The CoinStats API uses API key authentication for all requests. Follow these steps to get started:
1

Sign up or log in to CoinStats

Visit the CoinStats API dashboard and create an account or log in to your existing one.
2

Generate your API key

After signing in, go to your dashboard and generate a new API key. This key will be used to authenticate your requests.
3

Use the API key in requests

Add the API key to the X-API-KEY header in every request you make.
curl -H "X-API-KEY: your-api-key" \
     https://openapiv1.coinstats.app/coins
4

Example: JavaScript (Fetch)

const response = await fetch('https://openapiv1.coinstats.app/coins', {
  headers: {
    'X-API-KEY': 'your-api-key'
  }
});
const data = await response.json();
5

Secure your API key

API Key Security Alert: Exposed API keys can lead to unauthorized usage, quota exhaustion, and unexpected charges. Always protect your keys in production applications.

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Why Key Protection Matters

When you expose API keys on the client side, malicious actors can discover and abuse them, potentially:

Exhaust Your Quota

Malicious usage can quickly consume your API limits and cause service interruptions

Increase Your Bills

Unauthorized requests can push you over plan limits and trigger unexpected charges

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Essential Security Practices

Never hardcode API keys in your source code. Use environment variables instead.
// ❌ Don't do this
const apiKey = "your-api-key-here";

// ✅ Do this instead
const apiKey = process.env.COINSTATS_API_KEY;

# .env file
COINSTATS_API_KEY=your-actual-api-key

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Security Checklist

Monitor Usage: Regularly check your API usage in the CoinStats dashboard for unusual patterns like sudden spikes, requests from unexpected locations, or usage during off-hours.
6

Handle authentication errors

If your API key is missing or incorrect, you’ll receive a 401 Unauthorized response:
{
  "error": "Unauthorized",
  "message": "Invalid API key"
}