Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get an API key?

Create a free account on the sign up page. Your API key is generated immediately on registration and displayed on the confirmation screen and emailed to you. It also appears in your Profile under "API Key." Keys are shown once at issuance on the confirmation screen — save it securely.

Where do I include my API key in requests?

Include it as an HTTP header: X-Api-Key: co_your_key_here. Example:

curl https://api.chainoptics.io/api/prices \
  -H "X-Api-Key: co_your_key_here"

I lost my API key. How do I recover it?

Your API key is visible in your Profile page under "API Key" — click the eye icon to reveal it. If you no longer have access to your account, use the password reset flow to recover access.

Can I have multiple API keys?

Each account has one API key tied to your subscription tier. Multiple keys per account are not currently supported. If you need separate keys for different environments, create separate accounts.

Which assets does ChainOptics cover?

Seven digital rail assets: XRP, XLM, HBAR, QNT, FLR, XDC, ALGO. These are the assets identified as core infrastructure for the next generation of financial rails. Coverage is intentionally focused — we go deep on these seven rather than shallow on thousands.

Where does the price data come from?

Price data is sourced from Kraken (primary) and CoinGecko (secondary/fallback). Market cap and circulating supply data comes from CoinGecko's /coins/markets endpoint, which aggregates across major exchanges.

How often is price data updated?

The dashboard refreshes every 30 seconds. The API cache has a TTL of approximately 30 seconds — back-to-back API calls within that window return cached data to stay within exchange rate limits.

What is the Correlation Cascade?

The Correlation Cascade shows the Pearson correlation coefficient between an asset and either BTC (for XRP) or XRP (for all other assets) over 7-day and 30-day windows. A value near +1 means the assets are moving in lockstep; near 0 means they're independent; near -1 means inverse movement. This helps identify whether an asset is moving on its own thesis or simply tracking broader market sentiment.

Does ChainOptics hold or have access to my crypto?

No. ChainOptics is a pure data and analytics platform. We never hold, custody, or have any access to your crypto assets. The Portfolio Tracker stores quantities locally in your browser only — that data is never sent to our servers. We have no connection to your wallets or exchanges.

What's the difference between Free, Pro, and API tiers?

• Free: All 7 assets, real-time prices, 60 req/min, 7-day price history, read-only dashboard, 3 alerts
• Pro ($29/mo): 300 req/min, 365-day history, chain health metrics, correlation cascade, 10 alerts with email delivery, portfolio tracker
• API ($49/mo): 1,000 req/min, full 30-day correlation history, unlimited alerts, webhook delivery, production-grade throughput

How do I cancel my subscription?

Go to Manage Subscription and click "Manage Billing" to access the Stripe billing portal. From there you can cancel, change plan, or update payment method. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period — you retain full access until then.

What happens if my payment fails?

Stripe will retry the payment automatically over several days. If the charge remains unpaid, your account will be downgraded to the Free tier. You can update your payment method at any time via the billing portal to restore access.

Can I pay with crypto?

Yes. We accept RLUSD, USDC, and XRP on the XRP Ledger. See the Pay with Crypto page for instructions. XRP payments include a 2% slippage buffer and require your account email in the transaction memo field for automatic activation.

How do price alerts work?

Set a symbol, condition (above/below), and price threshold from the Alerts page. When the threshold is crossed, we send an email to your registered address. Pro accounts get up to 10 alerts; API accounts get unlimited alerts.

What is the alert cooldown?

To prevent alert spam when price oscillates around a threshold, each alert has a cooldown period (default: 60 minutes). After an alert fires, it won't fire again until the cooldown expires.

How do webhooks work?

API tier only. Configure a webhook URL on an alert and we'll POST a JSON payload to that URL whenever the alert triggers. The payload includes the symbol, current price, condition, threshold, and timestamp. Your endpoint must return a 2xx status within 10 seconds.

What is the base URL for the API?

https://api.chainoptics.io — see the Docs for full endpoint reference.

Does the API support versioning?

Yes. All responses include an X-API-Version header. Current stable version is v2.1.0. The v1 endpoints remain available but are scheduled for deprecation on January 1, 2027.

I'm getting 429 rate limit errors. What should I do?

You've exceeded your tier's rate limit. Options: (1) add delays between requests, (2) cache responses on your side, (3) use the batch /api/prices endpoint instead of per-symbol calls, (4) upgrade to a higher tier for increased limits.