Connect Alpaca Paper or Live trading
Set up an Alpaca Paper Connector in CoinRobot and understand the requirements for moving to Live trading. This example uses fake credentials and simulated balances; it does not move real money, complete a real Alpaca API test or start a Live Plan.
Connect Alpaca Paper or Live trading — MP4 · SRT
Understand Alpaca’s role
Alpaca is a broker for US stocks and ETFs, not a crypto exchange. Your USD cash and securities remain with Alpaca.
Review the Alpaca guide and use cash-funded, non-leveraged positions. Observe the broker’s eligibility, settlement and trading rules.
Keep Paper and Live separate
Paper trading uses a simulated Alpaca account, while Live trading uses real funds. Each environment has its own API keys.
Match the Connector to the environment exactly. A Paper key will not work with the Live Connector.
Prepare USD funding for Live use
Review Fund the account with USD in the Alpaca guide. For Live use, follow the funding instructions inside your own Alpaca account and wait until cash is available for trading.
Supported bank transfers and services such as Wise depend on your region and current terms. Never copy bank details from a tutorial. The Paper example does not move real money.
Select Alpaca Paper
Open Connectors and review the Alpaca Live and Alpaca Paper choices. Select Alpaca Paper for this example.
When you are ready for Live trading, create a separate Live Connector with Live credentials. Keep the educational Paper setup separate from real trading.
Name the Connector and select securities
Give the Connector a clear environment-specific name, such as Demo Alpaca Paper. Select supported stocks and ETFs; this example uses AAPL and MSFT.
US market sessions and holidays affect trading. No trade during a closed market does not itself mean the Connector is broken.
Enter the matching API credentials
Enter the Alpaca credentials for the selected environment in Key ID and Secret Key. The example uses unusable demo strings and makes no broker request.
CoinRobot does not need your broker password or two-factor code. Keep secrets private. If a real key is exposed, regenerate it at Alpaca and update the Connector.
Save and test access
Save the Connector. For your own setup, use Test with your real credentials for the selected environment.
If a test fails, check the environment, active credentials, approval for trading and available USD. Test and New Plan are not run in this demonstration, and no real Alpaca API test is claimed.
Review account balances
On Dashboard, expand Open position balances by connector, select Alpaca and load the full account balance.
Compare USD cash and securities with robot allocations before committing capital to a new Plan. The example USD and AAPL balances are simulated, not actual broker results.
Move to Live deliberately
Use a separate Live Connector, real Live keys and settled cash. Review the strategy and risk settings before starting any Plan.
Consult the Alpaca guide for current funding, market-hours and account restrictions. No Live Plan is started in this example.