Getting Started

Make your first API call in five minutes. You need an account that has finished onboarding.

1. Create a key

In the app, open More → API and click Create. View (read only) is enough to look around; add Trade if you’ll place orders or deploy. Step by step: Create an API key.

The key is shown once. Store it like a password.

2. Set it up

export CAPITALAI_API_KEY=...
export CAPITALAI_API_URL=https://capital.ai

3. Check who you are

curl "$CAPITALAI_API_URL/api/v1/whoami" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CAPITALAI_API_KEY"

const res = await fetch(`${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_URL}/api/v1/whoami`, {
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_KEY}` },
});
console.log(await res.json());

{ "accountId": "acc_123" }

A 401 means the key is wrong or revoked. See Authentication.

4. Check the account is open

curl "$CAPITALAI_API_URL/api/onboarding/status" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CAPITALAI_API_KEY"

const res = await fetch(`${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_URL}/api/onboarding/status`, {
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_KEY}` },
});
console.log(await res.json());

status must be active before anything below works. See Account Opening.

5. Place an order

This step trades on the exchange and needs the Trade scope. Pick a contract from the Markets page, for example H100SXM-11-26, and buy one at a limit price. Prices are whole dollars per contract, in cents.

curl -X POST "$CAPITALAI_API_URL/api/v1/compute/commands" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CAPITALAI_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "request_id": "0b1f0a4e-7c1e-4a44-9b1a-0a1e3c2d4f55",
    "command": {
      "type": "place_order",
      "instrument_id": "H100SXM-11-26",
      "side": "buy",
      "lots": "1",
      "price_cents": "140000",
      "time_in_force": "GTC"
    }
  }'

const res = await fetch(`${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_URL}/api/v1/compute/commands`, {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    request_id: crypto.randomUUID(),
    command: {
      type: 'place_order',
      instrument_id: 'H100SXM-11-26',
      side: 'buy',
      lots: '1',
      price_cents: '140000',
      time_in_force: 'GTC',
    },
  }),
});
console.log(await res.json());

{ "request_id": "0b1f0a4e-…", "status": "COMMITTED", "object_id": "8123" }

COMMITTED means the exchange accepted the order; object_id is its order ID, which cancels it. REJECTED carries a message saying why. Every field is explained in Orders.

6. Deploy what you hold

Once you hold a provider’s BASIS contract and the GPU contract for the same month, ask for the machines:

curl -X POST "$CAPITALAI_API_URL/api/v1/compute/deployments" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CAPITALAI_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"basis_symbol": "BBA-10-26", "gpu_symbol": "H100SXM-10-26", "gpus": 8}'

const res = await fetch(`${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_URL}/api/v1/compute/deployments`, {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ basis_symbol: 'BBA-10-26', gpu_symbol: 'H100SXM-10-26', gpus: 8 }),
});
console.log(await res.json());

The deployment comes back as requested. Ops provisions the machines and sends access by email; its status moves to active. See Deployments.

7. Watch it in your activity

curl "$CAPITALAI_API_URL/api/v1/transactions?limit=20" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CAPITALAI_API_KEY"

const res = await fetch(`${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_URL}/api/v1/transactions?limit=20`, {
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CAPITALAI_API_KEY}` },
});
console.log(await res.json());

The contracts, prices and fees: Contracts.
Fund the account from code: Funding Overview.
Every endpoint: start at Account.

Introduction

Using the App

Compute

Accounts

Funding

1. Create a key

2. Set it up

3. Check who you are

4. Check the account is open

5. Place an order

6. Deploy what you hold

7. Watch it in your activity

Next

​1. Create a key

​2. Set it up

​3. Check who you are

​4. Check the account is open

​5. Place an order

​6. Deploy what you hold

​7. Watch it in your activity

​Next

1. Create a key

2. Set it up

3. Check who you are

4. Check the account is open

5. Place an order

6. Deploy what you hold

7. Watch it in your activity

Next