How do I connect a third-party trading terminal or bot to my OKX account?
What's the difference between a broker connection and an API-key connection?
A third-party terminal or bot can act on your OKX account in two ways, and both are fixed in different places.
A broker connection is set up inside the third-party tool: you log in there and authorise OKX as the broker for that tool, and the tool then routes your orders through that authorised connection. What the connection can trade is determined by the connection itself, not by anything you type into the tool.
An API-key connection uses a key that you create in your own OKX account and paste into the tool. The tool acts with exactly the permissions you granted that key, and you can change or delete the key in your OKX account at any time.
Knowing which one you're using tells you where to start: a broker connection is re-authorised in the third-party tool, while an API-key connection is managed from the API settings in your OKX account.
Which permissions should I give an API key used by a third-party tool?
Give a key the least access the tool needs, and nothing more.
Grant trading permission only if the tool places orders for you. Don't enable withdrawal permission for a trading integration — placing and managing orders doesn't require it.
Treat the secret key like a password. Store it in a password manager, and don't paste it into a chat, a screenshot, or a support ticket.
Use one key per tool. That way you can switch a single tool off without breaking the others.
If a key may have been exposed, delete it in your OKX account first, then create a replacement. Deleting the key stops the tool from acting on your account.
Restrict the key to the IP addresses the tool documents, if it documents them, and review your keys periodically to remove the ones you no longer use.
The current key settings and steps are in API FAQ.
How do I create an API key if I only have the OKX app?
You don't need a computer to create an API key. In the OKX app, go to Menu > API > Create API key, then grant the permissions the tool needs and store the key securely. The steps for both the app and the website are in API FAQ.
Why does a third-party tool say the symbol isn't tradable?
An error such as "non-tradable symbol" means the identifier the tool sent doesn't match an instrument your connection can trade. It isn't by itself a statement about your account or about your trading permissions.
Break the identifier into its parts before you conclude anything:
the base asset you want exposure to
the quote or settlement currency
the product family — spot, margin, or futures
A third-party tool often displays a shortened or reformatted label, so two labels that look similar can point to different instruments, and a label alone doesn't tell you what your connection can trade. Compare it with the instrument identifier as OKX shows it on the trading page, and where the tool offers its own instrument picker, select the instrument there instead of typing the label by hand.
If the same identifier is still rejected, record the identifier exactly as OKX shows it, the exact error text, and the time, and contact support with all three.
Why does a third-party tool show my balance as zero?
Check these four things in your OKX account, in this order:
Where the funds are. An integration only sees the balances the connection has access to. If your funds are held elsewhere, transfer them to your Trading account.
Whether the balance is already committed. Open orders and open positions hold margin, so your available balance can be much smaller than your total balance.
Whether the connection is still authenticated. A key can be deleted or lose a permission, and a broker authorisation can expire. Re-authorising the connection, or creating a new key with the permissions the tool needs, restores access.
Whether the tool is pointed at the right account. A sub-account holds its own balance, and a key created for one account doesn't see another account's funds.
What should I collect before I contact support about a third-party connection?
One check tells you which side to contact: place the same order directly on OKX. If it goes through on OKX but the tool rejects it, the rejection is coming from the integration, so raise it with the tool's own support. If it also fails on OKX, contact OKX Assistant.
Either way, collect this first so the problem can be traced without a second round of questions:
the exact error code and error message, copied rather than paraphrased
the instrument identifier as the tool sent it, and as OKX shows it
the timestamp, with your time zone
whether you're using a broker connection or an API key, and which permissions the key has
the connection log or activity log from the third-party tool
whether the same order works when you place it directly on OKX
Settings in your account can affect what an integration is able to trade. Send the exact error text to support rather than changing account settings at random, so the cause can be identified before anything is altered.