Advanced Trade API FAQ

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The Coinbase Advanced Trade platform has become the go-to destination for individual traders seeking powerful tools, real-time data, and seamless API access. As Coinbase Pro was officially retired in December 2023, understanding the transition to Advanced Trade—and its robust API ecosystem—is essential for both retail traders and developers.

This comprehensive guide dives into frequently asked questions about the Advanced Trade API, clarifying key differences from legacy systems, explaining common error messages, and outlining best practices for migration and integration.

What Is the Advanced Trade API?

The Advanced Trade REST API enables developers and automated trading systems to execute trades, manage orders, and retrieve account data with precision. For real-time market updates—such as order book changes, trade executions, and price movements—the platform supports a dedicated WebSocket protocol.

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These tools are ideal for algorithmic traders, bot operators, and technical analysts who demand speed, reliability, and granular control over their trading activities. Whether you're building a custom dashboard or integrating with third-party automation software, the Advanced Trade API delivers enterprise-level functionality tailored for individual users.

What Features Does Advanced Trade Offer?

Coinbase Advanced Trade is more than just an API—it's a full-featured trading interface designed for active traders. Key capabilities include:

This convergence of advanced trading tools and user-friendly features makes Advanced Trade a compelling upgrade for former Pro users and new traders alike.

What Happened to Coinbase Pro?

As of December 1, 2023, Coinbase Pro has been fully disabled, and all users have been migrated to Coinbase Advanced Trade. This change was accelerated from an earlier deprecation timeline that originally targeted 2024.

While unauthenticated Pro APIs remain accessible to some legacy users, they are no longer under active development. Meanwhile, institutional clients continue to use the Exchange APIs (FIX, REST, WebSocket) through the separate Coinbase Exchange platform.

Developers previously relying on Pro APIs must now transition to the new CDP (Coinbase Developer Platform) infrastructure to maintain uninterrupted trading operations.

Can I Use My Old Coinbase Pro API Keys?

No. Existing Coinbase Pro API keys cannot be used with Advanced Trade.

Due to architectural changes and enhanced security protocols, all users—including developers and third-party bot operators—must generate new CDP API keys from the Coinbase Developer Platform.

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Failure to regenerate and update your keys will result in authentication errors and failed trade executions.

How Do I Migrate From Pro APIs to Advanced Trade API?

Migration involves two critical steps:

  1. Regenerate Your API Keys: Visit the Coinbase Developer Platform and create new CDP API credentials with appropriate permissions (e.g., trade, view, withdraw).
  2. Update Your Code or Bot Configuration: Replace old endpoint URLs and authentication headers with those compatible with the Advanced Trade API. Adjust any deprecated parameters or payload structures according to the latest documentation.

For developers using third-party trading bots or automation platforms:

Refer to the official Advanced Trade API documentation for detailed migration guides and code samples.

Advanced Trade vs. Coinbase Exchange: Key Differences

Understanding which platform suits your needs is crucial. Here's a breakdown of the main distinctions:

Advanced Trade

Coinbase Exchange

Choose Advanced Trade for personal or semi-professional use; opt for Coinbase Exchange if you operate at institutional scale.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I still use the FIX API on Advanced Trade?

No. The FIX API is not supported on Advanced Trade due to low adoption among retail users. It remains available exclusively for institutional clients via Coinbase Exchange.

Why am I getting UNKNOWN_FAILURE_REASON when placing an order?

This message is misleading but harmless. If "success": true appears in the response—even alongside "failure_reason": "UNKNOWN_FAILURE_REASON"—your order was successfully placed. You can safely ignore the failure reason in this case.

Example:

{
 "success": true,
 "failure_reason": "UNKNOWN_FAILURE_REASON",
 "order_id": "62475e97-7485-45eb-a5ac-594805fa2748",
 "success_response": {
  "order_id": "62475e97-7485-45eb-a5ac-594805fa2748",
  "product_id": "BTC-USD",
  "side": "BUY"
 }
}

The success: true confirms validity—proceed as normal.

What does UNKNOWN in the warning field mean?

It means no actual warning exists. UNKNOWN is the default placeholder value for the warning key when no specific alert applies.

Why am I seeing PREVIEW_INVALID_BASE_SIZE_TOO_SMALL on perpetual orders?

This error occurs when your perpetual contract order falls below the minimum notional value of 10 USDC. Ensure your order size meets or exceeds this threshold.

Are my Advanced Trade balances separate from my main Coinbase App balances?

No. Balances are unified across both interfaces. However, Advanced Trade supports additional account types such as futures, perpetuals, and margin accounts, which aren’t available in the standard Coinbase App.

Which currency conversions are supported in the Converts Endpoints?

Currently, only these pairs are supported:

Other conversion requests will return an "Unsupported account" error.

Core Keywords

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