# Bitstamp API vs Bybit

> Bybit scores 57.3 (C) to Bitstamp's 50.4 (D) for exchange market data. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bitstamp-vs-bybit
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bitstamp-vs-bybit.md (~4,400 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

Bybit scores 57.3 (C) on agent readiness against Bitstamp API's 50.4 (D), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Bitstamp API leads on reliability. Both do exchange market data.

- Bitstamp API: grade D, 50.4/100, rank #1002 of 1349. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/bitstamp.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/bitstamp.json
- Bybit: grade C, 57.3/100, rank #745 of 1349. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/bybit.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/bybit.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

### Bitstamp API (D)

Good for: An agent that needs a long-running regulated spot venue in the EU, UK and US with a sandbox and per-endpoint key permissions, and can do its own signing.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 63 against 45

Watch for: No official MCP server, SDK, llms.txt or OpenAPI file; the registry's Bitstamp servers are third parties proxying public market data

### Bybit (C)

Good for: An agent trading spot, perpetuals, futures and options in a person's Bybit account outside the excluded jurisdictions, with a demo environment to rehearse on.

Ahead on:
- Schema & documentation, 73 against 51
- Agent ergonomics, 66 against 58
- Payments & pricing, 40 against 20
- Maintenance & community, 66 against 28

Also in its favour:
- Runs on your own machine

Watch for: No status page, incident history or SLA was found; the terms say the API is not guaranteed to be available


## Why the edge

### Maintenance & community: Bybit +38

- Bitstamp API (28): Read as a closed service. The last dated API change is 28 August 2026, 67 days before the check (20). Only one dated entry in the last 90 days, after 1 July and 12 June (0). No public repository or issue tracker, support pages did not load and support.bitstamp.net did not resolve; a changelog exists (8 of 25). No official SDKs and no MCP registry presence of Bitstamp's own (0). No package to assess (0). 20 + 0 + 8 + 0 + 0 = 28.
- Bybit (66): Read as a hosted service with an open-source MCP server. The MCP package shipped 2.1.26 on 30 October 2026 and the V5 changelog's latest entry is 29 October (30). 31 npm versions since 16 April 2026, 11 of them in the last 90 days, and 24 changelog entries in the same window (20). The trading-mcp repository has 4 open issues and 18 forks; whether issues get answers was not checked, and the API has no public forum we could read (10 of 25). Not in the official MCP registry (0). The package has four dependencies, no install scripts, a publish workflow and no test workflow (6 of 10). 66.

### Schema & documentation: Bybit +22

- Bitstamp API (51): No OpenAPI or other machine-readable contract was found on the API page or elsewhere (0). No llms.txt or Markdown docs (0). The single documentation page describes each endpoint's purpose and parameters, with notes such as the 10-second cache on open orders and the Travel Rule fields, but not when to use one endpoint over another (14 of 20). Parameters are typed with enumerations (margin mode CROSS or ISOLATED, margin multiplier 1 to 25, order types) and required fields marked (11 of 15). Signing examples in Python, Java and C++, and error families with numbered codes and explanations (13 of 15). Version v2 in the path and header, a dated changelog from 7 April 2023 to 28 August 2026, and a 410.001 code for deprecated endpoints, with no stated notice period (13 of 15). 0 + 0 + 14 + 11 + 13 + 13 = 51.
- Bybit (73): No OpenAPI or other machine-readable contract for the REST API; the MCP server's 398 tools have zod schemas turned into JSON Schema, so the contract exists for the MCP surface only (12 of 25). No llms.txt; the docs are a public Docusaurus repository (bybit-exchange/docs) whose MDX source an agent can read (5 of 10). The MCP tool descriptions state purpose, rules and an agent hint per tool, and the API reference gives one page per endpoint (15 of 20). Parameters are typed with enums such as category and orderType and required flags (12 of 15). Request and response examples on each endpoint page and an error code page of about 750 codes with text (14 of 15). A dated changelog with 24 entries in the last 90 days, versioned V3 to V5 (15). 73.

### Payments & pricing: Bybit +20

- Bitstamp API (20): No machine payment protocol (0). The fee schedule page loaded empty, the API's fee endpoints need a key, and no rate could be read, so fees are scored as not published (0, unchecked). The API is free, public endpoints need no key and the sandbox needs no money (20). A person must sign up in a browser with identity checks and mint the key (0). 0 + 0 + 20 + 0 = 20.
- Bybit (40): No machine payment protocol (0). The fee schedule is public without login, with VIP 0 maker and taker rates per product and the tier criteria (20). Reading market data needs no key and the demo environment costs nothing, no card is asked for at sign-up (20). A person must register, pass identity verification and mint the key in a browser (0). 40.

### Reliability: Bitstamp API +18

- Bitstamp API (63): Read with the hosted lines on the HTTP API v2 at www.bitstamp.net/api/v2/. status.bitstamp.net is a Statuspage site with component history (20). Its feed for 5 August to 3 November 2026 has 17 entries, among them withdrawals failing on 14 networks for about 3 hours on 21 August, database maintenance with login failures and intermittent trading interruptions for about 1 hour 44 minutes on 23 September, a 39-minute halt of all markets on 5 August, and delistings and single-asset suspensions. One major (10). Rate limits with numbers, 400 a second and 10,000 per 10 minutes (15). Limit errors are named (400.002, 400.067, 400.068) but there is no Retry-After or backoff guidance, duplicate client order ids are allowed, and the only retry guidance is to check the order after a 500.016 timeout (8 of 15). No SLA found (0). Generally available (10). 20 + 10 + 15 + 8 + 0 + 10 = 63.
- Bybit (45): Graded with the hosted lines on the V5 API at api.bybit.com. No status page found (status.bybit.com does not resolve, the docs link none), so 0 for the page and 5 for no readable history. Rate limits are published per endpoint and per UID with numbers, plus a 600 per 5 second IP limit (15). Every response carries X-Bapi-Limit, X-Bapi-Limit-Status and X-Bapi-Limit-Reset-Timestamp, retCode 10006 and HTTP 403 are documented with a wait rule, and orders take a unique orderLinkId that amend and cancel accept (15). No SLA (0). V5 is the current production API, not a beta (10). 45.

### Agent ergonomics: Bybit +8

- Bitstamp API (58): Graded on the REST API. Order book grouping and transaction time windows size responses, but there is no field selection and no MCP surface (15 of 25). Offset, limit, since and sort on transaction history, `until_id` windows on order-data replay (14 of 20). `response_code` and `response_explanation` name the failure, such as 400.009 insufficient balance, 403.004 trading blocked and 500.025 insufficient liquidity (16 of 20). No idempotency, since `client_order_id` duplicates are allowed since November 2023 and the docs say only to check the order id after a timeout; the kill switch limits damage (8 of 20). Few required parameters, but no official SDK in any language (5 of 15). 15 + 14 + 16 + 8 + 5 = 58.
- Bybit (66): Read for the API with the MCP server beside it. The MCP server has 398 tools in one list with no toolset, module or read-only switch (5 of 25, nothing added back). V5 reads take limit and cursor and category filters (15 of 20). retCode and retMsg on every response with a code list an agent can branch on, though create-order answers before the order is final and the docs say to confirm over WebSocket (14 of 20). orderLinkId makes order retries safe and every MCP tool carries readOnlyHint and destructiveHint (17 of 20). Five required fields on an order, official SDKs in Python, Go, Java and .NET (15). 66.

## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Bitstamp API | Bybit | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 63 | 45 | Bitstamp API +18 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 51 | 73 | Bybit +22 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 58 | 66 | Bybit +8 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 60 | 60 | even |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 40 | Bybit +20 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 28 | 66 | Bybit +38 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 53 | 51 | Bitstamp API +2 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **50.4 · D** | **57.3 · C** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Bitstamp API | Bybit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | Bitstamp Ltd. | Bybit |
| 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 |
| Licence | Proprietary hosted API under Bitstamp's terms of use, which our reader couldn't load | none |
| Tools exposed | none | 398 |
| Read-only variant documented | no | yes |
| llms.txt | no | no |
| Last release | 2026-08-28 | 2026-10-30 |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Privacy policy last updated | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Customer content may train models | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Popularity | none | 43 stars |

## Verdicts

**Bitstamp API.** Bitstamp documents its v2 API on one static page with numeric rate limits, per-endpoint key permissions, an IP allow-list, a kill switch and a sandbox. There is no official MCP server, duplicate client order ids are allowed, and the fee schedule, terms, privacy policy and country list render by script and could not be read.

**Bybit.** Bybit publishes per-endpoint rate limits, a demo environment, scoped keys with a read-only flag and IP binding, and an official stdio MCP server whose 398 tools carry read-only and destructive annotations. There is no status page, no OpenAPI file, no SLA, the MCP server has no toolsets, and the global terms and privacy pages are drawn by script.

## Before you call either

### Bitstamp API

1. Mint a key with only the endpoint permissions the task needs and an IP allow-list; keep `revoke_all_api_keys` in reach as a kill switch
2. Treat `client_order_id` as a label, not a guard. On a timeout (500.016) fetch the order by client id before resending, because duplicates are accepted
3. Use a fresh 36-character nonce and a timestamp within 150 seconds of server time on every request, or expect API0004 and API0017
4. Stay under 400 requests a second and 10,000 per 10 minutes; 400.002 and 400.067 mean back off, and open-orders answers are cached for 10 seconds
5. Start on sandbox.bitstamp.net with the same paths, and read the fee schedule in a browser before quoting costs, since it is unreadable to a plain fetch

### Bybit

1. Create a key with only the permission groups the task needs, set readOnly for research keys, leave Withdraw off and bind an IP, or the key expires after 90 days
2. Send a unique orderLinkId on every order and reuse it when amending or cancelling, since create-order is asynchronous and confirmed over WebSocket
3. Read X-Bapi-Limit-Status before bursts and wait until X-Bapi-Limit-Reset-Timestamp on retCode 10006; on HTTP 403 stop all sessions for at least 10 minutes
4. Test on api-demo.bybit.com with a demo key from the production account, not on testnet demo mode, which the docs call meaningless
5. Run the MCP server with BYBIT_TESTNET=true first, and only in a client that shows a per-call approval, because the server has no read-only mode of its own

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Bitstamp API or Bybit?

Bybit scores 57.3 (C) on agent readiness against Bitstamp API's 50.4 (D), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Bitstamp API leads on reliability.

### Do Bitstamp API and Bybit need an API key?

Both need an API key.

### Can an agent call Bitstamp API and Bybit without installing anything?

No hosted endpoint is listed for Bitstamp API. Bybit runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed.


## For agents

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

## Other comparisons with Bitstamp API or Bybit

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