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Setup Guide How it works About
Guide for new users

Set up ZTrader

Open a cloud server, create API keys and generate your .env configuration. We handle bot installation, Docker, HTTPS and security together!

ServerExchangeAINewsMacroTelegramDashboard.env
1

Cloud server (VPS) required

The bot needs to run 24/7, so you need a cloud server. We recommend these free options:

Oracle Cloud

Free forever

Always Free tier: 1 GB RAM, 1 CPU, 50 GB disk. Enough for the bot.

DigitalOcean / Hetzner

Easier setup, fast support, more stable.

Oracle Cloud (free)

  1. Go to cloud.oracle.com and create an account (credit card needed for verification, but you will NOT be charged)
  2. After registration, go to Compute → Instances → Create Instance
  3. Select Ubuntu 22.04 (or newer) as OS
  4. Shape: VM.Standard.E2.1.Micro (Always Free)
  5. Under "Add SSH keys" select "Generate a key pair" — download the private key (.key file)
  6. Click Create and wait for the instance to be RUNNING
  7. Copy the Public IP Address from the instance page
Compute > Instance Details Instance Name: ztrader-bot Shape: VM.Standard.E2.1.Micro (Always Free) OS: Ubuntu 22.04 Public IP: 130.162.xxx.xxx ⎘ Status: RUNNING
Oracle Cloud Instance — copy the Public IP address

Open ports (firewall)

The bot uses ports for the web dashboard. You need to open them in the Oracle Cloud console:

  1. Oracle Security List: Networking → Virtual Cloud Networks → your VCN → Security Lists → Default → Add Ingress Rule: Source CIDR 0.0.0.0/0, Destination Port 80,443, Protocol TCP
Save this information: the Public IP address and the downloaded SSH key file (.key). We will need them for installation.
You don't need to install anything on the server! We will run the automated installation (Docker, HTTPS, security) — you just open the server and send us the access details.
2

Crypto exchange account and API key required

ZTrader needs one crypto exchange account to trade on. Pick one — only one exchange is active at a time (set via CRYPTO_PROVIDER in the .env generator below).

Binance

Default · recommended

Largest selection of pairs, EUR pairs, lowest fees (~0.1%/trade). The walkthrough below covers Binance.

Kraken

Alternative

EU-regulated, trades in EUR. Slightly higher fees (~0.25%/trade). Good if Binance isn't available where you live.

OKX

Alternative

Trades in USDT, not EUR — set your active assets and capital in USDT (e.g. BTCUSDT). Requires an extra API passphrase.

Binance registration

  1. Go to binance.com/register
  2. Create an account with your email and a strong password
  3. Verify your email and set up 2FA (Google Authenticator or SMS)
  4. Complete KYC verification (ID card + selfie) — required for trading
Without KYC verification you cannot use Spot trading. The process takes 5-30 minutes.

Creating a Binance API key

  1. Log in to Binance → click the profile icon (top right)
  2. Go to Account → API Management
  3. Click "Create API" → select "System generated"
  4. Enter a label (e.g. "ZTrader Bot") and confirm with 2FA
  5. Copy the API Key and Secret Key — the Secret is shown ONLY ONCE!
API Management + Create API Label: ZTrader Bot API Key: vmPUauGm4K8s... ⎘ Secret Key: ALTRX3ps9vR7... ⎘ Permissions: ✓ Enable Spot & Margin Trading Enable Withdrawals Enable Futures NEVER enable!
Binance API Management — enable ONLY Spot Trading
Security: NEVER enable "Enable Withdrawals"! The bot only needs to buy and sell, not withdraw funds. If someone gets your API key, they cannot steal your money.
IP Whitelist (recommended): In the API settings you can restrict access to the server's IP address. This is an additional layer of protection.
Using Kraken or OKX instead? Create a trade-only API key (no withdrawal permission) on kraken.com/u/security/api or okx.com/account/my-api (OKX also requires an API passphrase). Then select your exchange in the .env generator below — matching fields will appear.
3

AI Provider required

ZTrader uses AI to make trading decisions. You can choose between four providers:

Claude (Anthropic)

Sonnet model, highest accuracy, best market understanding

Gemini (Google)

Free

Flash model, free tier, sufficient for the bot (15 req/min). Enables F14 Smart Exit Timing at no cost.

OpenAI (GPT)

GPT-5.x family, full primary provider just like Claude. Multiple model tiers from cheap (nano/mini) to flagship.

DeepSeek

V3 model, very cheap paid API (~7× cheaper than Claude), strong reasoning. Great mid-tier option.

Claude API key

  1. Go to console.anthropic.com and create an account
  2. Add a credit card in the Billing section
  3. Go to API Keys → Create Key
  4. Copy the key that starts with sk-ant-...

Gemini API key (free)

  1. Go to aistudio.google.com/apikey
  2. Log in with your Google account
  3. Click "Create API Key"
  4. Copy the key that starts with AIzaSy...

OpenAI API key (~$15-30/mo)

  1. Go to platform.openai.com/api-keys and create an account
  2. Add a payment method in the Billing section
  3. Click Create new secret key
  4. Copy the key that starts with sk-...

DeepSeek API key (~$1-3/mo)

  1. Go to platform.deepseek.com/api_keys and create an account
  2. Add credit in the Top Up section (minimum $5)
  3. Click Create new API key
  4. Copy the key that starts with sk-...
API Keys sk-ant-api03-**************************** Copy + Create Key Created: today
API Keys page — copy the key immediately after creation
Recommendation: If you're just starting out, choose Gemini — it's free and good enough. DeepSeek is a great low-cost option (~$1-3/mo). Switch to Claude or OpenAI GPT later for best accuracy.
4

Finnhub — news and sentiment free

  1. Go to finnhub.io/register and create a free account
  2. After registration, go to Dashboard
  3. The API Token is displayed right on the dashboard — copy it
Finnhub Dashboard API Token: cq5abc123def456ghi Plan: Free — 60 calls/min
Finnhub Dashboard — the token is visible immediately
Finnhub provides news about cryptocurrencies and stocks. The bot uses this news for sentiment analysis — helping the AI make better decisions.
5

FRED — macroeconomic data free

  1. Go to fred.stlouisfed.org and click "Request API Key"
  2. Create an account (name, email, organization — can be "Personal")
  3. The API Key will arrive by email or be displayed immediately
FRED — My API Keys Key: abc123def456ghi789jkl Limit: 120 requests/min
FRED API Key page
FRED provides data on interest rates (Fed Rate), inflation (CPI), dollar strength (DXY) and the yield curve. The AI uses this for macroeconomic context.
Reddit sentiment works automatically — the bot monitors r/CryptoCurrency, r/bitcoin, r/ethereum and other communities. It analyzes sentiment (bullish/bearish) and mention counts per asset. No API key required.
6

Telegram notifications optional

Create a Telegram bot

  1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
  2. Send it /newbot
  3. Enter the bot name (e.g. "My ZTrader Bot")
  4. Enter the bot username (e.g. "my_ztrader_bot") — must end with "bot"
  5. BotFather gives you a token — copy it
@BotFather /newbot Done! Your new bot is created. Token: 7123456789:AAF-abc123def_ghiJKL456 Copy this token!
BotFather conversation — the token is in the format 123456:ABC-def

Find your Chat ID

  1. Send any message to your NEW bot (to activate it)
  2. Open in your browser: https://api.telegram.org/bot<TOKEN>/getUpdates (replace <TOKEN> with your token)
  3. In the JSON response find "chat":{"id":123456789}
  4. That number is your Chat ID
Alternative: Send a message to @userinfobot — it immediately returns your Chat ID.
7

Web Push notifications optional

Push notifications work through the browser (PWA) — independent of Telegram. VAPID keys are required.

Generate VAPID keys

  1. On a computer with Node.js, run: npx web-push generate-vapid-keys
  2. Copy the Public Key and Private Key
$ npx web-push generate-vapid-keys Public Key: BNcRdreALRDI1x5p0kHPj_y3... Private Key: 3KzvKasA2SoCxsp0iIG_o9...
Terminal output — copy both keys
If you don't have Node.js, skip this step. Push notifications are a bonus — Telegram already covers all notifications.
8

Dashboard settings required

API Key for the dashboard

This is the password for accessing the web dashboard. It can be any string — use the generator below or create your own.

Action Password

Additional password for dangerous actions (buy, sell, start/stop bot). Minimum 6 characters.

Capital

How much money do you want to allocate per asset class? The bot will never spend more than this amount.

Recommendation for beginners: Start with 200-500 EUR for crypto only. Add stocks and commodities later once you're confident the bot is working well.
ZTrader Login API Key: sk_my_secret_key_123... Log in
Dashboard login — the API Key is your access password
✓

Send us the data last step

What we need from you

  1. Generate the .env file using the form below
  2. Send us:
    • .env file (download with the "Download .env file" button)
    • SSH key (.key file from step 1)
    • Public IP address of the server (from step 1)
  3. We run the automated installation: Docker, HTTPS, security, monitoring
  4. In 10-15 minutes you get a link to your dashboard!
Paper trading: The bot always starts in testnet mode first (fake money). Once you're satisfied everything works, we switch to real trading.
Advisory mode is ON by default: ZTrader starts in advisory mode — the AI proposes each buy/sell and you confirm it within 30 minutes. When you're comfortable with how the AI trades, you can enable Autopilot (one-click in the dashboard) for fully automatic execution.
IMPORTANT: The .env file contains all your keys. Send it ONLY to us and NEVER publish it on the internet!

Generate .env configuration

Fill in the fields with the keys you created in the steps above. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk.

Crypto Exchange (step 2)
AI Provider (step 3)
Data sources (steps 4-5)
Telegram (step 6)
Web Push (step 7)
Dashboard (step 8)
Capital (EUR)
How many EUR to allocate for crypto trading (BTC, ETH, SOL, BNB, XRP)
Active assets
Crypto assets (Binance EUR pairs, e.g. BTCEUR, DOGEEUR, ADAEUR). You can add new ones from the dashboard.
Stocks (IBKR, e.g. AAPL, TSLA, META). You can add new ones from the dashboard.
Commodities (IBKR CFD). IBUSOIL requires EIA_API_KEY. You can add new ones from the dashboard.
EIA API (optional — for oil)
Free: eia.gov/opendata — required for IBUSOIL (oil CFD).
DuckDNS — free domain + HTTPS (optional)
For HTTPS dashboard access, register a free subdomain at duckdns.org. Example: my-trader.duckdns.org
Telemetry (reports)
The bot automatically sends status reports (PnL, positions, AI accuracy) every 4h to the central server.
Additional settings
# Click "Preview" to see the .env file preview

⚖ Legal Disclaimer

This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Nothing contained herein should be interpreted as a recommendation or endorsement to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or related asset.

Cryptocurrency investments carry a high level of risk and are highly volatile. Prices can fluctuate significantly in a short period of time, and you may lose all or a substantial portion of your investment. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Before making any investment decisions, you should conduct your own thorough research and consider consulting with a qualified financial advisor or professional who understands your individual financial situation and risk tolerance.

By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and accept all risks associated with cryptocurrency investments and agree that you are solely responsible for your own investment decisions.

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