BitMEX Testnet: BitMEX is closing September 23, 2026
BitMEX is closing. BitMEX (operated by HDR Global Trading Limited) announced on July 23, 2026 that it is shutting down the exchange. New account registrations stopped immediately. Risk limits that only let you reduce, not open, positions apply from August 26, 2026 at 04:00 UTC. At the Closure Time, September 23, 2026 at 04:00 UTC, any remaining open positions are force-closed and all trading services cease. After that, verified accounts can still log in to view balances and withdraw funds, but unwithdrawn balances accrue a monthly fee (1% per annum or $50 equivalent, whichever is greater). Source: BitMEX's own closure announcement and closure FAQ, checked 2026-09-10.
We could not confirm what happens to BitMEX Testnet specifically. BitMEX's closure materials describe the live exchange's wind-down in detail but don't separately address testnet.bitmex.com. Don't assume it keeps running past the mainnet closure date, and don't assume it shuts down at the same moment either. Confirm directly on BitMEX's own site before relying on it for anything.
Given the closure, this page no longer recommends opening a new BitMEX Testnet connection to build a fresh strategy on. What follows is the original setup content, kept for anyone who already has funds or positions on BitMEX and needs to understand what changes, plus migration guidance below.
What BitMEX Testnet is
BitMEX runs a full parallel exchange at testnet.bitmex.com, a separate environment with its own API endpoint. It mirrors live BitMEX's order types, instrument codes, and account mechanics, but the balances are demo funds BitMEX credits you, not real money, and orders match against other testnet users rather than the live order book. It exists so you can place a real order, see a real fill, and confirm your automation behaves the way you expect, with nothing at risk.
On Autoview, this shows up as its own exchange connection, BitMEX Testnet, priced at $0. It's a first-class connection, not a toggle on your live BitMEX account; you add it separately, with its own API key, and it runs alongside (or instead of) your live connection.
Register a BitMEX Testnet account
Testnet accounts are separate from live BitMEX accounts, so you register one on BitMEX's own testnet site, not through Autoview: testnet.bitmex.com. BitMEX credits the account with demo funds automatically once it's created.
From there, generate an API key the same way you would on live BitMEX: open Account > API Keys on the testnet site, create a key with order permission (so Autoview can place and cancel orders and read your balances and positions), and skip withdrawal permission. Testnet funds can't be withdrawn, so there's nothing to protect there, but it's still the right habit to carry over. BitMEX calls the two pieces you'll paste into Autoview ID and Secret; copy both somewhere safe, since BitMEX doesn't show the Secret to you twice.
Connect it to Autoview
In Autoview, add an account and choose BitMEX Testnet from the exchange list rather than BitMEX. Paste the ID and Secret from the testnet site's API management page into the same two fields a live BitMEX connection uses. Run the connection test after saving; it's read-only, so it checks that your key authenticates without placing or touching any order.
Make sure you're adding it as BitMEX Testnet, not BitMEX. They're two separate connections in Autoview, matching the two separate accounts on BitMEX's side, and credentials from one don't work on the other.
Sending commands: what changes, what doesn't
The command syntax is identical to live BitMEX, including the instrument codes: BitMEX names Bitcoin XBT rather than BTC, on testnet the same as live. Every parameter on the BitMEX getting-started guide works the same way on testnet. Only the account differs.
The one thing that changes is how the Chrome extension picks the exchange. On the webhook platform, a webhook is already tied to whichever account you connected it to, so you never set an exchange in the command itself. On the extension, swap e=bitmex for e=BITMEXTESTNET (or the equivalent e=BITMEX-TESTNET):
| Live BitMEX (extension) | BitMEX Testnet (extension) |
|---|---|
e=bitmex s=XBTUSD b=buy p=-5% q=1 | e=BITMEXTESTNET s=XBTUSD b=buy p=-5% q=1 |
Add d=1 to any command first, on testnet the same as live, and Autoview parses it and reports what it would have done without placing anything. It's worth keeping the habit even on demo funds, since it's the fastest way to confirm the resolved symbol and size look right before you check the order lands correctly on testnet.
One BitMEX quirk carries over unchanged from live: BitMEX places one order per alert, so an entry with a stop-loss or take-profit attached in the same command doesn't bracket together the way it does on some other exchanges. Send the entry in one alert and the stop or target in its own separate alert. The getting-started guide's "One BitMEX quirk" section covers this in full, including how trailing stops don't share the limitation.
If you're winding down a BitMEX connection instead
Given the closure timeline above, most people reading this now need to get funds and positions off BitMEX, not set a new connection up. A few things worth doing before the September 23, 2026 Closure Time:
- Close open positions yourself, on your own schedule. BitMEX's own materials say remaining open positions are force-closed at the Closure Time, and BitMEX has stated it accepts no responsibility for losses from being unable to close a position in time. Closing on your own terms beats a forced close.
- Withdraw funds before or promptly after closure. Withdrawals remain available through BitMEX's own site even after trading services stop, but unwithdrawn verified balances accrue the monthly fee described above.
- Export anything you need for your own records. Trade history and account statements are yours to keep; grab them from BitMEX's own account pages while the exchange is still operating normally.
- Remove the BitMEX connection in Autoview once you've moved off it. There's nothing to migrate automatically; disconnect the account from Autoview the same way you'd disconnect any exchange you no longer use.
We don't have a specific BitMEX-to-X migration path to recommend here; that depends on which exchanges you already use and where your funds are going. Autoview's supported exchanges list is the place to check what's available if you're setting up a new connection elsewhere.