General
What is the CoinMarketCap API for?
The CoinMarketCap API is an enterprise-grade cryptocurrency API for all crypto data use cases — personal, academic, and commercial. It is a suite of high-performance RESTful JSON endpoints that allow application developers, data scientists, and enterprise platforms to tap into the latest raw and derived cryptocurrency and exchange market data, as well as years of historical data. This is the same data that powers coinmarketcap.com.
How do I get an API key?
Sign up for a free account at pro.coinmarketcap.com. Your API key is available on the dashboard after registration. Even the free Basic tier offers enterprise-grade infrastructure, documentation, and flexibility.
Do you have a free version?
Yes. CoinMarketCap provides a robust free API through the Basic tier. If your needs outgrow the free offering, check out the commercial and enterprise plans.
Data
What cryptocurrencies and exchanges are available?
The API surfaces all current and historical cryptocurrency and exchange data available on coinmarketcap.com since it originally went live in 2013. You can list all active and inactive cryptocurrencies using the /v1/cryptocurrency/map endpoint, and all exchanges using /v1/exchange/map. Each result includes a first_historical_data timestamp showing how far back historical records go.
How frequently does market data update?
Most endpoints update every 1 minute. The exact update frequency for each endpoint is outlined in the endpoint's description in the API documentation.
Do you support pricing in my local currency?
The API supports 93 fiat currencies (using ISO 4217 codes like USD, EUR, GBP) and 4 precious metals (XAU, XAG, XPT, XPD). You can also convert to any cryptocurrency by its CoinMarketCap ID or symbol. Fetch the full list programmatically using the /v1/fiat/map endpoint.
How far back does historical data go?
Historical cryptocurrency data goes back to 2013. Use the /v1/cryptocurrency/map or /v1/exchange/map endpoints — each result includes a first_historical_data timestamp.
Are logo image assets available via API?
Yes. The /v2/cryptocurrency/info and /v1/exchange/info metadata endpoints include hosted logo assets in PNG format. 64px is the default size, but you can replace 64x64 in the image path with alternative sizes: 16, 32, 64, 128, 200.
Pricing & Usage
How do API call credits work?
Usage is tracked by number of data points returned, not by number of API calls. This is typically 1 "call credit" per 100 data points unless otherwise specified. The pricing page outlines maximum daily and monthly credits for each tier.
How do rate limits work?
Rate limits control the number of HTTP calls that can be made simultaneously or within the same minute. Exceeding the limit returns an HTTP 429 "Too Many Requests" error. The limit increases with your usage tier and resets every 60 seconds. See errors and rate limits for details.
When should I consider an Enterprise plan?
Consider Enterprise if you need higher credit and rate limits, access to more historical data, a custom license outside the standard commercial agreement, and/or a Service Level Agreement. Contact us for details.
Troubleshooting
Why do I get a CORS / Access-Control-Allow-Origin error?
This means you are making HTTP requests directly from client-side JavaScript, which is not supported. This restriction protects your API key from being visible in browser Developer Tools. Proxy all requests through your own backend server.
What is the sandbox environment?
The sandbox at sandbox-api.coinmarketcap.com provides mock data for testing. Use the test key b54bcf4d-1bca-4e8e-9a24-22ff2c3d462c. Do not use sandbox data in production.
Where can I check API status?
Service disruptions are rare but reported on the public API health dashboard. You can subscribe to updates on that page.
How do I identify a cryptocurrency?
Use the CoinMarketCap numeric ID (recommended), ticker symbol, or slug. Symbols are not unique — multiple cryptocurrencies can share the same symbol. Use /v1/cryptocurrency/map to find the correct ID.
For more questions, visit the full CoinMarketCap API FAQ or contact support.