Starting Live Crypto Trading with OctoBot Cloud
Summary
The document explains how to launch a selected strategy or crypto basket with real funds through OctoBot Cloud. The user chooses real trading, connects an exchange account using an API key, and starts the bot. OctoBot may first rebalance USD-linked assets and coins used by the strategy so the portfolio can support its trades. For example, it may exchange one stablecoin for another when the selected strategy requires the latter.
Once running, the bot places buy and sell orders on the connected exchange. Funds remain in the exchange account, and the document recommends API keys without withdrawal permission. It also notes that assets outside the strategy’s trading set can be kept separate from the portfolio adjustment. The guide describes setup and account behavior, but offers no performance evidence, risk analysis, or details about how a strategy selects trades. Paper trading is presented as an option for trying other strategies while live trading continues.
Key ideas
- A user starts live trading by selecting a strategy or basket, choosing real trading, and connecting an exchange API key.
- OctoBot may rebalance eligible stablecoins and strategy assets to prepare the portfolio for trading.
- The bot executes the strategy through buy and sell orders on the exchange account.
- Funds remain on the exchange, and the guide recommends disabling API key withdrawals.
- Paper trading can be used to explore additional strategies without committing real funds.
Tags
Full text
# Start your investment --- title: "Start to invest" description: "Learn how to quickly and easily start your investment on OctoBot cloud." sidebar_position: 6 --- # Start your investment  Once you found the strategy or the crypto basket you want to use with your real funds, you are ready to really profit from OctoBot cloud. ## Getting started 1. From the strategy or the crypto basket you want to use, hit **Start trading**. 2. Select **Real trading**.  3. Select or enter your exchange account [API key](what-is-an-exchange-api-key). Check out the [Binance connection guide](connect-your-binance-account-to-octobot), [Kucoin connection guide](connect-your-kucoin-account-to-octobot) or [Coinbase connection guide](connect-your-coinbase-account-to-octobot) if you have any question.  _Note: OctoBot will make sure that you have enough funds on your exchange account to start the chosen strategy_  4. Start your OctoBot to automate your investments with this strategy or basket. ## What will happen ? ### 1. Portfolio optimization Your OctoBot might balance your USD-associated coins (such as USDT, USDC etc), as well as coins traded by your strategy, that available in portfolio in order to create optimal conditions to start your strategy or crypto basket. Example: Let's imagine a portfolio with 100 USDC and 100 USDT. Starting a strategy that is using USDT will make OctoBot sell your USDC for USDT in order to be able to trade it with the selected strategy. :::info This process only uses the USD-associated coins as well as coins traded by your strategy from your portfolio. If you want the strategy to ignore a part of your funds, just move those funds to a coin that is not USD-associated or traded by your strategy. ::: ### 2. Investment execution Your OctoBot will now automatically apply the selected strategy or basket to your exchange account by creating buy and sell orders on the traded cryptocurrencies. As with [paper trading OctoBots](paper-trading-a-strategy), you can [follow your trading bot](follow-your-profits) just as usual. Please note that your funds always stay on your exchange account. OctoBot is just creating trading orders on your account but never accesses to your funds directly. In order to add another security layer, it is recommended to use API keys without withdrawal permission. :::info Pro tip: You can keep testing other investment strategies or baskets risk free using [paper trading](paper-trading-a-strategy), even when running a strategy or a basket with real funds. :::
Shown in full with attribution under the source's licence. Licence: GPL-3.0
This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.