How to create a read-only KuCoin API key

Open KuCoin API Management ↗

We checked these steps against KuCoin's own documentation on 25 September 2026. KuCoin can rename a button at any time. If a label differs, look for the same permission.

Before you start

• Use a computer, and keep your email and authenticator app to hand.
• Your KuCoin account needs a Trading Password and Google Authenticator (or a phone number) set up, because KuCoin asks for both.

Permissions

Turn on only:

• General

Keep these off:

• Spot Trading
• Margin Trading
• Futures Trading
• Withdrawal
• Allow Flexible Transfers

Steps

Sovereign connects to KuCoin from one fixed IP address. The connection form in Sovereign shows it next to these steps, with a copy button.

1. Click “Open KuCoin API Management” above, log in if asked, then click “Create API”.
2. Stay on the “API-Based Trading” tab for your own key (not “Link Third-Party Apps”), and type Sovereign in “API Name”.
3. In “API Passphrase”, make up a new passphrase (7 to 32 characters, no spaces) and write it down.
4. Under “API Restrictions”, leave only “General” ticked. Every other box stays empty.
5. Under “IP Restrictions”, choose “Restrict to Trusted IPs Only”, then paste Sovereign's IP address as the only address.
6. Continue to the “Security Verification” screen and enter your “Trading Password”.
7. Click “Send Code”, then enter the “Email Verification Code” KuCoin emails you.
8. Enter your Google Authenticator code (or the SMS code), then click “Confirm”.
9. In the “API Created!” window, copy the “Key” and the “Secret” before closing it. The Secret is shown only once.
10. Paste them into API KEY and API SECRET in Sovereign, type your passphrase into PASSPHRASE, and press “Connect & Sync”.

Where each value goes in Sovereign:

• Key → API KEY
• Secret → API SECRET
• API Passphrase (the one you made up) → PASSPHRASE

Does a KuCoin API key expire?

• With an IP restriction: Never expires — KuCoin confirms IP-restricted keys don't expire.
• Without an IP restriction: No expiry for a key with only the General permission.

A key reads only the account it was created in, so for each sub-account, create a key inside that sub-account and add it as a separate connection. Use kucoin.com or KuCoin Australia: KuCoin EU keys are not confirmed to work, and KuCoin Turkey and Thailand are separate platforms.

If something goes wrong

• If you lose the Secret or the passphrase: KuCoin cannot show them again, so delete the key and create a new one.
• If the connection fails: check that PASSPHRASE is the one you made up for this key, not your login password or 6-digit Trading Password.
• If KuCoin shows the new key as not activated: open the email KuCoin sent you and follow its link.
• If you already have a KuCoin key: create a new one for Sovereign with only “General” ticked and Sovereign's IP address.

Sources

• www.kucoin.com/support/360015102174
• www.kucoin.com/en-au/support/47497300093889
• www.kucoin.com/docs-new/authentication
• www.kucoin.com/docs-new/introduction-uta