Coinbase

Overview

Coinbase offers two main API families: the Coinbase platform APIs (developers.coinbase.com — trading, wallets, payments, webhooks) and the older Exchange API (api.exchange.coinbase.com — professional trading). Public market data works without any key; trading and account access require API keys with signed requests.

Quick Start

Public spot price — no key needed (verified live):

curl "https://api.coinbase.com/v2/prices/BTC-USD/spot"

{"data": {"amount": "78336.735", "base": "BTC", "currency": "USD"}}

Public order book / ticker on the Exchange API — no key:

curl "https://api.exchange.coinbase.com/products/BTC-USD/ticker"

All product pairs:

curl "https://api.exchange.coinbase.com/products"

Authentication (for trading & accounts)

• Create an API key in your Coinbase account settings (choose the permissions you need — read/trade/transfer).
• Coinbase uses signed requests: HMAC-SHA256 signature of the timestamp + method + path + body, sent via CB-ACCESS-KEY, CB-ACCESS-SIGN, CB-ACCESS-TIMESTAMP, and CB-ACCESS-PASSPHRASE headers.
• Keep keys server-side; use read-only keys where possible.
• The newer Advanced Trade API uses a similar but distinct signing scheme — follow the current docs.

Rate Limits & Notes

• Market data endpoints are free and public (no key).
• Trading is subject to Coinbase fee schedules; the API itself is free.
• Webhooks (deposits, price alerts) are available on the platform API.
• Sandbox environments exist for testing trading flows without real funds.

FAQ

Is the Coinbase API free? Public market data is free and keyless. Trading/account APIs are free to use, but trades incur normal Coinbase fees.

Do I need a key for prices? No — spot prices and tickers are public.

How does authentication work? API key + secret + passphrase, with HMAC-signed requests — see the official docs for the exact header format.