization
4. Portfolio Margin: Advanced risk management

👉 Maximize your trading potential with OKX

Production Environment Endpoints

Order Management

Rate Limits

• 60 requests/2 seconds (standard)
• 300 orders/2 seconds (batch operations)
• Sub-account limits: 1,000 orders/2 seconds

Key Endpoints

• POST /api/v5/trade/order - Place single order
• POST /api/v5/trade/batch-orders - Place multiple orders
• POST /api/v5/trade/cancel-order - Cancel order
• POST /api/v5/trade/amend-order - Modify order

FAQ

Q: How do I troubleshoot API connection issues?
A: Verify your authentication headers and ensure your IP is whitelisted. Check our status page for service outages.

Q: What's the difference between REST and WebSocket APIs?
A: REST is request-response for single operations, while WebSocket maintains persistent connections for real-time data.

Q: How can I improve API performance?
A: Implement request batching, use WebSocket for real-time data, and distribute requests across sub-accounts.

Q: Are there sandbox environments for testing?
A: Yes, use https://www.okx.com/join/BLOCKSTARdocs-v5/en/#demo-trading for risk-free development.

Q: How do I handle rate limit errors?
A: Implement exponential backoff and monitor your usage via response headers.