To make a secure connection between your Coinbase Bitcoin account and third-party services such as Intuit Mint, you’ll need to configure an API (Application programming interface).
Each API you create can have different levels of access to your Coinbase account. This is similar to when you authorize Facebook or similar services to have limit access to other services you use.
The following steps assume you already have setup your Coinbase account.
- Visit the Coinbase API Settings page.
- Click on the +New API Key button.
- Before creating an API, you’ll need to provide a secondary method of authentication either by SMS message, phone verification, or an authenticator token (using the Authy.com app for your mobile device).
- When creating the new API Key, choose the following options:
- Type: HMAC (Key+Secret)
- Accounts: My Wallet (Primary)
- Permissions: balance, transactions, transfers, user.
- Then click the Create button.
- You’ll need to enable the new API. An email will be sent to your account on file. Click the link to enable the API.
- The API use/access by third parties requires a Key and a Secret password. To view these, click on the blue text under the Key heading. You’ll be asked to authenticate again. Then the Key and Secret will be revealed. Provide these to the third party when asked.
IMPORTANT: Because the API key gives someone else limited access to your account, be careful to only use an API with a trusted third party service provider.
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