Head to head · Exchange market data · October 2026 research run

Gemini Exchange API vs HTX trading API

Gemini Exchange API scores 74.6 (BB) on agent readiness against HTX trading API's 43.3 (E), and leads in every scored category. Both do exchange market data.

Best crypto exchange APIs and MCP servers for AI agents · All 210 exchanges comparisons

Which one, for what

Gemini Exchange API BB

Best for An agent trading spot, perpetuals or prediction markets for a US customer with a role-limited key and a sandbox to rehearse on.

Ahead on

  • Reliability, 73 against 38
  • Schema & documentation, 88 against 40
  • Agent ergonomics, 79 against 69
  • Security & auth, 78 against 51
  • Payments & pricing, 40 against 15
  • Maintenance & community, 88 against 57
  • Transparency & trust, 75 against 25

Also in its favour

  • Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better
  • Runs on your own machine

Watch for

Client order ids are only recommended to be unique and no duplicate rejection is documented, so a retried order can execute twice

HTX trading API E

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

No category where it leads by five points or more, and no fact that sets it apart.

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

Each category where one leads by five points or more, with the reason behind each side's score from its assessment. The numbers are in the table below; this is what they stand for.

Transparency & trust Gemini Exchange API +50

Gemini Exchange API 75

The editorial half. A closed service under a user agreement that names its entities by state, with the MCP server and SDKs open under Apache-2.0 (18 of 30). The privacy policy of 11 May 2026 names entities and processing countries, ties retention to need without numbers and names provider categories only, with no DPA or subprocessor list found (16 of 30). The revision history records removals and type changes with dates, but the upcoming-changes page is "TBD" and no notice period is stated (8 of 20). Processing countries are named (US, Ireland, UK, Malta, Singapore, Australia) and providers by category, with no named subprocessors (12 of 20). 18 + 16 + 8 + 12 = 54.

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.

Schema & documentation Gemini Exchange API +48

Gemini Exchange API 88

OpenAPI 3 for REST (specs/openapi/rest.yaml), AsyncAPI for WebSocket, a prediction-markets OpenAPI file and a specs/index.json catalogue; the MCP server's tools take zod schemas published as JSON Schema (25). llms.txt, llms-full.txt, agents.md, an agent card and an agent skills index (10). Endpoint pages state purpose, the Build an agent guide says what to establish before acting and when to stop, and MCP tool descriptions tell the model when to confirm; the docs don't say when not to use an endpoint (15 of 20). Typed inputs with enums for order types, options and sessions, required fields marked, decimals as strings since 7 July 2026 (12 of 15). Examples throughout, samples in three languages, and an error-codes page with 53 named reasons and their HTTP statuses (14 of 15). A revision history dated from 2015 to 28 October 2026 and versioned paths (v1, v2), but the upcoming-changes page reads "TBD" (12 of 15). 25 + 10 + 15 + 12 + 14 + 12 = 88.

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.

Reliability Gemini Exchange API +35

Gemini Exchange API 73

Read with the hosted lines on the REST API at api.gemini.com. status.gemini.com is a Statuspage site with component history (20). Its Atom feed for 10 September to 3 November 2026 holds 25 entries, mostly scheduled trading and FIX upgrades of 15 to 60 minutes with possible order timeouts, single-network deposit delays, and incorrect perpetual index prices for about 3.5 hours on 15 and 16 October; a 3-hour scheduled eOTC window was planned and outside the core API. Minor only (20). Rate limits with numbers, 120 a minute public and 600 private plus per-endpoint limits (15). 429 is documented but with no Retry-After or backoff guidance, and client order ids are recommended without duplicate rejection, so retries are not safe by contract; the heartbeat cancel is a safety net rather than idempotency (8 of 15). No SLA found (0). Generally available (10). 20 + 20 + 15 + 8 + 0 + 10 = 73.

HTX trading API 38

Read with the hosted lines. No status page found; status.htx.com does not resolve and nothing on htx.com was readable (0). No readable incident history (5). Rate limits documented per endpoint with numbers, 100 order calls per 2 seconds per UID and so on, with remaining-quota headers (15). No 429 or Retry-After behaviour is documented and the only limit error named is 1006 for conditional orders; a client-order-id unique within 8 hours and an idempotent withdrawal id give safe retries on writes (8 of 15). No SLA found (0). The spot and swap APIs are generally available (10). 0 + 5 + 15 + 8 + 0 + 10 = 38.

Maintenance & community Gemini Exchange API +31

Gemini Exchange API 88

Read as a closed hosted service with an open repository. The revision history's latest entry is 28 October 2026 and the repository was pushed on 5 October (30). Thirteen dated entries between 2 September and 28 October 2026 (20). The nine open items on the repository are all pull requests with replies, Dependabot included, and the docs name trading@gemini.com for developer support; no public issue tracker was tested (15 of 25). Not in the official MCP registry, but current official SDKs, TypeScript 0.1.1 of 23 September and Go 0.1.0 of 29 August 2026 (15). CI workflows validate and publish both SDKs and the MCP server has tests; dependencies are current (8 of 10). 30 + 20 + 15 + 15 + 8 = 88.

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 Gemini Exchange API +27

Gemini Exchange API 78

Revocable API keys with one role each (Trader, Fund Manager, Auditor, Administrator), HMAC-SHA384 signing with a nonce, and OAuth 2.0 with scopes, PKCE S256, single-use refresh tokens and RFC 7009 revocation; no IP allow-list documented and no key expiry (28 of 30). Auditor is read-only, a Trader key cannot withdraw, approved withdrawal addresses are a Fund Manager action, and the MCP server refuses funds-moving tools without confirm: true (18 of 20). The MCP server wraps every response in untrusted-output markers, strips control and bidi characters and redacts memos, labels and agreement text; the REST docs say nothing on the subject (13 of 15). Order and transfer history are readable, but no per-key audit log or API access log was found (5 of 15). security.txt with a PGP contact and a bug bounty paying $150 to $20,000, scoped to the sandbox hosts; no certification was read and no public advisory process was found (14 of 20). 28 + 18 + 13 + 5 + 14 = 78.

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.

Payments & pricing Gemini Exchange API +25

Gemini Exchange API 40

No machine payment protocol (0). The API fee schedule is public per tier without login, 0.6% maker and 1.2% taker at the base tier (20). The API is free to call, public market data needs no key, and the sandbox credits test funds with no card (20). A person must sign up in a browser with identity checks, mint a key or approve an OAuth grant, and production OAuth apps wait for Gemini's review (0). 0 + 20 + 20 + 0 = 40.

HTX trading API 15

No machine payment protocol (0). The fee schedule at htx.com/fee is drawn by script and answered no text, so no price is recorded first-hand (0 of 20, unchecked). Public market data needs no key, card or account; trading needs a verified and funded account. Judgement call (15 of 20). A person must sign up in a browser and pass identity checks (0). 0 + 0 + 15 + 0 = 15.

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runGemini Exchange APIHTX trading APIEdge
Reliability16%207338Gemini Exchange API +35
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.28840Gemini Exchange API +48
Agent ergonomics13%16.27969Gemini Exchange API +10
Security & auth14%17.57851Gemini Exchange API +27
Payments & pricing10%12.54015Gemini Exchange API +25
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.88857Gemini Exchange API +31
Transparency & trust7%8.87525Gemini Exchange API +50
Negative events≤1500
TotalBB 74.6/100E 43.3/100

Facts side by side

FactGemini Exchange APIHTX trading API
KindHTTP APIHTTP API
VendorGemini Trust Company, LLCHTX
Hosted endpointno (local only)no (local only)
Transportsstdio
AuthOAuth or keyAPI key
PricingPay per usePay per use
x402nono
LicenceProprietary hosted API under Gemini's user agreement. The developer-platform repository (MCP server, TypeScript and Go SDKs, samples and skills) is Apache-2.0none
Tools exposed870
Read-only variant documentedyesno
llms.txtyesno
Last release2026-10-282026-10-21
Terms last updatedcouldn't be readno date given
Privacy policy last updatedno date givenno document linked
Customer content may train modelsyesnot found in the text
Terms restrict automated accesscouldn't be readnot found in the text
Terms restrict benchmarkingcouldn't be readnot found in the text
Terms or service can change without noticecouldn't be readyes
Arbitration or class-action waivercouldn't be readyes
Popularity8 stars, 99 npm/wk684 stars

Verdicts

Gemini Exchange API

Gemini publishes an OpenAPI and AsyncAPI contract, API key roles that keep withdrawals off a trading key, a funded sandbox, and an official MCP server whose tools carry read-only and destructive annotations and a confirm gate. Client order ids are not checked for duplicates, there is no SLA, and UK, EEA and Australian accounts closed in April 2026.

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

Gemini Exchange API

  1. Create a Trader key for order flow and a separate Fund Manager key only if withdrawals are in scope; never combine them, and keep the secret out of prompts and logs
  2. Set a client_order_id per order and look it up with get_order_status before resending after a timeout, because Gemini does not reject duplicates
  3. Start on api.sandbox.gemini.com with the same code; sandbox apps register at once, production OAuth apps wait for Gemini's review
  4. Stay under 1 public and 5 private requests a second; a 429 keeps answering 429 until the rate falls, with no Retry-After to read
  5. Check the person's country against the availability page first; UK, EEA and Australian accounts were closed on 6 April 2026

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, Gemini Exchange API or HTX trading API?

Gemini Exchange API scores 74.6 (BB) on agent readiness against HTX trading API's 43.3 (E), and leads in every scored category.

Do Gemini Exchange API and HTX trading API need an API key?

Gemini Exchange API takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in. HTX trading API needs an API key.

Can an agent call Gemini Exchange API and HTX trading API without installing anything?

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

Other comparisons with Gemini Exchange API or HTX trading API

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