Reviewed guide | 2026-10-15
Creating an OKX API Key for a Tax or Portfolio Tool Without Over-Sharing
Australians connecting OKX to a crypto tax or portfolio app can create a read-only API key, bind it to an IP address where offered, and audit it later. Step-by-step settings.
OKX | Australia | AUD | fees, access and account safety
Around tax time, many Australians link their OKX account to a crypto tax calculator or a portfolio tracker. These services ask for an API key, and the settings you choose decide what that key can do if it ever leaks. A tool that only needs to read your history has no business holding trading or withdrawal permission. OKX gives you granular controls, and taking five minutes to set them properly limits the damage from a breach at a third party you do not control.
Open the API page and name the key
On the OKX website, open your profile menu and select API. Choose Create API key, then give it a name that identifies the service, such as the tax app's name and the year. Naming matters later, when you return to the list and need to know which key belongs to which tool. OKX will ask you to set a passphrase for the key; store it in your password manager, because it is needed alongside the key and secret.
Grant read only and nothing else
In the permissions section tick Read and leave Trade and Withdraw unticked. Tax and tracking services only need to pull balances, trades, deposits and withdrawals. If a service insists on trading permission for basic reporting, treat that as a reason to look for another provider. Review the permissions summary before confirming, because it is easy to leave a default box checked.
Restrict by IP address where the service allows it
OKX lets you bind a key to specific IP addresses. Many reputable tax tools publish the fixed addresses their servers use; copy those into the IP field. A bound key cannot be used from anywhere else, which makes a stolen copy far less useful. If the service has no published list, leave the field empty but keep the key read only, and know that some unbound keys expire after a period of inactivity under OKX rules shown on the API page.
Audit and remove keys you no longer use
Once a quarter, return to the API page and compare the list with the services you actually use. Delete keys for tools you have cancelled, and recreate a key if you suspect the secret was exposed in an email or screenshot. Check your OKX login and API activity history at the same time for anything unfamiliar.
Risk boundary: OKX Australia Guide
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Scenario checkpoint
- Name every API key after the service it belongs to so the list stays easy to audit.
- Tick only the Read permission for tax and tracking tools and leave trading unticked.
- Bind the key to the provider's published server IP addresses whenever they offer them.
- Delete keys for cancelled tools during a quarterly review of the OKX API page.
Digital assets are volatile and derivatives can amplify losses. This website has no login, wallet connection, deposit form or customer-support chat.