Connecting an exchange — riskmanaged.io docs

Connect an exchange account two ways — Direct with an encrypted API key, or Remote through a gateway you host so your keys never leave your machine.

Before a strategy can trade live, it needs an exchange account to trade on. You connect one from the Trading page with Add Exchange. There are two ways to do it, and the difference is entirely about where your API key lives.

Two ways to connect#

Direct: the platform stores your key, encrypted, and talks to the exchange for you. Remote: your key stays on a gateway you run — the platform sends it trade instructions and never sees the key.

Direct — the quick way#

The platform stores your API key, encrypted at rest, and connects to the exchange on your behalf.

On the Trading page, in Connected Exchanges, press Add Exchange.
Pick your exchange.
Enter your API key and secret. A few exchanges need an extra field (see below).
Add a label if you like — "Main account", "Bot" — and press Test Connection to confirm it works.

Remote — full key custody#

If you would rather your keys never leave your own hardware, run the open-source gateway on your machine. Your keys stay local; the platform sends the gateway trade instructions and receives fills back, but never holds the key itself. Connected exchanges then appear with a Remote badge and a live/offline status.

The gateway install and setup is covered in the gateway under developer tools.

Keep your keys safe#

WARNING

Create your exchange API key with trading permission only and withdrawals disabled. A trading key can place orders; it can never move funds off the exchange. If your exchange supports IP whitelisting, use it. These two settings mean a leaked key cannot drain your account.

On a Direct connection the key is encrypted at rest. On a Remote connection it never reaches the platform at all — choose Remote if key custody is a hard requirement for you.

Supported exchanges#

Live execution runs on 20+ major crypto exchanges. Most connect with just a key and secret:

Binance · Bybit · Kraken · Coinbase · Bitvavo · Crypto.com · MEXC · BitMEX · Gate.io · HTX · Phemex · Bitfinex · Gemini · WhiteBIT · Poloniex · WOO X · LBank · Deribit · AscendEX.

A few need an extra field:

Exchange	Extra requirement
KuCoin · OKX · Bitget	An API passphrase as well as the key and secret
HyperLiquid	A wallet address and private key (it is a DEX)

All of them work in both Direct and Remote mode. If your exchange is not listed, check the Add Exchange dropdown — the in-app list is always current.