MEXC Global Trading Bot in Python

This guide shows how to build a MEXC Global trading bot in Python with LumiBot, for both AI agent trading and algorithmic trading. LumiBot connects to MEXC Global through CCXT, the open source library that talks to more than 100 crypto exchanges. You will create a MEXC Global 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.

MEXC Global at a glance

CCXT exchange id

mexc

Markets

Spot, Margin, Perpetual swaps

Testnet (sandbox)

No

Credentials

API key, API secret

Live data streams

prices, order book, trades, candles, your orders, your balance

CCXT request spacing

about 50 ms between requests

Official site

https://www.mexc.com/

API docs

https://mexcdevelop.github.io/apidocs/

Fees

https://www.mexc.com/fee

What is MEXC Global?

MEXC is a crypto exchange that offers spot trading and futures. MEXC says its API supports more than 1,200 spot and futures pairs.

Sign up for MEXC Global

  1. Create a MEXC account on the website.

  2. Turn on two-factor authentication. Spot API trading does not need identity verification (KYC), but futures API trading does.

  3. MEXC has no testnet, so plan to test with a very small amount.

Open a MEXC Global account

Create a MEXC Global API key

  1. Log in to MEXC, click the profile icon in the top-right corner and choose API Management.

  2. Tick the permissions you need (see below) and add a note so you can tell your keys apart.

  3. Link the IP address of the machine that runs your bot. A key with no IP address expires after 90 days.

  4. Click Create and finish the security verification.

  5. Copy the Access Key and Secret Key right away. MEXC shows the Secret Key only once.

Which permissions to turn on: Tick the read permissions for your account and orders, plus spot trading (and futures trading only if you trade futures, which needs KYC). Leave withdrawals off. A bot never needs to move money out of your account.

Warning

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

Connect MEXC Global to LumiBot

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

TRADING_BROKER=mexc
MEXC_API_KEY=your_apiKey
MEXC_API_SECRET=your_secret

LumiBot reads exactly the fields CCXT needs for MEXC Global (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 MEXC Global:

import os

MEXC_CONFIG = {
    "exchange_id": "mexc",
    "apiKey": os.environ.get("MEXC_API_KEY"),
    "secret": os.environ.get("MEXC_API_SECRET"),
    "sandbox": False,  # no sandbox for this exchange
}

from lumibot.brokers import Ccxt

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

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

Testing on MEXC Global

MEXC says its API connects straight to live trading and has no sandbox or test environment, so test with a very small amount. With environment variables, leave MEXC_SANDBOX unset. In a code config, set "sandbox": False.

Algorithmic trading example: a simple MEXC Global bot

This bot buys about 50 USDT of BTC on MEXC Global 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 MexcBuyOnce(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 = MexcBuyOnce(quote_asset=Asset("USDT", asset_type=Asset.AssetType.CRYPTO))
    strategy.run_live()

Agentic trading example: an AI agent that trades on MEXC Global

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 MEXC Global 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 MexcAITrader(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 MEXC Global. "
                "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": "MEXC Global", "quote": "USDT", "date": self.get_datetime().isoformat()},
        )


if __name__ == "__main__":
    # LumiBot reads TRADING_BROKER and the keys from your .env file.
    strategy = MexcAITrader(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 MEXC Global through CCXT

Market

Listed by CCXT

Spot

Yes

Margin

Yes

Perpetual swaps

Yes

Dated futures

No

Options

No

CCXT lists these order features for MEXC Global: market orders, limit orders, stop orders, reduce-only orders, canceling orders.

For perpetual contracts, use the full CCXT symbol so the settlement currency is clear, for example BTC/USDT:USDT. See the CCXT guide for contract quantities, position modes and leverage.

MEXC Global tips

  • Bind an IP address to your key. MEXC keys with no IP address stop working after 90 days. Starting 5 days before expiry you can extend a key by 90 days under My API Key, Action, Renew.

  • You can limit which trading pairs a key may trade under My API Key, Trading Pairs, Set. If you use this, include every pair your bot trades.

  • MEXC offers API Only sub-accounts that have no web or app login. One of these per bot keeps bot trades apart from your own.

  • Each MEXC account can have up to 30 API keys, and each key can be linked to up to 10 IP addresses.

Frequently asked questions

Can I build a MEXC Global trading bot in Python?

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

Does MEXC Global have a testnet?

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

Which API permissions does a MEXC Global bot need?

Tick the read permissions for your account and orders, plus spot trading (and futures trading only if you trade futures, which needs KYC). Leave withdrawals off. A bot never needs to move money out of your account.

Can an AI agent trade on MEXC Global 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 MEXC Global 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 MEXC Global 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