⚠️ Security First
NEVER grant trading or transfer permissions! Only enable view permissions as described
below. Coinbase uses advanced EC (Elliptic Curve) cryptography for authentication.
Step-by-Step Instructions
-
Log in to your Coinbase account
Go to Coinbase.com and sign in
-
Navigate to API Settings
Click on your profile → Settings → API
-
Create a new API key
Click New API Key
-
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Select Cloud API Trading Keys
Choose "Cloud API Trading Keys" (NOT "Legacy OAuth")
-
Name your API key
Enter a descriptive name like: "CryptoDashboard ReadOnly"
-
⚠️ CRITICAL: Set Permissions
This is the most important step:
- ✅ View - CHECK THIS BOX
wallet:accounts:readwallet:transactions:read
- ❌ Trade - DO NOT CHECK
- ❌ Transfer - DO NOT CHECK
-
Download the JSON credentials file
After creating the key, Coinbase will prompt you to download a JSON file. Save this file
securely!
-
Extract credentials from JSON file
Open the downloaded JSON file in a text editor. You'll see something like:
{
"name": "organizations/abc-123-def/apiKeys/xyz-456-ghi",
"privateKey": "-----BEGIN EC PRIVATE KEY-----\nMHcCAQ...your-key-data...xyz\n-----END EC PRIVATE KEY-----\n"
}
-
Copy the credentials
- API Key: Copy the entire
"name" field value (the long
organizations/apiKeys string)
- API Secret: Copy the ENTIRE
"privateKey" value,
including the BEGIN and END lines
-
Paste into CryptoDashboardPlus
Return to the "Connect Exchange" modal:
- API Key → Paste the "name" value
- API Secret → Paste the FULL privateKey (with headers)
🔐 Private Key Format
For the API Secret field, you must paste the FULL private key exactly as shown in the JSON,
including the header and footer lines:
-----BEGIN EC PRIVATE KEY-----
MHcCAQEEIBcD8K...your-actual-key-data-here...4K8oAoGCCqG
SM49AwEHoUQDQgAE...more-key-data...Qw==
-----END EC PRIVATE KEY-----
Do NOT paste only the middle part or modify the format in any way.
✅ What CryptoDashboardPlus Can Do
With view-only permissions, the app can:
- View your account balances
- Read your transaction history
- Access your wallet information
What it CANNOT do:
- ❌ Execute trades
- ❌ Send or withdraw funds
- ❌ Transfer crypto
- ❌ Modify account settings
Official Documentation
For more details, refer to Coinbase's official guide:
📚 Coinbase Cloud API Documentation
Troubleshooting
- Invalid key format error? Make sure you copied the FULL private key including BEGIN/END
lines
- Authentication failed? Verify you're using Cloud API Trading Keys, not Legacy OAuth
- "Invalid signature" error? Check that the private key wasn't modified (no extra spaces or
line breaks)
- Permission denied? Ensure "View" permission is checked for wallet:accounts:read and
wallet:transactions:read
- Can't find the JSON file? You must download it immediately after creating the key -
Coinbase won't show it again
⚠️ Disclaimer
CryptoDashboardPlus is an independent third-party tool and is NOT affiliated with, endorsed by, or
officially supported by Coinbase. We use publicly available APIs for integration. Any issues with
API access should be directed to Coinbase support.