HollaEx Trading Bot in Python

This guide shows how to build a HollaEx trading bot in Python with LumiBot, for both AI agent trading and algorithmic trading. LumiBot connects to HollaEx through CCXT, the open source library that talks to more than 100 crypto exchanges. You will create a HollaEx account and API key, connect it, and run two examples: a simple algorithmic trading bot and an agentic trading bot where an AI agent makes the calls.

HollaEx at a glance

CCXT exchange id

hollaex

Markets

Spot

Testnet (sandbox)

No

Credentials

API key, API secret

Live data streams

order book, trades, your orders, your balance

CCXT request spacing

about 250 ms between requests

Official site

https://hollaex.com

API docs

https://apidocs.hollaex.com

What is HollaEx?

HollaEx Pro (pro.hollaex.com) is the crypto exchange run by HollaEx, the company that also makes white-label exchange software. It offers spot trading, mostly against USDT.

Sign up for HollaEx

  1. Create an account on HollaEx Pro at https://pro.hollaex.com.

  2. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA). HollaEx needs 2FA before it lets you make an API key.

  3. HollaEx Pro has no working public test site, so plan to test with a very small amount.

Open a HollaEx account

Create a HollaEx API key

  1. Log in to HollaEx Pro and open Security, then API Keys from the sidebar (https://pro.hollaex.com/security?apiKeys).

  2. Click Generate Key and give the key a name.

  3. Enter the security codes HollaEx asks for (the email code and your 2FA code).

  4. Copy the secret right away. HollaEx hides it for good once you refresh the page.

  5. Set the key’s access (see below) and add your bot’s IP address to the key’s whitelist.

Which permissions to turn on: Turn on Reading and Trading. Leave withdrawals off. A bot never needs to move money out of your account.

Warning

Never turn on withdrawals for a HollaEx trading bot key. Bind the key to your server’s IP address when HollaEx lets you, keep the secret out of your code and out of Git, and delete the key if it ever leaks.

Connect HollaEx to LumiBot

The simplest way: put these lines in a .env file next to your strategy. LumiBot loads the file, sees TRADING_BROKER=hollaex and connects to HollaEx for you, so your strategy needs no broker code.

TRADING_BROKER=hollaex
HOLLAEX_API_KEY=your_apiKey
HOLLAEX_API_SECRET=your_secret

LumiBot reads exactly the fields CCXT needs for HollaEx (apiKey, secret). 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 HollaEx:

import os

HOLLAEX_CONFIG = {
    "exchange_id": "hollaex",
    "apiKey": os.environ.get("HOLLAEX_API_KEY"),
    "secret": os.environ.get("HOLLAEX_API_SECRET"),
    "sandbox": False,  # no sandbox for this exchange
}

from lumibot.brokers import Ccxt

broker = Ccxt(HOLLAEX_CONFIG)
# then: MyStrategy(broker=broker, ...)

Either way, LumiBot turns on CCXT’s built-in rate limiting for you.

Testing on HollaEx

HollaEx Pro has no usable sandbox. CCXT lists api.sandbox.hollaex.com as a test URL, but HollaEx’s API docs do not mention a sandbox and that address refused requests on 2026-10-23. Test with a very small amount. With environment variables, leave HOLLAEX_SANDBOX unset. In a code config, always set "sandbox": False.

Algorithmic trading example: a simple HollaEx bot

This bot buys about 50 USDT of BTC on HollaEx 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.

from lumibot.entities import Asset
from lumibot.strategies import Strategy


class HollaexBuyOnce(Strategy):
    """Buy a small amount of BTC 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("BTC", asset_type=Asset.AssetType.CRYPTO)
        if self.get_position(coin) is not None:
            return  # already holding BTC
        price = self.get_last_price(coin, quote=self.quote_asset)
        if price:
            quantity = round(50 / price, 6)  # about 50 USDT 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 = HollaexBuyOnce(quote_asset=Asset("USDT", asset_type=Asset.AssetType.CRYPTO))
    strategy.run_live()

Agentic trading example: an AI agent that trades on HollaEx

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 HollaEx 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.

from lumibot.entities import Asset
from lumibot.strategies import Strategy


class HollaexAITrader(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 HollaEx. "
                "You may trade BTC and ETH against USDT (asset_type 'crypto', quote_symbol 'USDT'), 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 BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT prices and your current holdings, then decide whether to buy, sell or hold.",
            context={"exchange": "HollaEx", "quote": "USDT", "date": self.get_datetime().isoformat()},
        )


if __name__ == "__main__":
    # LumiBot reads TRADING_BROKER and the keys from your .env file.
    strategy = HollaexAITrader(quote_asset=Asset("USDT", asset_type=Asset.AssetType.CRYPTO))
    strategy.run_live()

The agent needs a model key such as OPENAI_API_KEY in your environment. See the AI agents quickstart for models, tools and memory.

What you can trade on HollaEx through CCXT

Market

Listed by CCXT

Spot

Yes

Margin

Not listed by CCXT

Perpetual swaps

No

Dated futures

No

Options

No

CCXT lists these order features for HollaEx: market orders, limit orders, stop orders, editing open orders, canceling orders.

HollaEx tips

  • HollaEx Pro writes pairs in lower case with a dash, like btc-usdt. In LumiBot and CCXT use BTC/USDT.

  • The CCXT hollaex id talks to HollaEx Pro at api.hollaex.com. Other exchanges built on HollaEx software have their own API addresses and are not covered by this id.

  • HollaEx signs every private request with an expiry time. Keep your bot machine’s clock in sync so requests do not expire early.

Frequently asked questions

Can I build a HollaEx trading bot in Python?

Yes. Install LumiBot (pip install lumibot), set your HollaEx keys and use the hollaex CCXT exchange id as shown above.

Does HollaEx have a testnet?

No testnet is set up for HollaEx in LumiBot. Start with a small amount, and in a code config set "sandbox": False.

Which API permissions does a HollaEx bot need?

Turn on Reading and Trading. Leave withdrawals off. A bot never needs to move money out of your account.

Can an AI agent trade on HollaEx 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 HollaEx perpetual futures with LumiBot?

CCXT does not list perpetual swaps for HollaEx, so use spot markets.

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 HollaEx 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

Sources