# Bithumb Open API vs HTX trading API

> Bithumb Open scores 50.6 (D) to HTX trading's 43.3 (E) for exchange market data. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-htx
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-htx.md (~4,050 tokens)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (the key docs and every listing in one file, at most 16 MB, about 4 million tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
- DNS: dig +short TXT <slug>.grade.anchorterminal.com (the grade as a DNS TXT record, for a sandbox with no HTTP where names still resolve; also top., best.<category>. and <a>.vs.<b>. under the zone, and the same under grade.letme.dev)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)
- Updated: 2026-11-03

Bithumb Open API scores 50.6 (D) on agent readiness against HTX trading API's 43.3 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Both do exchange market data.

- Bithumb Open API: grade D, 50.6/100, rank #999 of 1349. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/bithumb.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/bithumb.json
- HTX trading API: grade E, 43.3/100, rank #1166 of 1349. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/htx.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/htx.json
- Best crypto exchange APIs and MCP servers for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/crypto-exchanges/index.md
- All 210 exchanges comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/crypto-exchanges/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Bithumb Open API (D)

Good for: KRW-market trading for agents acting for a verified Korean account, with a vendor-built MCP server, CLI and skills.

Ahead on:
- Schema & documentation, 64 against 40
- Security & auth, 60 against 51
- Maintenance & community, 69 against 57
- Transparency & trust, 47 against 25

Also in its favour:
- Runs on your own machine

Watch for: No sandbox or testnet; every order uses real funds

### HTX trading API (E)

Good for: Spot and USDT-margined derivatives for agents that can hold an HTX key, with no MCP server and no testnet.

Watch for: No official MCP server; the only one in the MCP registry is a third party's read-only ticker server


## Why the edge

### Schema & documentation: Bithumb Open API +24

- Bithumb Open API (64): No OpenAPI found; the reference is a readme.io site with Markdown twins, and the MCP tool schemas weren't read since the server's source isn't published (5 of 25). llms.txt on apidocs.bithumb.com (10). Reference pages state purpose and the skills say when to use each module and when not to (15 of 20). Typed parameters with enums for side, order type and time in force (10 of 15). Examples in several languages and an error-code page with names, statuses and meanings (12 of 15). Versions per endpoint (v1, v2, v2.1.5) and notices with effective dates (12 of 15). 5 + 10 + 15 + 10 + 12 + 12 = 64.
- HTX trading API (40): No OpenAPI or other machine-readable contract found in the docs or the GitHub accounts (0). No llms.txt on htx.com, and the readable reference is a static page (0). Each endpoint states its purpose and parameters, without when-to-use guidance (12 of 20). Parameter tables carry types, required flags and enums for order types and states (10 of 15). Request and response examples throughout and error-code tables with messages (11 of 15). Versions v1 and v2 are mixed in one reference whose last changelog entry is 24 June 2022, while HTX's newer docs on htx.com couldn't be read (7 of 15). 0 + 0 + 12 + 10 + 11 + 7 = 40.

### Transparency & trust: Bithumb Open API +22

- Bithumb Open API (47): The editorial half. A closed service whose terms couldn't be read (timeouts and a title-only page); the kit is MIT with a disclaimer naming Bithumb Co., Ltd. (10 of 30). No privacy policy read (0 of 30, unchecked). Dated retirement of WebSocket Private v1 and effective dates on breaking notices (14 of 20). No subprocessor or data-location statement read (0 of 20). 10 + 0 + 14 + 0 = 24.
- HTX trading API (25): The editorial half. A closed service whose user agreement exists but couldn't be read (script-drawn pages), so the licence clarity is unknown rather than unclear (10 of 30). The privacy policy was not read (0 of 30, unchecked). The testnet shutdown and the 2022 changelog entries are dated, with no deprecation policy (5 of 20). No subprocessor or data-location statement read (0 of 20). 10 + 0 + 5 + 0 = 15.

### Maintenance & community: Bithumb Open API +12

- Bithumb Open API (69): Read as a closed service. Rate limits updated 27 October 2026 and the ticker cap effective 13 October 2026 (30). Batch orders 20 August, Private v1 retired 30 September, the ticker cap 13 October and the limits page 27 October 2026 (20). A phone support line, dated notices and a GitHub repository with no open issues and one commit; replies not observed (9 of 15). The MCP server is not in the official MCP registry and there is no SDK; the CLI and MCP packages are current (5 of 15). The MCP package depends only on @modelcontextprotocol/sdk ^1.26 on Node 18, with no public source or CI (5 of 10). 30 + 20 + 9 + 5 + 5 = 69.
- HTX trading API (57): Read as a closed service. The readable changelog ends on 24 June 2022, but the official contract SDKs were pushed on 21 October 2026 and the spot SDKs in April and July 2026, so the API surface is still being maintained; judgement call (20 of 30). SDK pushes on 30 July, 23 August and 21 October 2026 are commits, not releases (10 of 20). A Telegram group for API support and a support centre, neither tested; GitHub issues not read (8 of 15). Official SDKs in five languages (15). No CI seen, dependencies not checked (4 of 10). 20 + 10 + 8 + 15 + 4 = 57.

### Security & auth: Bithumb Open API +9

- Bithumb Open API (60): Keys scoped to chosen permissions, mandatory registered IPs, one-year expiry, a JWT per request and a key-list endpoint with expiry (26 of 30). Read-only keys, `--read-only` on the MCP server, per-profile read_only on the CLI, a second factor on KRW deposits and withdrawals, and skills that refuse to switch profiles to bypass read-only; nothing server-side confirms an order (16 of 20). The API returns exchange data and the disclaimer warns about prompt injection through third-party plugins (11 of 15). A local audit log for CLI and MCP calls and a key-list endpoint; no server-side per-call log (7 of 15). security.txt timed out and no disclosure policy, bug bounty or certification was found (0 of 20, security.txt unchecked). 26 + 16 + 11 + 7 + 0 = 60.
- HTX trading API (51): HMAC-signed keys with Read, Trade and Withdraw permissions, sub-user keys without Withdraw, up to 20 bound IPs, revocation in the account and a 90-day expiry without IP binding. The AccessKeyId and the HMAC signature travel as query parameters; the secret does not, so no deduction for a secret in the URL (24 of 30). Read-only keys and withdraw-free keys exist; no server-side confirmation for orders or withdrawals (14 of 20). The API returns the exchange's own data, no untrusted content (10). No per-call log or key-use history found for the operator (3 of 15). No security.txt, disclosure policy or certification found on the pages that loaded (0 of 20). 24 + 14 + 10 + 3 + 0 = 51.

## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Bithumb Open API | HTX trading API | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 34 | 38 | HTX trading API +4 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 64 | 40 | Bithumb Open API +24 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 67 | 69 | HTX trading API +2 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 60 | 51 | Bithumb Open API +9 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 15 | 15 | even |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 69 | 57 | Bithumb Open API +12 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 47 | 25 | Bithumb Open API +22 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **50.6 · D** | **43.3 · E** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Bithumb Open API | HTX trading API |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | Bithumb Co., Ltd. | HTX |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |
| Transports | stdio |  |
| Auth | API key | API key |
| Pricing | Pay per use | Pay per use |
| x402 | no | no |
| Tools exposed | 41 | 0 |
| Read-only variant documented | yes | no |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| Last release | 2026-10-13 | 2026-10-21 |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | no date given |
| Privacy policy last updated | no document linked | no document linked |
| Customer content may train models | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read | yes |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read | yes |
| Popularity | 6 stars | 684 stars |

## Verdicts

**Bithumb Open API.** Bithumb runs an official local MCP server with 41 tools, module selection and a read-only flag, beside a CLI with per-profile read-only gating and six agent skills, over an API with scoped one-year keys and a mandatory IP list. There is no sandbox, no status page, no documented 429 behaviour, and the fees and terms couldn't be read.

**HTX trading API.** HTX's API has per-endpoint rate limits, read, trade and withdraw key permissions with IP binding, and SDKs in five languages. No official MCP server exists, the testnet is closed, the public reference is still Huobi's with a 2022 changelog, and the fee schedule, terms and restricted countries are on script-drawn pages we couldn't read.

## Before you call either

### Bithumb Open API

1. Ask for a key with asset and order inquiry plus order placement only, never withdrawals, with your IP registered; keys expire after one year and a wrong IP answers 401 NotAllowIP
2. Start the server with `--modules market,account,trade --read-only` for analysis and drop `--read-only` only when the person asks to trade; deposit and withdraw modules stay off
3. Prefer the `bithumb` CLI for writes, as the skills do, and check `bithumb config show --json` for a read-only profile before any order
4. Keep the ticker's markets parameter at 200 or fewer, batch orders at 30 and cancels at 30 per request, and stay under 140 private calls a second per category
5. Retry 422 order_not_ready and 500 server_error after a pause; there is no sandbox, so start with the smallest order the market allows

### HTX trading API

1. Ask the operator for a key with Read and Trade only and bound to your IP addresses; a key without IP binding expires after 90 days
2. Send a fresh client-order-id of up to 64 characters with every order and reuse it only on retry; a repeat within 8 hours answers invalid.client.order.id
3. Watch X-HB-RateLimit-Requests-Remain and pace at under 100 order calls per 2 seconds per UID; limits are shared by every key on the account
4. There is no testnet; try order logic with the smallest size the market allows
5. Confirm the person's country is served before trading; the restricted list in the user agreement couldn't be read here

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Bithumb Open API or HTX trading API?

Bithumb Open API scores 50.6 (D) on agent readiness against HTX trading API's 43.3 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories.

### Do Bithumb Open API and HTX trading API need an API key?

Both need an API key.

### Can an agent call Bithumb Open API and HTX trading API without installing anything?

Bithumb Open API runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. No hosted endpoint is listed for HTX trading API.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-htx.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-htx.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "bithumb", "b": "htx"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare bithumb htx`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/bithumb.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/htx.json

## Other comparisons with Bithumb Open API or HTX trading API

- [Bitfinex API vs Bithumb Open API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bitfinex-vs-bithumb.md)
- [Bitfinex API vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bitfinex-vs-htx.md)
- [Bitget vs Bithumb Open API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bitget-vs-bithumb.md)
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- [Bithumb Open API vs Coinbase Advanced Trade API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-coinbase-advanced-trade.md)
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- [Bithumb Open API vs Gemini Exchange API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-gemini-exchange.md)
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- [Bithumb Open API vs Kraken API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-kraken.md)
- [Bithumb Open API vs KuCoin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-kucoin.md)
- [Bithumb Open API vs MEXC API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-mexc.md)
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- [Bithumb Open API vs Upbit Open API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bithumb-vs-upbit.md)
- [Bitstamp API vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bitstamp-vs-htx.md)
- [Bybit vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bybit-vs-htx.md)
- [Crypto.com Exchange API vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/crypto-com-exchange-vs-htx.md)
- [Gate vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gate-io-vs-htx.md)
- [Gemini Exchange API vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-exchange-vs-htx.md)
- [HTX trading API vs Hyperliquid](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/htx-vs-hyperliquid.md)
- [HTX trading API vs Kraken API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/htx-vs-kraken.md)
- [HTX trading API vs KuCoin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/htx-vs-kucoin.md)
- [HTX trading API vs MEXC API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/htx-vs-mexc.md)
- [HTX trading API vs OKX API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/htx-vs-okx.md)
- [HTX trading API vs Uniswap Trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/htx-vs-uniswap.md)
- [HTX trading API vs Upbit Open API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/htx-vs-upbit.md)
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- [Binance API vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/binance-vs-htx.md)
- [Coinbase Advanced Trade API vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/coinbase-advanced-trade-vs-htx.md)
- [Coinbase MCP server (Coinbase for Agents) vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/coinbase-mcp-vs-htx.md)
- [Deribit vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deribit-vs-htx.md)
- [dYdX vs HTX trading API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dydx-vs-htx.md)

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Query this catalogue directly over MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). How: https://www.anchorterminal.com/agents/#mcp