# Gemini Exchange API vs Kraken API

> Gemini Exchange scores 74.6 (BB) to Kraken's 71 (BB) for exchange market data. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-exchange-vs-kraken
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-exchange-vs-kraken.md (~4,550 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

Gemini Exchange API scores 74.6 (BB) on agent readiness against Kraken API's 71 (BB), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Both do exchange market data.

- Gemini Exchange API: grade BB, 74.6/100, rank #70 of 1349. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/gemini-exchange.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/gemini-exchange.json
- Kraken API: grade BB, 71/100, rank #159 of 1349. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/kraken.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/kraken.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

### Gemini Exchange API (BB)

Good 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 67
- Schema & documentation, 88 against 80
- Maintenance & community, 88 against 81
- Transparency & trust, 75 against 65

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

### Kraken API (BB)

Good for: An agent that trades spot, xStocks, forex or futures on a person's Kraken account from a local machine, with paper trading to test first and an approval gate on live orders.

Also in its favour:
- Free to start without a card

Watch for: No self-service spot sandbox; the spot UAT environment is on request through an account manager, and paper trading lives in the CLI


## Why the edge

### Transparency & trust: Gemini Exchange API +10

- 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.
- Kraken API (65): The editorial half. A closed service with clear terms naming regional Payward entities under California law; the CLI is MIT (15 of 30). The privacy notice was not read (5 of 30). The changelog dates deprecations and the terms carry a last-updated date (16 of 20). No subprocessor or data-location statement read (0 of 20). 15 + 5 + 16 + 0 = 36.

### Schema & documentation: Gemini Exchange API +8

- 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.
- Kraken API (80): No OpenAPI file was found for the REST API in the docs read; the CLI's agents/tool-catalog.json gives JSON Schema inputs for all 188 commands and the 152 MCP tools (15 of 25). The docs serve Markdown twins such as quickstart.md and the CLI ships llms.txt, AGENTS.md and CONTEXT.md (10). Endpoint pages and guides on order lifecycle, errors and rate limits say what each call does, with less on when not to use one (15 of 20). Enums for order types, time in force and flags, and enums and required fields in the tool catalogue (12 of 15). Python, Node.js and cURL examples, an errors guide and the CLI's error-catalog.json with retry guidance (13 of 15). A changelog of 120 dated entries with deprecations dated (15). 15 + 10 + 15 + 12 + 13 + 15 = 80.

### Maintenance & community: Gemini Exchange API +7

- 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.
- Kraken API (81): Read as a closed service with an open-source client. Changelog entry of 27 October 2026 and kraken-cli v0.5.1 on 29 October (30). Fourteen changelog entries since 19 August 2026 and CLI tags on 6 and 7 August and 28 and 29 October (20). A public changelog, api@kraken.com, a status page and a CLI repository merging pull requests at the end of October; issue replies not read (11 of 15). An official Rust SDK pushed in October 2026 and a Go module from January; the MCP server is not in the official registry (12 of 15). The CLI has release and secure SDLC workflows, deny.toml and a pinned toolchain; the SDK's CI not read (8 of 10). 30 + 20 + 11 + 12 + 8 = 81.

### Reliability: Gemini Exchange API +6

- 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.
- Kraken API (67): Read with the hosted lines on the spot API. status.kraken.com is a Statuspage site with REST, WebSocket and FIX components (20). The incidents feed read covers 4 September to 3 November 2026. On 30 October spot and derivatives clients could not connect or submit orders across web, mobile, REST, WebSocket and FIX for 59 minutes 39 seconds, rated minor by Kraken; on 28 October some FIX clients were rejected on reconnection for 1 hour 59 minutes while other interfaces worked; the futures engine was degraded for 3 minutes on 13 October. A whole-exchange order outage 21 seconds short of an hour is read as one major (10 of 30). Numeric limits per key by tier and per pair for the matching engine (15). EAPI:Rate limit exceeded and EService:Throttled with a retry timestamp, a client order id and a validate flag on orders, but no Retry-After header (12 of 15). No SLA (0). Generally available (10). 20 + 10 + 15 + 12 + 0 + 10 = 67.

## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Gemini Exchange API | Kraken API | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 73 | 67 | Gemini Exchange API +6 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 88 | 80 | Gemini Exchange API +8 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 79 | 79 | even |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 78 | 80 | Kraken API +2 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 40 | 40 | even |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 88 | 81 | Gemini Exchange API +7 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 75 | 65 | Gemini Exchange API +10 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **74.6 · BB** | **71 · BB** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Gemini Exchange API | Kraken API |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | Gemini Trust Company, LLC | Payward, Inc. |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |
| Transports | stdio | stdio |
| Auth | OAuth or key | OAuth or key |
| Pricing | Pay per use | Pay per use |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary hosted API under Gemini's user agreement. The developer-platform repository (MCP server, TypeScript and Go SDKs, samples and skills) is Apache-2.0 | Proprietary hosted service under Kraken's Global Terms of Service (30 October 2026). kraken-cli, which carries the kraken-mcp server, is MIT |
| Tools exposed | 87 | 152 |
| Read-only variant documented | yes | yes |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-10-28 | 2026-10-29 |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | 2026-10-30 |
| Privacy policy last updated | no date given | 2026-10-21 |
| Customer content may train models | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read | yes |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read | yes |
| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read | yes |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read | yes |
| Popularity | 8 stars, 99 npm/wk | 795 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.

**Kraken API.** Kraken pairs a documented REST, WebSocket and FIX API with the open-source kraken-cli, whose kraken-mcp server gates 33 dangerous tools behind approval and signs in by OAuth with a no-withdrawal key. Spot has no self-service sandbox, no OpenAPI file was found, and a 59-minute connectivity outage hit every interface on 30 October 2026.

## 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

### Kraken API

1. Start kraken-mcp with -s market,paper,feedback or the default services; add trade only with a least-privilege key, and never pass --allow-dangerous on an agent that reads untrusted input
2. Ask the person to run kraken auth login in their own terminal; it needs a browser and saves a no-withdrawal key that expires in 90 days at most
3. Send a fresh --cl-ord-id on each order and run it with --validate first; after a network error look the order up before sending it again
4. Keep the nonce strictly increasing per key and stay under the tier's counter, since EAPI:Rate limit exceeded has no Retry-After header
5. Test strategies in a paper workspace, which fills at live prices with no account, before a live workspace

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Gemini Exchange API or Kraken API?

Gemini Exchange API scores 74.6 (BB) on agent readiness against Kraken API's 71 (BB), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories.

### Do Gemini Exchange API and Kraken API need an API key?

Both take an API key or an OAuth sign-in.

### Can an agent call Gemini Exchange API and Kraken API without installing anything?

Gemini Exchange API runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. Kraken API runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed.


## For agents

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

## Other comparisons with Gemini Exchange API or Kraken API

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