Troubleshooting Exchange Connections

Troubleshooting Exchange Connections

If you are having trouble connecting an exchange or your sync is not working correctly, this article covers the most common issues and their solutions. Most connection problems can be resolved in a few minutes.

"Invalid API Key" Error

This is the most common connection error. It typically means one of the following:

• Copy-paste error — The API key or secret was not copied correctly. Check for extra spaces, line breaks, or missing characters at the beginning or end. Re-copy the values from your exchange and try again.
• Key expired — Some exchanges set expiration dates on API keys. Log in to your exchange, go to API Management, and check if the key is still active. If it has expired, create a new one.
• Key deleted — If you deleted the API key on the exchange side, the connection will fail. Create a new key and reconnect in TraderNest.
• Wrong permissions — Some exchanges require specific permissions to be enabled. Make sure "Read" (and "Futures" where applicable) permissions are enabled.

"IP Not Whitelisted" Error

Several exchanges (Bybit, Binance, and others) require you to whitelist specific IP addresses for API access. If you see this error:

1. Open the TraderNest connection dialog (Settings > Exchanges > Add Exchange) and note the TraderNest server IP address displayed there.
2. Log in to your exchange and go to API Management.
3. Edit the API key and add the TraderNest server IP to the whitelist.
4. Save the changes on the exchange side.
5. Return to TraderNest and try connecting again.

"No Trades Found"

If TraderNest connects successfully but shows no trades, check the following:

• Wrong permission type — You may have enabled "Spot" read access but not "Futures" or "Derivatives" read access. TraderNest only imports futures trades. Go back to your exchange and enable futures permissions.
• No futures trades exist — If you have only traded spot on this exchange, there are no futures trades to sync. TraderNest is a futures trading journal.
• Date range — Some exchanges only expose a limited window of historical data via API (e.g., Binance provides approximately 7 days for the initial sync). If your trades are older, consider importing them via CSV.
• Wrong account or sub-account — If your exchange has sub-accounts, make sure the API key was created for the sub-account where your futures trades occur.

Sync Stopped Working

If your exchange was previously syncing but has stopped:

• API key expired — Check your exchange's API Management page. If the key has expired, create a new one and reconnect in TraderNest.
• API key was modified — If you changed the permissions or IP whitelist of the API key on the exchange, TraderNest may lose access. Verify the settings match what is required.
• Exchange maintenance — Exchanges occasionally have API downtime for maintenance. Wait an hour and check if the sync resumes automatically.
• Rate limiting — If you have multiple services connected to the same API key, the exchange may rate-limit requests. Consider creating a dedicated API key for TraderNest.

Duplicate Trades

TraderNest has built-in deduplication. When the same trade is imported multiple times (either from repeated syncs or overlapping CSV imports), TraderNest matches trades by their unique exchange-provided trade ID and timestamp. Duplicates are automatically skipped.

If you believe you are seeing duplicate trades, it may be because:

• The same position was partially closed in multiple transactions, which appear as separate trades.
• You connected the same exchange account twice under different connection entries. Check Settings > Exchanges and remove any duplicate connections.

Your Exchange is Not Listed

If your exchange is not among the 11 currently supported exchanges, you can request support for it:

• Use the Feedback button in the TraderNest app to submit a request.
• Email [email protected] with the name of the exchange you would like supported.

We regularly add new exchange integrations based on user demand.

Passphrase Issues (BloFin, Bitget, OKX, KuCoin)

Four exchanges — BloFin, Bitget, OKX, and KuCoin — require a passphrase in addition to the API key and secret. Common passphrase problems include:

• Forgotten passphrase — The passphrase is set by you during API key creation and is not stored or shown by the exchange afterward. If you have forgotten it, you will need to delete the API key on the exchange and create a new one with a new passphrase.
• Case sensitivity — Passphrases are case-sensitive. "MyPassphrase" and "mypassphrase" are treated as different values.
• Special characters — Avoid using special characters in passphrases that might be misinterpreted during copy-paste (such as backslashes or quotes). Stick to letters, numbers, and common symbols.