Cryptocurrency markets move fast—extremely fast. For traders, analysts, and developers, staying ahead means accessing accurate, real-time data with minimal latency. AKShare, a powerful open-source financial data toolkit, offers specialized interfaces to retrieve cryptocurrency market data, institutional Bitcoin holdings, and CME-traded crypto derivatives volume. This guide explores how to leverage AKShare’s crypto-focused functions to gain actionable insights into digital asset trends.
Whether you're tracking live Bitcoin prices across global exchanges or analyzing institutional adoption through Bitcoin balance reports, AKShare delivers structured, reliable data in Python-friendly formats. Below, we break down the core functionalities available and how they support informed decision-making in today’s dynamic blockchain economy.
Real-Time Cryptocurrency Market Data
One of the most valuable features in AKShare is the crypto_js_spot
interface, which provides real-time cryptocurrency spot pricing from major global exchanges.
Key Features
- Retrieves current market quotes for leading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Covers multiple trading pairs across regions including USD, EUR, JPY
- Includes 24-hour price range, volume, and change metrics
- Returns timestamped updates for precision analysis
Output Parameters Explained
- Market: Exchange name and location (e.g., Bitfinex (Hong Kong))
- Trading Pair: Cryptocurrency pair being tracked (e.g., BTCUSD)
- Latest Quote: Current market price
- Change Amount / Change Percentage: 24-hour price movement
- 24H High / Low: Price extremes over the past day
- 24H Volume: Trading activity in base currency—be mindful of units
- Update Time: Timestamp of data refresh
Sample Code
import akshare as ak
crypto_js_spot_df = ak.crypto_js_spot()
print(crypto_js_spot_df)
This function pulls live data from Jin10's financial data center, ensuring broad coverage and timely updates. It’s ideal for building dashboards, executing algorithmic trading strategies, or conducting comparative exchange analysis.
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Bitcoin Institutional Holding Reports
Understanding who owns Bitcoin—and how much—is crucial for gauging market sentiment and long-term price direction. The crypto_bitcoin_hold_report
function delivers a comprehensive view of institutional Bitcoin holdings, including public companies, ETFs, governments, and private entities.
Why This Matters
Institutional adoption signals confidence in Bitcoin as a store of value. Tracking changes in holdings helps anticipate macro-level shifts in supply distribution and investor behavior.
Data Fields Included
- Company Name (EN/CN): Dual-language identification
- Country/Region: Geographic origin of holder
- Market Cap: Total company valuation
- Bitcoin Weight in Market Cap (%): Shows BTC’s strategic importance
- Holding Cost & Quantity: Acquisition insights
- Current Holding Value: Realized vs unrealized gain estimation
- Classification: Entity type (e.g.,上市公司 = listed company, ETF, government)
- Multiplier: Leverage or exposure factor (if applicable)
Use Cases
- Monitor whale movements via public filings
- Analyze correlation between stock performance and BTC reserves
- Evaluate ETF inflows/outflows by tracking trust holdings
Sample Usage
import akshare as ak
hold_report = ak.crypto_bitcoin_hold_report()
print(hold_report)
The dataset includes well-known adopters like MicroStrategy (MSTR), Tesla (TSLA), and Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), enabling direct benchmarking across institutions.
CME Bitcoin Futures & Options Volume Reports
For derivatives traders and macro analysts, futures market activity reveals institutional positioning and hedging behavior. AKShare’s crypto_bitcoin_cme
interface fetches official CME Group Bitcoin derivatives volume data.
Function Details
- Input: Specify date as string (e.g.,
date="20230830"
) - Source: Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), a regulated U.S. derivatives marketplace
- Granular Breakdown by contract type
Output Metrics
- Product: Bitcoin or Micro Bitcoin
- Type: Futures, Options, Calls (看涨), Puts (看跌)
- Electronic Contracts: Traded on CME Globex
- Pit-Traded Contracts: Floor-traded (often zero in modern markets)
- OTC Contracts: Privately negotiated deals
- Total Volume: Daily turnover
- Open Interest: Outstanding contracts
- Position Change: Net new/liquidated positions
Strategic Value
Rising open interest alongside increasing volume may indicate fresh institutional entry. Conversely, declining positions could signal profit-taking or risk reduction.
Example Query
import akshare as ak
cme_data = ak.crypto_bitcoin_cme(date="20230830")
print(cme_data)
This data helps assess sentiment beyond spot markets and complements on-chain analytics tools.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is AKShare used for?
AKShare is an open-source Python library designed to retrieve financial data from various sources, including stocks, futures, cryptocurrencies, economic indicators, and more. It’s widely used by quant researchers, traders, and fintech developers for backtesting, visualization, and real-time monitoring.
Is AKShare free to use?
Yes, AKShare is completely free and open-source under the MIT license. No registration or API key is required for most endpoints, making it accessible for individual users and educational projects.
Does AKShare support historical cryptocurrency data?
While the discussed functions focus on real-time or daily reports, AKShare also offers additional modules for historical price data from exchanges like Binance and Huobi. Always verify endpoint availability due to third-party source limitations.
How accurate is the Bitcoin holding report?
The data reflects publicly disclosed holdings from corporate filings and official announcements. While highly reliable for listed entities and ETFs, some private firms may not disclose full positions, so the report represents known institutional exposure rather than total global ownership.
Can I integrate AKShare with trading bots?
Absolutely. The structured DataFrame output works seamlessly with pandas, NumPy, and backtesting libraries like Backtrader or Zipline. Many developers use AKShare as a foundational data layer in automated trading systems.
Are there rate limits when using AKShare?
Since AKShare relies on third-party websites, aggressive scraping may trigger IP blocks. For production use, implement delays between requests and consider caching mechanisms to avoid overloading source servers.
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👉 Access institutional-grade crypto analytics with powerful trading tools
By combining AKShare’s robust data retrieval capabilities with strategic analysis frameworks, users can build sophisticated models that reflect both retail and institutional dynamics in the evolving digital asset landscape. Whether you're monitoring live prices or studying macro trends through ETF flows and CME derivatives, these tools empower deeper insight into one of today’s most dynamic financial markets.