:seo_title: Lighter Trading Bot in Python: AI Agent and Algorithmic Trading with LumiBot
.. Generated by scripts/generate_ccxt_exchange_pages.py from docsrc/_data/. Edit the data, not this page.
Lighter Trading Bot in Python
=============================
.. meta::
:description: Build a Lighter trading bot in Python with LumiBot and CCXT. Set up Lighter API wallet keys, connect them, and run a regular or AI agent strategy.
:keywords: Lighter trading bot, Lighter API, Lighter Python, agentic trading Lighter, AI trading bot Lighter, algorithmic trading Lighter, ccxt lighter
This guide shows how to build a Lighter trading bot in Python with LumiBot, for both AI agent trading and algorithmic trading. LumiBot connects to Lighter through CCXT, the open source library that talks to more than 100 crypto exchanges. You will create a Lighter account and API wallet, connect it, and run two examples: a simple algorithmic trading bot and an agentic trading bot where an AI agent makes the calls.
Lighter at a glance
-------------------
.. list-table::
:widths: 35 65
* - CCXT exchange id
- ``lighter``
* - Markets
- Spot, Perpetual swaps
* - Testnet (sandbox)
- Yes
* - Credentials
- private key
* - Live data streams
- prices, order book, trades, your orders, your balance
* - CCXT request spacing
- about 1000 ms between requests
* - Official site
- https://lighter.xyz/
* - API docs
- https://apidocs.lighter.xyz/
* - Fees
- https://docs.lighter.xyz/perpetual-futures/fees
What is Lighter?
----------------
Lighter is a decentralized exchange on an Ethereum layer 2 for trading perpetuals at low cost and low latency. It also lists some spot markets. Your Ethereum wallet owns your Lighter account.
Sign up for Lighter
-------------------
#. Open the Lighter web app at https://app.lighter.xyz and connect your Ethereum wallet.
#. Make your first deposit (USDC for perpetuals). Lighter creates your account automatically on the first credited deposit.
#. For practice, use the Lighter testnet web app at https://testnet.app.lighter.xyz. It has its own accounts and its own server address.
`Open a Lighter account `_
Set up a Lighter API wallet
---------------------------
#. Use a separate Ethereum wallet just for your bot, and keep only bot money on its Lighter account (see below for why).
#. Find your account index: Lighter's number for your account. Each sub-account has its own index. CCXT looks up your main account index for you; set ``accountIndex`` in the CCXT options to use a sub-account.
#. Give LumiBot (through CCXT) your wallet's private key as ``privateKey``. CCXT uses it once to create and register a Lighter API key for you (registering a key needs a wallet signature).
#. CCXT uses API key index 254 by default. Indexes 0 to 3 belong to Lighter's own web and mobile apps, so if you set ``apiKeyIndex`` yourself, pick a number from 4 to 254.
#. CCXT also needs Lighter's signing library on your machine. Download it from Lighter's lighter-python repository (the signers folder) and set its path as the CCXT option ``libraryPath``.
**Which permissions to turn on:** Lighter API keys can trade, cancel, change leverage and make secure withdrawals, which can only go back to the wallet that owns the account. Sending money to other addresses also needs a wallet signature. CCXT asks for your wallet's private key, which can do everything, including those transfers. So use a separate wallet only for the bot, keep only bot money there, and never reuse your main wallet's key.
.. warning::
A Lighter private key is as powerful as the money it controls. Use a separate wallet or API wallet that holds only what you want the bot to trade, keep the key out of your code and out of Git, and move your funds if the key ever leaks.
Connect Lighter to LumiBot
--------------------------
The simplest way: put these lines in a ``.env`` file next to your strategy. LumiBot loads the file, sees ``TRADING_BROKER=lighter`` and connects to Lighter for you, so your strategy needs no broker code.
.. code-block:: bash
TRADING_BROKER=lighter
LIGHTER_PRIVATE_KEY=your_privateKey
LIGHTER_SANDBOX=true # testnet; remove this line for your live account
LumiBot reads exactly the fields CCXT needs for Lighter (``privateKey``). If one is missing, LumiBot stops at start-up and names the variable you still need.
You can also build the broker in code. This is handy when one script talks to more than one exchange, or when you need extra CCXT options. The keys in the config are CCXT's own credential names for Lighter:
.. code-block:: python
import os
LIGHTER_CONFIG = {
"exchange_id": "lighter",
"privateKey": os.environ.get("LIGHTER_PRIVATE_KEY"),
"sandbox": True, # testnet first; set False for your live account
}
from lumibot.brokers import Ccxt
broker = Ccxt(LIGHTER_CONFIG)
# then: MyStrategy(broker=broker, ...)
Either way, LumiBot turns on CCXT's built-in rate limiting for you.
Practice on the Lighter testnet
-------------------------------
Lighter runs a testnet with its own web app at https://testnet.app.lighter.xyz and server at https://testnet.zklighter.elliot.ai. Set ``LIGHTER_SANDBOX=true`` (or ``"sandbox": True`` in a code config) to use it.
CCXT sends sandbox requests to: https://testnet.zklighter.elliot.ai. Testnet and live accounts use different keys.
Algorithmic trading example: a simple Lighter bot
-------------------------------------------------
This bot buys about 50 USDC of ETH on Lighter once and then holds it. It is a starting point to check that your keys, balances and orders work. If the exchange's minimum order is larger, raise the amount.
.. code-block:: python
from lumibot.entities import Asset
from lumibot.strategies import Strategy
class LighterBuyOnce(Strategy):
"""Buy a small amount of ETH once, then hold it."""
def initialize(self):
self.sleeptime = "1H"
self.set_market("24/7") # crypto trades all day, every day
def on_trading_iteration(self):
coin = Asset("ETH", asset_type=Asset.AssetType.CRYPTO)
if self.get_position(coin) is not None:
return # already holding ETH
price = self.get_last_price(coin, quote=self.quote_asset)
if price:
quantity = round(50 / price, 6) # about 50 USDC worth
order = self.create_order(coin, quantity, "buy", quote=self.quote_asset)
self.submit_order(order)
if __name__ == "__main__":
# LumiBot reads TRADING_BROKER and the keys from your .env file.
strategy = LighterBuyOnce(quote_asset=Asset("USDC", asset_type=Asset.AssetType.CRYPTO))
strategy.run_live()
Agentic trading example: an AI agent that trades on Lighter
-----------------------------------------------------------
Agentic trading means an AI agent reads the market and decides what to do. In this example one LumiBot agent looks at prices and your Lighter account, then places the orders itself. There is no Python logic in between: you set the rules in plain English in the prompt, such as what it may trade and how big each order can be. This follows the same pattern as LumiBot's AI trading team examples.
.. code-block:: python
from lumibot.entities import Asset
from lumibot.strategies import Strategy
class LighterAITrader(Strategy):
"""One AI agent researches the market and places the trades itself."""
def initialize(self):
self.sleeptime = "4H"
self.set_market("24/7")
self.agents.create(
name="trader",
model="openai/gpt-6-luna",
reasoning_effort="high",
allow_trading=True,
system_prompt=(
"You manage a small crypto account on Lighter. "
"You may trade ETH and ETH against USDC (asset_type 'crypto', quote_symbol 'USDC'), or hold cash. "
"Before every order, call account_portfolio, account_positions and "
"market_last_price for that exact symbol in the same run. "
"Keep each order under 10% of the account value. "
"Explain each decision in one short paragraph."
),
)
def on_trading_iteration(self):
self.agents["trader"].run(
task_prompt="Review recent ETH/USDC and ETH/USDC prices and your current holdings, then decide whether to buy, sell or hold.",
context={"exchange": "Lighter", "quote": "USDC", "date": self.get_datetime().isoformat()},
)
if __name__ == "__main__":
# LumiBot reads TRADING_BROKER and the keys from your .env file.
strategy = LighterAITrader(quote_asset=Asset("USDC", asset_type=Asset.AssetType.CRYPTO))
strategy.run_live()
The agent needs a model key such as ``OPENAI_API_KEY`` in your environment. See the :doc:`AI agents quickstart ` for models, tools and memory.
What you can trade on Lighter through CCXT
------------------------------------------
.. list-table::
:header-rows: 1
:widths: 40 60
* - Market
- Listed by CCXT
* - Spot
- Yes
* - Margin
- No
* - Perpetual swaps
- Yes
* - Dated futures
- No
* - Options
- No
CCXT lists these order features for Lighter: market orders, limit orders, editing open orders, canceling orders.
For perpetual contracts, use the full CCXT symbol so the settlement currency is clear, for example ``BTC/USDT:USDT``. See :doc:`the CCXT guide ` for contract quantities, position modes and leverage.
Lighter tips
------------
* CCXT signs Lighter orders with Lighter's signing library. Download it from Lighter's official Python SDK (https://github.com/elliottech/lighter-python, folder lighter/signers) and pass its path as the CCXT option ``libraryPath`` in a code config, for example ``"options": {"libraryPath": "/path/to/signer"}``.
* BTC trades only as a perpetual on Lighter (``BTC/USDC:USDC``). Spot markets are fewer, for example ``ETH/USDC``, which is why the spot example here uses ETH.
* Each Lighter API key has its own order queue. Lighter suggests a separate API key for each independent workload, so if you run more than one bot, give each one its own ``apiKeyIndex``.
* By default CCXT asks Lighter to approve an integrator fee for the CCXT project when it first connects. Set the CCXT option ``builderFee`` to ``False`` if you do not want that.
* Lighter on Robinhood Chain is a separate exchange with its own servers. The CCXT id ``lighter`` connects to the main Lighter exchange.
Frequently asked questions
--------------------------
**Can I build a Lighter trading bot in Python?**
Yes. Install LumiBot (``pip install lumibot``), set your Lighter keys and use the ``lighter`` CCXT exchange id as shown above.
**Does Lighter have a testnet?**
Yes. Set ``LIGHTER_SANDBOX=true`` and use keys from the Lighter testnet.
**Which keys does a Lighter bot need?**
Lighter API keys can trade, cancel, change leverage and make secure withdrawals, which can only go back to the wallet that owns the account. Sending money to other addresses also needs a wallet signature. CCXT asks for your wallet's private key, which can do everything, including those transfers. So use a separate wallet only for the bot, keep only bot money there, and never reuse your main wallet's key.
**Can an AI agent trade on Lighter by itself?**
Yes. The agentic example above gives one agent permission to trade. You control what it may trade and how much through its prompt.
**Can I trade Lighter perpetual futures with LumiBot?**
CCXT lists perpetual swaps for this exchange. Use the full contract symbol, such as ``BTC/USDT:USDT``.
**Is LumiBot free?**
Yes. LumiBot is open source on GitHub at https://github.com/Lumiwealth/lumibot. You pay only your exchange's trading fees and, for AI agents, your model provider.
Run it in the cloud with BotSpot
--------------------------------
Do not want to keep a computer running for your Lighter bot? BotSpot is the hosted home for LumiBot strategies and AI trading agents: build with AI, backtest, connect a broker, and watch every trade with logs and alerts.
`Try BotSpot `_
Related guides
--------------
* :doc:`CCXT crypto trading with LumiBot `
* :doc:`AI agents quickstart `
* :doc:`BigONE trading bot `
* :doc:`BingX trading bot `
* :doc:`Bitrue trading bot `
* :doc:`Bullish trading bot `
Sources
-------
* `Lighter API Docs: API keys `_ (read 2026-10-23)
* `Lighter API Docs: Core concepts `_ (read 2026-10-23)
* `Lighter API Docs: Environments & endpoints `_ (read 2026-10-23)
* `Lighter API Docs: Deposits, Transfers and Withdrawals `_ (read 2026-10-23)
* `Lighter home page `_ (read 2026-10-23)
* `CCXT FAQ: How to use the Lighter Exchange in CCXT? `_ (read 2026-10-23)
* `CCXT Lighter adapter source (libraryPath, apiKeyIndex and builderFee options) `_ (read 2026-10-23)
* Exchange id, URLs, markets, credentials and stream support: CCXT 4.5.64 metadata, generated 2026-10-23