Getting Historical Bitcoin Price Data with Alternative Sources
Bitcoin has been one of the most volatile and valuable cryptocurrencies in recent years. As its value fluctuates, traders and investors need access to accurate historical price data to make informed decisions. However, several popular sources no longer offer complete or reliable historical data series, leaving users like you to look for alternative options.
In this article, we will explore where you can find historical Bitcoin price data, including time series charts and other resources that may be useful in your trading efforts.
Why can’t I get complete historical data from most sources?
BitcoinCharts (formerly known as CoinMarketCap) was once a leading cryptocurrency data provider, offering complete historical price data, including time series charts. However, in 2021, the platform announced that it would be discontinuing its historical data service due to high costs and changing priorities.
Alternative Sources for Historical Bitcoin Price Data
Fortunately, there are still several alternative sources where you can access complete or near-complete historical Bitcoin price data:
1.
CryptoData by CryptoSlate
CryptoSlate is a reputable cryptocurrency news site that offers free historical price data for various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. They offer both raw data and chart data in CSV format, which you can import into your favorite programming language.
2.
CoinGecko API Documentation (Historical Data)
CoinGecko, another well-known cryptocurrency platform, offers open-source API documentation that includes historical price data for Bitcoin. While their API may not be as easy to use as other options, it offers a robust set of tools for analyzing and manipulating historical data.
3.
Quandl
Quandl is a financial and economic data provider that offers access to billions of rows of free data from various exchanges, including the Bitcoin Exchange (BTC-USD). While it doesn’t focus exclusively on cryptocurrency data, Quandl’s extensive library includes Bitcoin price data, which you can download in CSV format.
4.
Yahoo Finance Historical Prices
Yahoo Finance offers historical prices for various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, via its API documentation. You can use their API to retrieve data in JSON format and then parse it into the format you want using popular libraries like pandas or numpy.
5.
TradingView Historical Data
TradingView is a popular charting and analysis platform that also offers historical Bitcoin price data through its API documentation. Their data includes time series charts as well as more detailed price data in CSV format.
Conclusion
While the availability of complete historical Bitcoin price data has been limited due to CryptoSlate’s decision to discontinue its service, there are still several alternative sources that offer access to valuable historical data. Be sure to explore each option carefully and consider factors such as data quality, ease of use, and any potential fees associated with using the data.
By leveraging these resources, you can gain a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics that drive Bitcoin price movements and make more informed trading decisions in the volatile cryptocurrency market.