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Answers to common questions about the WhiteBIT MCP server and CLI.

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MCP server and CLI capabilities

The MCP server provides 115 tools covering market data, spot trading, collateral trading, wallet operations, lending, sub-accounts, mining pool, and currency conversion. All tools are available to any connected AI client using natural language. The CLI provides 110+ commands covering the same API surface, designed for terminal use, scripting, and CI/CD pipelines. See MCP server and CLI for the full tool and command listings.

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Supported AI clients

The MCP server works with any client that supports the Model Context Protocol. Supported clients include:
  • Claude Code — global or project-scoped registration via claude mcp add
  • Cursor — configuration via ~/.cursor/mcp.json
  • Claude Desktop — configuration via the application config file
  • Codex — configuration via ~/.codex/config.toml
  • OpenClaw — configuration via the agent config file
See MCP server — Connect an AI client for setup instructions for each client.

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API key security

API keys are supplied at connection time — as WHITEBIT_API_KEY and WHITEBIT_SECRET_KEY environment variables on the stdio transport, or as X-WB-Api-Key and X-WB-Secret-Key request headers on the HTTP transport — and are used only to sign outgoing WhiteBIT API requests. No tool takes an API key as a parameter. The MCP server does not store, log, or cache credentials. All processing happens locally — no data is sent to external services beyond WhiteBIT. Public market data tools (tickers, order book, market info) query public endpoints and need no account credentials. See Authentication for instructions on generating and managing API keys.

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Trading MCP server vs documentation MCP

The WhiteBIT documentation portal has two separate MCP integrations that serve different purposes: The trading MCP is a self-hosted server that requires cloning the whitebit-mcp repository and starting a local Docker container. See MCP server. The documentation MCP is a Mintlify-hosted service. See Docs search via MCP.

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Public market data without API keys

Public market data tools do not require a WhiteBIT account. On the stdio transport these tools answer with no credentials configured, so a market-data-only setup can leave the key variables empty. Example questions:
  • “What is the current BTC_USDT price?”
  • “Show the order book for ETH_USDT”
  • “List all available trading pairs”
The CLI market module also requires no authentication:

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CLI use in automation

The CLI is designed for scripting and automation:
  • --json flag on every command outputs machine-readable JSON, compatible with jq and any data pipeline.
  • --dry-run flag previews the exact API request payload without sending it — useful for validating scripts.
  • Exit codes (0 success, 2 auth error, 5 rate limit, etc.) allow precise error handling in shell scripts.
  • Multi-profile support enables switching between API keys with --profile.
See CLI — JSON output and scripting for examples.

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Safe account practices

Before connecting AI tools to a live account:
  • Create a dedicated sub-account with a separate API key for AI tool access.
  • Fund the sub-account with only the amount allocated for AI-assisted trading.
  • Generate API keys with the minimum permissions required — read-only keys are sufficient for balance and order queries.
  • Enable IP whitelisting on the API key to restrict access to the machine running the MCP server.
  • Test with small amounts before executing larger trades.
  • Never provide API keys in the AI conversation — credentials belong in the AI client configuration that the setup command writes.
See MCP server — Safe account practices for the full checklist.

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Report an issue

Report bugs or request features by opening an issue on the relevant GitHub repository: Include the full error output when reporting a bug. For MCP errors, include the structured error block from the AI client. For CLI errors, include the full stderr output.
  • MCP server — Full setup guide for the WhiteBIT trading MCP server
  • CLI — Full setup and command reference for the WhiteBIT CLI
  • Docs search via MCP — Connect Cursor, VS Code, or Claude Desktop to the documentation search MCP
  • Authentication — How to generate and manage WhiteBIT API keys