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Example code for C# REST and WebSocket API

Last updated: April 2, 2025
Introduction

Below is a C# example script that can be referenced for both the REST and WebSocket Implementation of the Kraken API.

It demo's the following functionality:
•
Public REST API Endpoints
•
Private REST API Endpoints
•
Public WebSocket API Subscriptions
•
Private WebSocket API Subscriptions
Installation

To run locally, you can copy/paste the code below.

Note that setting the if statement of 1 == 0 to 1 == 1 will execute the specific block of code.

Before running the script, you need to update the script with your Public and Private API Keys.

You can download this file here.
C# Code

Bash
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Net.WebSockets;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace KrakenCSharpExampleConsole
{
    class Program
    {
        static async Task Main(string[] args)
        {
            // TODO: UPDATE WITH YOUR KEYS :)
            string apiPublicKey = "YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY";
            string apiPrivateKey = "YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY";

            try
            {
                System.Console.WriteLine("|=========================================|");
                System.Console.WriteLine("|         KRAKEN.COM C# TEST APP          |");
                System.Console.WriteLine("|=========================================|");
                System.Console.WriteLine();

                #region Public REST API Examples

                if (1 == 0)
                {
                    string publicResponse = "";

                    string publicEndpoint = "SystemStatus";
                    string publicInputParameters = "";

                    // MORE PUBLIC REST EXAMPLES
                    // *

                    // string publicEndpoint = "AssetPairs";
                    // string publicInputParameters = "pair=ethusd,xbtusd";

                    // string publicEndpoint = "Ticker";
                    // string publicInputParameters = "pair=ethusd";

                    // string publicEndpoint = "Trades";
                    // string publicInputParameters = "pair=ethusd&since=0";

                    // *

                    publicResponse = await QueryPublicEndpoint(publicEndpoint, publicInputParameters);
                    System.Console.WriteLine(publicResponse);
                }

                #endregion

                #region Private REST API Examples

                if (1 == 0)
                {
                    string privateResponse = "";

                    string privateEndpoint = "Balance";
                    string privateInputParameters = "";

                    // MORE PRIVATE REST EXAMPLES
                    // *

                    // string privateEndpoint = "AddOrder";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "pair=xbteur&type=buy&ordertype=limit&price=1.00&volume=1";

                    // string privateEndpoint = "AddOrder";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "pair=xdgeur&type=sell&ordertype=limit&volume=3000&price=%2b10.0%"; // Positive Percentage Example

                    // string privateEndpoint = "AddOrder";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "pair=xdgeur&type=sell&ordertype=limit&volume=3000&price=-10.0%"; // Negative Percentage Example

                    // string privateEndpoint = "AddOrder";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "pair=xdgeur&type=buy&ordertype=market&volume=3000&userref=789"; // Userref Example

                    // string privateEndpoint = "Balance";
                    // string privateInputParameters = ""; //{"error":[]} IS SUCCESS, Means EMPTY BALANCE

                    // string privateEndpoint = "QueryOrders";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "txid=OFUSL6-GXIIT-KZ2JDJ";

                    // string privateEndpoint = "AddOrder";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "pair=xdgusd&type=buy&ordertype=market&volume=5000";

                    // string privateEndpoint = "DepositAddresses";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "asset=xbt&method=Bitcoin";

                    // string privateEndpoint = "DepositMethods";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "asset=eth";

                    // string privateEndpoint = "WalletTransfer";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "asset=xbt&to=Futures Wallet&from=Spot Wallet&amount=0.0045";

                    // string privateEndpoint = "TradesHistory";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "start=1577836800&end=1609459200";

                    // string privateEndpoint = "GetWebSocketsToken";
                    // string privateInputParameters = "";

                    // *

                    privateResponse = await QueryPrivateEndpoint(privateEndpoint, privateInputParameters, apiPublicKey, apiPrivateKey);
                    System.Console.WriteLine(privateResponse);
                }

                #endregion

                #region Public WebSocket API Examples

                if (1 == 0)
                {
                    string publicWebSocketURL = "wss://ws.kraken.com/";
                    string publicWebSocketSubscriptionMsg = "{ \"event\": \"subscribe\", \"subscription\": { \"name\": \"ticker\"}, \"pair\": [ \"XBT/EUR\",\"ETH/USD\" ]}";

                    // MORE PUBLIC WEBSOCKET EXAMPLES
                    // *

                    // string publicWebSocketSubscriptionMsg = "{ \"event\": \"subscribe\", \"subscription\": { \"interval\": 1440, \"name\": \"ohlc\"}, \"pair\": [ \"XBT/EUR\"]}";

                    // string publicWebSocketSubscriptionMsg = "{ \"event\": \"subscribe\", \"subscription\": { \"name\": \"spread\"}, \"pair\": [ \"XBT/EUR\",\"ETH/USD\" ]}";

                    // *

                    await OpenAndStreamWebSocketSubscription(publicWebSocketURL, publicWebSocketSubscriptionMsg);
                }

                #endregion

                #region Private WebSocket API Examples

                if (1 == 0)
                {
                    string privateWebSocketURL = "wss://ws-auth.kraken.com/";

                    // GET AND EXTRACT THE WEBSOCKET TOKEN FROM THE JSON RESPONSE
                    string webSocketRestResponseJSON = await QueryPrivateEndpoint("GetWebSocketsToken", "", apiPublicKey, apiPrivateKey);

                    var splits = webSocketRestResponseJSON.Split(new string[] { "\"token\":\"", "\"}}" }, StringSplitOptions.None);
                    string webSocketToken = splits[1];

                    string privateWebSocketSubscriptionMsg = "{ \"event\": \"subscribe\", \"subscription\": { \"name\": \"ownTrades\", \"token\": \"#TOKEN#\"}}";

                    // MORE PRIVATE WEBSOCKET EXAMPLES
                    // *

                    // #TOKEN# IS A PLACEHOLDER

                    // string privateWebSocketSubscriptionMsg = "{ \"event\": \"subscribe\", \"subscription\": { \"name\": \"openOrders\", \"token\": \"#TOKEN#\"}}";

                    // string privateWebSocketSubscriptionMsg = "{ \"event\": \"subscribe\", \"subscription\": { \"name\": \"balances\", \"token\": \"#TOKEN#\"}}";

                    // string addOrderExample = "{\"event\":\"addOrder\",\"reqid\":1234,\"ordertype\":\"limit\",\"pair\":\"XBT/EUR\",\"token\":\"#TOKEN#\",\"type\":\"buy\",\"volume\":\"1\", \"price\":\"1.00\"}";

                    // *

                    // REPLACE PLACEHOLDER WITH TOKEN
                    privateWebSocketSubscriptionMsg = privateWebSocketSubscriptionMsg.Replace("#TOKEN#", webSocketToken);
                    await OpenAndStreamWebSocketSubscription(privateWebSocketURL, privateWebSocketSubscriptionMsg);
                }

                #endregion

                System.Console.WriteLine();
                System.Console.WriteLine("|=========================================|");
                System.Console.WriteLine("|      END OF PROGRAM, HAVE A NICE DAY :) |");
                System.Console.WriteLine("|=========================================|");
                System.Console.WriteLine();
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                System.Console.WriteLine();
                System.Console.WriteLine("AN EXCEPTION OCCURRED :(");
                System.Console.WriteLine(e.ToString());
            }
        }

        #region Public REST API Endpoints

        private static async Task<string> QueryPublicEndpoint(string endpointName, string inputParameters)
        {
            string jsonData;
            string baseDomain = "https://api.kraken.com";
            string publicPath = "/0/public/";
            string apiEndpointFullURL = baseDomain + publicPath + endpointName + "?" + inputParameters;

            using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
            {
                jsonData = await client.GetStringAsync(apiEndpointFullURL);
            }
            return jsonData;
        }

        #endregion

        #region Private REST API Endpoints

        private static async Task<string> QueryPrivateEndpoint(string endpointName, string inputParameters, string apiPublicKey, string apiPrivateKey)
        {
            string baseDomain = "https://api.kraken.com";
            string privatePath = "/0/private/";

            string apiEndpointFullURL = baseDomain + privatePath + endpointName;
            string nonce = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.ToUnixTimeSeconds().ToString();
            if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(inputParameters))
            {
                inputParameters = "&" + inputParameters;
            }
            string apiPostBodyData = "nonce=" + nonce + inputParameters;
            string signature = CreateAuthenticationSignature(apiPrivateKey, privatePath, endpointName, nonce, inputParameters);

            string jsonData;
            using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
            {
                client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Clear();
                client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("API-Key", apiPublicKey);
                client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("API-Sign", signature);
                client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("User-Agent", "KrakenDotNet Client");

                StringContent data = new StringContent(apiPostBodyData, Encoding.UTF8, "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
                HttpResponseMessage response = await client.PostAsync(apiEndpointFullURL, data);
                jsonData = response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().Result;
            }
            return jsonData;
        }

        #endregion

        #region Authentication Algorithm

        public static string CreateAuthenticationSignature(string apiPrivateKey, string apiPath, string endpointName, string nonce, string inputParams)
        {
            byte[] sha256Hash = ComputeSha256Hash(nonce, inputParams);
            byte[] sha512Hash = ComputeSha512Hash(apiPrivateKey, sha256Hash, apiPath, endpointName, nonce, inputParams);
            string signatureString = Convert.ToBase64String(sha512Hash);
            return signatureString;
        }

        private static byte[] ComputeSha256Hash(string nonce, string inputParams)
        {
            byte[] sha256Hash;
            string sha256HashData = nonce.ToString() + "nonce=" + nonce.ToString() + inputParams;

            using (var sha = SHA256.Create())
            {
                sha256Hash = sha.ComputeHash(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(sha256HashData));
            }
            return sha256Hash;
        }

        private static byte[] ComputeSha512Hash(string apiPrivateKey, byte[] sha256Hash, string apiPath, string endpointName, string nonce, string inputParams)
        {
            string apiEndpointPath = apiPath + endpointName;
            byte[] apiEndpointPathBytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(apiEndpointPath);
            byte[] sha512HashData = apiEndpointPathBytes.Concat(sha256Hash).ToArray();
            HMACSHA512 encryptor = new HMACSHA512(Convert.FromBase64String(apiPrivateKey));
            byte[] sha512Hash = encryptor.ComputeHash(sha512HashData);
            return sha512Hash;
        }

        #endregion

        #region WebSocket API

        private static async Task OpenAndStreamWebSocketSubscription(string connectionURL, string webSocketSubscription)
        {
            try
            {
                ClientWebSocket webSocketClient = new ClientWebSocket();
                CancellationTokenSource stoppingToken = new CancellationTokenSource();

                // OPEN CONNECTION
                await webSocketClient.ConnectAsync(new Uri(connectionURL), CancellationToken.None);
                System.Console.WriteLine("WEBSOCKET CONNECTION OPEN!");

                // SEND SUBSCRIPTION MESSAGE
                System.Console.WriteLine("WEBSOCKET SUBSCRIPTION MESSAGE:");
                System.Console.WriteLine(webSocketSubscription);
                if (webSocketClient.State == WebSocketState.Open)
                {
                    await webSocketClient.SendAsync(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(webSocketSubscription), WebSocketMessageType.Text, true, stoppingToken.Token);
                }

                // RECEIVE AND PRINT MESSAGE
                do
                {
                    await ReceiveMessage(webSocketClient, stoppingToken.Token);
                } while (webSocketClient.State == WebSocketState.Open);

                // CLOSE CONNECTION
                await webSocketClient.CloseOutputAsync(WebSocketCloseStatus.NormalClosure, "", stoppingToken.Token);
            }
            catch (OperationCanceledException)
            {
                // DO NOTHING - ASSUME WAS REQUESTED
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                throw ex;
            }
        }

        private static async Task ReceiveMessage(ClientWebSocket socket, CancellationToken stoppingToken)
        {
            var buffer = new ArraySegment<byte>(new byte[2048]);
            while (!stoppingToken.IsCancellationRequested)
            {
                WebSocketReceiveResult result;
                using (var ms = new MemoryStream())
                {
                    do
                    {
                        result = await socket.ReceiveAsync(buffer, stoppingToken);
                        ms.Write(buffer.Array, buffer.Offset, result.Count);
                    } while (!result.EndOfMessage);

                    if (result.MessageType == WebSocketMessageType.Close)
                    {
                        break;
                    }

                    string wsMsg = "";
                    ms.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);
                    using (var reader = new StreamReader(ms, Encoding.UTF8))
                    {
                        wsMsg = await reader.ReadToEndAsync();
                    }
                    string msgTime = DateTime.Now.ToString("dd-MMM-yyyy HH:mm:ss") + ": ";
                    System.Console.WriteLine(msgTime + wsMsg);
                }
            }
        }

        #endregion
    }
}
Example code for C# REST and WebSocket API

Introduction

Installation

C# Code

Need more help?
