MercadoBitcoin

About MercadoBitcoin

Mercado Bitcoin's API provides programmatic access to cryptocurrency trading and account services, covering order placement and management, balance queries, deposits and withdrawals, and digital currency transfers. It supports multiple cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, XRP, and Ethereum, with trading pairs specified in a BASE-QUOTE format such as BTC-BRL. A separate WebSocket API is available alongside the REST endpoints, which are accessed under an /api/v4 path.

The API enforces a default rate limit of 500 requests per minute across public and private endpoints, with per-endpoint limits also defined, and supports OAuth2 token-based authentication. It includes structured error responses covering trading validation, balance and withdrawal limits, order status conflicts, and network or symbol validation issues.

Because Mercado Bitcoin operates under Brazilian regulation, the API implements Travel Rule compliance for cryptocurrency transfers, requiring travel rule data on deposits and providing endpoints to list pending deposits and release funds once that data is supplied. It also defines standardized purpose codes required for international transfers, split into separate code sets for transfers below and above US$50,000. The API is intended for developers building trading, wallet, or payment integrations with the Mercado Bitcoin exchange.

Key features

• Trading API for cryptocurrency pairs (e.g. BTC-BRL) with order placement, cancellation, and lookup
• Deposit and withdrawal endpoints for Reais and multiple digital currencies (BTC, LTC, BCH, XRP, ETH)
• WebSocket API available as an alternative to REST for real-time data
• Stop-limit order support with configurable limit and stop prices
• Travel Rule compliance handling for cryptocurrency transfers per Brazilian law
• OpenAPI specification available for download

Frequently asked questions