GlacierPay clients can now connect directly to the desk through an API. The same firm-quote execution and settlement that clients use through the portal is now available programmatically, so businesses can request quotes, execute trades, and run payouts from their own systems. For teams operating at scale, this turns OTC execution from a manual workflow into an automated one.
What the API lets you do
The API exposes the core desk functions as programmatic endpoints. Rather than logging in to request each quote, your systems can call the desk directly and act on the response in real time. The initial release covers the operations clients ask for most:
- Request firm quotes for a given pair and size, and receive an all-in price valid for a short window.
- Execute trades against an accepted quote, locking price with no slippage between quote and fill.
- Initiate payouts to whitelisted destinations, including mass payouts across many recipients in a single batch.
- Query settlement status and transaction history, so reconciliation can be automated end to end.
Why programmatic access matters
Manual execution works well for occasional trades, but it becomes a bottleneck for businesses that transact frequently or need to react quickly to rates. With API access, a treasury system can request a quote and execute the moment conditions are right, a payments platform can trigger settlements automatically as invoices clear, and a payouts program can pay hundreds of recipients across borders without anyone clicking through a form. The desk becomes infrastructure inside your stack rather than a separate destination your team has to visit.
Automation also reduces operational risk. Every quote, execution, and payout is logged and returned in a structured response, which means reconciliation and reporting can be built directly against the data rather than reconstructed after the fact. Fewer manual steps mean fewer opportunities for error.
Built on the same rails and controls
The API does not bypass any of the desk's execution or compliance framework. Quotes are backed by the same aggregated institutional liquidity, so programmatic orders benefit from the same depth across BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, and SOL, with the same tight spreads and firm pricing. Settlement runs through the same flow and lands in the same average window of around thirty minutes. Payout destinations are whitelisted, and every transaction is screened using the same Chainalysis and sanctions monitoring that applies to trades placed through the portal. Automation changes the interface, not the controls.
Designed for real settlement workflows
The API is built around how clients actually operate. Mass payouts, a common use case for platforms paying contractors, affiliates, or vendors across many countries, can be submitted as a single batch and settled together. Recurring treasury conversions can be scheduled and triggered on your own logic. And because settlement status is queryable, your systems always have an authoritative view of where each transaction stands, which is essential when money movement feeds directly into your own ledger.
Getting access
API access is available to onboarded GlacierPay clients. Because programmatic access moves money automatically, it is provisioned with the desk's compliance and account teams, who help configure credentials, whitelisted destinations, and any limits appropriate to your account. If you are already a client, contact your coverage to enable API access and receive the integration documentation. If you are new to GlacierPay, complete KYB onboarding first, and the API can be enabled as part of setting up your account.