Using the Bitflyer Websocket Tick API for Real-Time Trading (2025 Guide)

Introduction to Bitflyer Websocket Tick

Understanding Websocket Ticks on Bitflyer

• Arbitrage Bots: Monitor price discrepancies across exchanges in real time.
• Scalping: Execute rapid trades based on micro price movements.
• Market Analytics: Build dashboards for market depth, volatility, and liquidity.

Overview of the Bitflyer Websocket API

JSON-RPC 2.0 Compliance

Public vs Private Channels

• Public Channels: No authentication required. Includes channels for trades, order book (board), ticker, and executions.
• Private Channels: Require authentication using API keys. Allow access to account-specific events like order executions and balances.

Key Methods

• auth: Authenticate with your API key for private channels.
• subscribe: Listen to specific channels (e.g., lightning_ticker_BTC_JPY).
• unsubscribe: Stop receiving updates from a channel.
• channelMessage: Receive tick and event messages pushed by the server.

Supported Trading Pairs and Channels

• lightning_ticker_{product_code}
• lightning_board_{product_code}
• lightning_executions_{product_code}

Security Requirements

• All connections must use TLS 1.2 or higher.
• Private channels require API key authentication (HMAC-SHA256 signatures).
• Always keep your API keys confidential and never expose them in client-side code.

Setting Up a Bitflyer Websocket Tick Client

Node.js Example: Subscribe to Bitflyer Websocket Tick

1npm install ws
2

1const WebSocket = require(\"ws\");
2
3const ws = new WebSocket(\"wss://ws.lightstream.bitflyer.com/json-rpc\");
4
5ws.on(\"open\", function open() {
6    const subscribeMsg = {
7        method: \"subscribe\",
8        params: {
9            channel: \"lightning_ticker_BTC_JPY\"
10        }
11    };
12    ws.send(JSON.stringify(subscribeMsg));
13    console.log(\"Subscribed to BTC/JPY tick channel\");
14});
15
16ws.on(\"message\", function incoming(data) {
17    const msg = JSON.parse(data);
18    if (msg.method === \"channelMessage\") {
19        console.log(\"Tick Data:\", msg.params.message);
20    }
21});
22
23ws.on(\"error\", function(error) {
24    console.error(\"WebSocket error:\", error);
25});
26

Python Example: Bitflyer Websocket Tick Stream

1pip install bitflyer-realtime-api
2

1from bitflyer_realtime_api import Ticker
2
3def on_tick(data):
4    print(\"Tick Data:\", data)
5
6ticker = Ticker(product_code=\"BTC_JPY\", onmessage=on_tick)
7

Handling Tick Data and Real-Time Events

Structure of Tick Data

• product_code: Trading pair (e.g., BTC_JPY)
• timestamp: ISO 8601 timestamp
• best_bid, best_ask: Top order book prices
• best_bid_size, best_ask_size: Corresponding order sizes
• ltp: Last traded price
• volume: Total volume traded

1{
2    \"product_code\": \"BTC_JPY\",
3    \"timestamp\": \"2025-05-01T12:34:56.789Z\",
4    \"best_bid\": 7200000,
5    \"best_ask\": 7201000,
6    \"best_bid_size\": 0.5,
7    \"best_ask_size\": 0.3,
8    \"ltp\": 7200500,
9    \"volume\": 100.12
10}
11

Error Handling and Reconnection

• Always listen to the error event on your websocket client.
• Design your client to auto-reconnect on dropped connections.
• Use exponential backoff to avoid flooding the server.

Batch Requests: Pros and Cons

• JSON-RPC 2.0 supports batch requests for subscribing to multiple channels in a single message.
• Pros: Lower initial latency, fewer round-trips.
• Cons: Harder to debug, larger message payloads.

Best Practices for Bitflyer Websocket Tick Streaming

• Efficient Data Processing: Use event-driven architectures and buffer incoming messages for low-latency handling.
• Manage Subscriptions: Unsubscribe from unused channels to reduce bandwidth.
• Security: Store API keys securely (e.g., environment variables), use TLS 1.2+, and avoid exposing credentials in code repositories.
• Monitor Latency: Track round-trip delays and measure event lags. Address sudden spikes by reconnecting or switching endpoints.
• Handle Disconnections: Implement reconnection logic with backoff and alerting.

Comparing Bitflyer Websocket Tick With Other Exchanges

Conclusion