Kalshi API Guide: How to Generate and Use Your API Key
Kalshi offers a public API that gives you programmatic access to your trading data. This guide explains what it is, how to get your key, and what you can actually do with it — no coding required.
What is the Kalshi API?
An API (Application Programming Interface) is a way for software to talk to software. Kalshi's API lets you — or tools you authorize — pull your trading data automatically, without having to log in and export CSVs manually.
Kalshi offers two types of API keys: full access (can trade) and read-only(can only read data). For analytics tools like Predict Dash, you only need read-only — which means there's no risk to your account.
What a read-only API key can and can't do
Can do
- Read your full trade history
- Check your account balance
- View open positions
- Pull market data and prices
- See settled contracts
Cannot do
- Place or cancel trades (read-only key)
- Withdraw or deposit funds
- Change account settings
- Access other users' data
How to generate your Kalshi API key
Go to your Kalshi profile settings
Visit kalshi.com/account/profile and scroll down to the API section. You'll need to be logged in.
Generate a new API key
Click "Create API Key". Give it a name like "Predict Dash" so you remember what it's for. Select read-only access.
Copy your Key ID and Private Key
Kalshi will show you a Key ID and a Private Key. Copy both — the Private Key is only shown once, so don't close the window until you've saved it.
Paste into Predict Dash
Go to the Sync page in your Predict Dash dashboard, paste both values, and click Sync. Your full trade history will load in seconds.
What can you actually do with your Kalshi API key?
On its own, an API key is just a credential. The value comes from tools that use it.
Predict Dash uses your read-only API key to pull your complete trade history and calculate analytics that Kalshi's native dashboard doesn't provide — things like win rate by market category, your equity curve over time, profit distribution, and a daily PnL calendar showing exactly which days you made or lost money.
Most active Kalshi traders find patterns in their data they wouldn't have noticed otherwise — like consistently losing in a specific market type, or performing significantly better in certain conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Is my API key stored anywhere?
No. Predict Dash uses your credentials once to pull your trade history and then immediately discards them. They are never written to a database.
Can a read-only API key place trades?
No. A read-only API key is technically incapable of submitting orders, withdrawing funds, or making any changes to your account. It can only read data.
What if I want to revoke access?
Delete the API key from your Kalshi profile settings at any time. Your synced data in Predict Dash will remain, but future syncs will stop until you add a new key.
How often should I sync?
Whenever you want updated data. Predict Dash doesn't auto-sync on a schedule — you trigger a sync manually from the dashboard. Most traders sync after a trading session.
Ready to put your API key to work?
Connect your Kalshi account and see your full trading analytics in under 2 minutes.