K is a free, open-source market making bot for traders who want to place and cancel crypto orders on supported exchanges with very low latency. It suits people who already understand order books and spreads and want automation instead of a manual trading terminal. The program is released under the ISC license and developed on GitHub.
Before you install it, look at the repository's recent activity. The latest recorded code update dates to December 2024, so check the release history and open issues before relying on it. Trading bots handle exchange credentials and real money, so treat any setup as a serious commitment and start small.
What Does Market Making Mean in Practice?
Market making is a strategy in which a trader continuously posts buy orders below the current price and sell orders above it. The gap between those prices is the spread. When other traders take those orders, the market maker earns part of that spread, but also takes on the risk that prices move against its position.
This is why speed matters. A quote that stays on the book after the market has moved can be filled at a bad price. A bot that cancels and reposts orders quickly reduces that exposure, so the time it takes to act is part of the strategy itself.
Inventory risk is the other key concept. If buys fill faster than sells, you end up holding the asset as the price falls. Good market making setups watch position size as closely as they watch the spread. K's focus on fast order handling is aimed squarely at this kind of work.
Who Is K For?
K is best suited to experienced traders who already know how exchange APIs work and are comfortable editing configuration files. Setting up an instance means choosing a market, defining parameters and running the bot from a terminal, so it is not a point-and-click app for complete beginners.
A typical user might be a trader who wants to run separate market making setups on one machine. Each setup gets its own configuration file, and all of them share the same installation. The web interface then gives a single place to check status.
Users who mainly want signals, portfolio dashboards or simple auto-trading rules may find other tools more suitable. K is most useful when you care about the mechanics of order placement and want control over them.
How Does a Low-Latency Trading Setup Work?
A low-latency setup depends on three parts: the software, the computer running it and the network path to the exchange. Software can be efficient, but a slow connection or a distant server adds delay that no bot can remove. Many traders therefore consider where their machine is located relative to the exchange.
Order cancellation matters as much as order placement. When the market moves, the bot has to pull stale quotes and replace them. Each step adds time, so a bot that handles both actions quickly is more responsive when prices change sharply.
Keep expectations realistic. Millisecond figures describe the bot's own handling on a suitable machine, not guaranteed results in live markets. Test your setup thoroughly before committing significant capital.
Key features
Very Low-Latency Order Handling
Market Making Focus
Full Web Interface
Multiple Instances per Installation
Supported coins
The project's documentation names Bitcoin (BTC) as the asset it covers. K works with one of several supported cryptocurrency exchanges, so confirm that your exchange and trading pair are included in the manual before you configure an instance.
How to install K on Windows
- 1
Find the Official Release
Go to the official GitHub repository at github.com/ctubio/Krypto-trading-bot and open the Releases page. Download only from the official GitHub repository or its Releases page. Look for a Windows build, since the project lists Windows support as likely rather than confirmed.
- 2
Verify the File
Before running anything, compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published with the release. If the release provides a signature instead, verify that. Discard any file that does not match.
- 3
Install and Read the Manual
Run the installer or extract the package to a folder of your choice. Open the project's manual, located in the doc folder of the repository, before the first launch. It explains how to create the configuration files that define each instance.
-
Build from Source if No Package Exists
If no Windows package is available, the project describes a manual setup that uses MSYS2 on Windows 7 or later. That route involves building the program yourself, so it is a separate process from installing a ready-made file. Follow the manual's steps carefully and verify your build.
How to use K
K runs from configuration files and a browser-based interface, so the workflow is more hands-on than most consumer tools. Work through the steps below on a test setup before you connect real funds.
- Read the manual and decide which market and exchange you want to use.
- Create a configuration file for one instance, using the .sh format described in the documentation.
- Enter your exchange API details in the configuration, using keys that allow trading but not withdrawals.
- Start the instance from a terminal and confirm it has launched without errors.
- Open the web interface in your browser to check order status and activity.
- Watch the first sessions closely and compare the bot's behavior with what you expected.
- Stop the instance when you finish and review the logs before changing any settings.
- Add more instances only after the first one behaves reliably.
Pros & cons
- Designed for very low-latency order placement and cancellation
- Includes a full web interface for monitoring
- Free and open source under the ISC license
- Several instances can run on one installation, limited by RAM
- Public manual available on GitHub
- Latest recorded code update is from December 2024
- Windows support is described as likely rather than confirmed
- Requires comfort with configuration files and API setup
- Documentation names only Bitcoin (BTC) as a covered asset
- Limited to the exchanges the project supports
Is K safe?
Download K only from the official GitHub repository or its Releases page, never from mirror sites or file aggregators. Verify the SHA-256 checksum, or the signature if one is provided, before running any file. Never enter a seed phrase on a third-party website, and remember that a trading bot should not need your wallet seed phrase at all.
When connecting an exchange, create API keys that allow trading but not withdrawals. Antivirus tools sometimes flag trading software, but do not disable protection entirely; if a verified file is flagged, review the warning and add a specific exception instead.
The latest recorded code update is from December 2024, so review recent repository activity before trusting the software with live funds. Automated trading can lose money, and no profit is guaranteed.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/ctubio/Krypto-trading-bot. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
OctoBot is also a trading bot with a web interface, but it is a broader platform, while K concentrates on very low-latency market making. Hummingbot is another open-source option that covers market making and arbitrage, so it may suit traders who want a wider set of strategies. Gekko and Catalyst are both archived, so they are better viewed as historical projects than as tools for live trading. Choose K if fast order handling is your priority and you are comfortable configuring it yourself.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- ISC
- Latest version
- 3.0
- Last update
- 15 Dec 2024
- Windows support
- Likely (builds for Windows; check releases)
- Source code
- github.com/ctubio/Krypto-trading-bot
Frequently asked questions
Yes. K is listed as free and open source under the ISC license, so you can use and study the code. Your real costs come from your own hardware, hosting, network connection and exchange fees. Read the license on the GitHub repository for the exact terms.
It can be, if you get it from the official GitHub repository and verify the checksum or signature. Avoid copies from third-party download sites, and never enter a seed phrase into any website. Because the latest recorded code update is from December 2024, review recent activity before connecting real exchange keys.
The project lists Windows among its platforms, but Windows support is described as likely rather than confirmed. Check the Releases page for a Windows build first. If none is available, the manual describes a build route using MSYS2, which is more involved than running an installer.
Start by reading the manual and creating one configuration file for a single instance. Use API keys that allow trading but not withdrawals, then run the instance and monitor it in the web interface. Begin with a small amount and a single market before expanding.
Yes. Each instance is defined by its own .sh configuration file, and one installation can run as many instances as you have files. The practical limit is the free RAM available on your machine, so check memory use as you add instances.
The documentation names Bitcoin (BTC) and says K works with several supported exchanges. Check the manual for the current exchange list before setting up an instance, because support can change between versions. Confirm that your specific trading pair is covered.
No. K is software for placing and cancelling orders, and no trading bot can promise profits. Market making carries price and inventory risk, and losses are possible. Only use amounts you can afford to lose and treat any results as uncertain.
Verdict
K suits experienced traders who want a fast, free, open-source market making bot and are comfortable with configuration files and exchange API setup. Beginners may find it difficult, and the latest code update dates to December 2024, so check recent activity and confirm the latest version on the official website before using real funds. If you want a broader platform or a more guided start, compare it with the alternatives listed below.