Glossary · Technology & Connectivity
REST API
Also: REST, HTTP API
Published
REST API — A REST API is a request-response interface over HTTP in which a client calls defined endpoints to read or change resources such as balances, orders, quotes, and settlement instructions. In digital asset trading it handles account operations, request-for-quote calls, reporting, and integrations that do not need a persistent session.
What REST Is Good For
REST endpoints are simple to call from any language and any system, including treasury and finance platforms that have no trading connectivity. A client requests a quote, submits an order, checks a balance, downloads a trade report, or submits a settlement instruction with an authenticated HTTP call and receives a structured response. The pattern suits operations that happen on demand rather than continuously.
Limits
Each REST call is a separate request, so it is not the right tool for data that changes many times a second; WebSocket streams serve that. For institutional order routing with strict sequencing and recovery guarantees, FIX sessions remain the standard. REST sits alongside both as the general-purpose interface.
REST in an Institutional Integration
A typical integration streams prices over WebSocket, routes orders and receives execution reports over FIX, and uses REST for onboarding, account management, request-for-quote automation from non-trading systems, settlement instructions, and reconciliation. Providers publish documentation, sandbox environments, and authentication schemes for each.