Quick Start
From your first login to a strategy trading for you, one step at a time
No coding needed. Follow this page to connect an exchange, create your first strategy and watch it run in simulation first. Once you're happy with how it behaves, you decide whether to switch it to live trading.
Log in or sign up
Logging in and signing up share one entry point, so first-timers start here too.
Create an API key on your exchange
This part happens on your exchange's website or app, not on Sleep Trading. An API key works like a pass that can only place orders, so we can trade for you by your rules.
Create a new API key
Log in to your exchange, open its API management page, create a new key and set the permissions like this:
- Spot trading: turn on
- Futures trading: turn on only if you plan to run futures strategies
- Withdrawal: leave off
- IP whitelist: recommended. You can copy the server IP to enter in step 2 of "Add API Key" on Sleep Trading
Never enable withdrawal. Sleep Trading doesn't need it, and leaving it off means nobody can move your money out even if the key leaks.Save your key and note the exchange differences
When the key is created, the exchange shows an API Key and a Secret. The Secret is usually shown only once, so copy it somewhere safe. You'll need it in the next step.
- Exchanges you can connect today: Binance, OKX, Bybit, Bitget, Gate, MEXC
- OKX and Bitget ask you to set a Passphrase when creating the key. Save it as well
- MAX shows "Coming soon" in the list and can't be connected yet
- Can't find the exchange's API page? After picking the exchange in "Add API Key" on Sleep Trading, click "Go to ... API Key management" to jump straight to that exchange's API management page
No exchange account yet? If a referral code appears after you pick the exchange, signing up with it gets you a trading fee discount.
Connect the key to Sleep Trading
With your key in hand, come back to Sleep Trading and fill in the four steps of the "Add API Key" window.
Step 1: Select Exchange
In the "Exchange" dropdown, pick the exchange where you just created the key, then click "Next".
Step 2: Permissions & IP
Tick the permissions this key has ("Spot Trading", "Futures Trading").
Under "IP Whitelist Setup", click "Copy" and paste the server IP into your exchange's API settings, then click "Next".
The red notice on screen says it again: do NOT enable withdrawal permission.
Step 3: Enter Keys
Paste the API Key and API Secret from your exchange. For OKX and Bitget, also fill in the Passphrase.
"Label (Optional)" lets you give the key an easy name, such as "Main account".
Step 4: Finish
Check the details and click "Finish". The key is verified automatically, including which permissions it has, so there's no need to click Verify yourself.
Once verified, the key card lists the permissions that are actually on. Make sure withdrawal is not one of them.
If you change the key's permissions on the exchange later, come back and click the verify button on the key card (hover text: "Re-check whether this API key still works") to check again.
Create your first strategy (in simulation)
Simulation follows real prices to decide entries and exits, but never sends orders to the exchange. It's the safest first step.
Choose a strategy type
The setup window has three steps: "Trading Setup" → "Configuration" → "Confirm". "Select Strategy Type" sits at the top of step 1, and "Grid Trading" is already selected. Click another card if you want something else.
Not sure which one? "Grid Trading" or "DCA" are easy places to start. To see which market each strategy suits, read "Strategy Types".
Pick a key and a pair, then set parameters
Further down the same page is "Trading Setup": select the API Key you just connected, then type to search a trading pair (for example BTC). You can leave the strategy name blank and it will be named for you.
If a yellow notice says "API Key "…" has not been verified", that key hasn't been checked yet. Click "Go to Settings" next to it, click the verify button on that key's card, then come back and create the strategy.
Next, click "Next" to go to "Configuration" and set things like the price range and order amount as shown on screen.
Keep "Simulation" on, then create
At the bottom of the last step, "Confirm", there's a "Simulation (no real orders)" switch. It's on by default for new strategies. Leave it on and click "Create Strategy".
The strategy starts running right after it's created.
Always start in simulation. It uses no money and shows you exactly when the strategy enters, when it exits and how much it trades each time.
Find your strategy in the list
Above the strategy list there's a "Live / Sim" switch, set to "Live" by default. Switch to "Sim" to see the strategy you just created, along with its status and profit.
Created a strategy but can't find it? The list is probably still on "Live". Switch to "Sim" and it'll be there.
Watch your strategy on the Dashboard
Once a strategy is running you don't need to watch it all the time. When you do want to check in, these two places show the most.
Open the strategy details
Click any strategy in the "Strategies" list to open its details page, where you can see every entry and exit, the current position and profit.
We recommend letting the simulation go through a few entries and exits to confirm it behaves the way you expect.
Set up notifications
With notifications set up, you'll hear about fills and problems right away, without keeping the site open.
Add a Telegram or Discord channel
In "Account & Settings", open the "Notifications" tab. Under "Add channel", choose Telegram or Discord, paste your channel ID and click "Add".
Not sure how to get the ID? Click "How to get the ID?" for a step-by-step guide with pictures. You can also click "Enable on this device" to get push notifications on your phone or computer.
Turn on "Strategy fill notifications"
On the same page, make sure "Strategy fill notifications" is on. You'll be notified of entries, take-profits, stop-losses and closes, plus problems like failed orders.
Still running in simulation? Also turn on "Also notify dry-run fills" so you get simulated fills too (the message is marked DRY-RUN).
Go live when you're ready
When the simulation results look right, you can let the strategy place real orders.
Turn simulation off
In "Strategies", switch the list to "Sim", find the strategy and click "⋮" → "Edit" at the right of its row. A running strategy can't be edited directly, so you'll first choose how to handle its current positions and orders; after it stops, the edit window opens automatically.
Click "Next" to the last step, turn off "Simulation (no real orders)" and click "Save". The strategy now moves from the "Sim" list to the "Live" list: switch to "Live", find it, click ▶ (Start) on its row and confirm. The strategy now trades with real money.
Automated trading does not guarantee profit. Start small with money you can afford to lose, and make sure your exchange account has enough balance.
FAQ
Next: get to know the Dashboard
Once your strategy is running, the Dashboard and Strategy Radar show what each strategy is doing right now.