The PMXT SDKs share one configuration surface across hosted and self-hosted modes. The same ExchangeOptions object selects mode, supplies credentials, and overrides defaults. Hosted is the default; self-hosted is the explicit fallback when no pmxt_api_key is present.
ExchangeOptions
Constructor arguments, Python kwargs alongside TypeScript option keys.
Hosted (the default)
| Python kwarg | TypeScript key | Type | Required? | Description |
|---|
pmxt_api_key | pmxtApiKey | str | Required for hosted | PMXT API key from pmxt.dev/dashboard. Triggers hosted mode. |
wallet_address | walletAddress | str | Required for hosted writes + escrow | Address that owns the escrow balance and signs orders. |
private_key | privateKey | str | Required for hosted writes | EVM private key used to sign EIP-712 typed-data locally. Auto-wrapped into a signer. |
signer | signer | Signer | Optional (alt to private_key) | Custom signer implementing sign_typed_data / signTypedData. For hardware wallets, MPC, remote signing. |
base_url | baseUrl | str | Optional | Override the default https://api.pmxt.dev. Rarely needed. |
trade_base_url | tradeBaseUrl | str | Optional | Override the default https://trade.pmxt.dev. Rarely needed. |
timeout | timeout | float (s) | Optional | Per-request timeout in seconds. Default 30. |
import pmxt
# Read-only: no private_key
read_only = pmxt.Polymarket(
pmxt_api_key="pmxt_live_...",
wallet_address="0xYourWallet...",
)
# Trading-capable: private_key auto-wraps into EthAccountSigner
trader = pmxt.Polymarket(
pmxt_api_key="pmxt_live_...",
wallet_address="0xYourWallet...",
private_key="0xYourPrivateKey...",
)
# Custom signer (hardware wallet, MPC, etc.)
trader = pmxt.Polymarket(
pmxt_api_key="pmxt_live_...",
wallet_address="0xYourWallet...",
signer=my_ledger_signer,
)
Self-hosted (fallback)
When pmxt_api_key is absent, the SDK enters self-hosted mode and routes through the local pmxt-core server. Venue-native credentials apply here.
| Python kwarg | TypeScript key | Type | Description |
|---|
private_key | privateKey | str | EVM private key, for Polymarket / Limitless / Probable / Opinion / etc. |
api_key_id, private_key_pem | apiKeyId, privateKeyPem | str | Kalshi RSA credentials. |
email, password | email, password | str | Smarkets session credentials. |
local_port | localPort | int | Override the default pmxt-core port (3847). |
Environment variables
| Variable | Effect |
|---|
PMXT_API_KEY | Default pmxt_api_key for all SDK clients. Explicit constructor arg wins. |
PMXT_BASE_URL | Override api.pmxt.dev. Useful for staging environments. |
PMXT_TRADE_BASE_URL | Override trade.pmxt.dev. Useful for staging hosted-trading environments. |
PMXT_LOCAL_PORT | Override the local pmxt-core port (default 3847). Self-hosted only. |
PMXT_ALWAYS_RESTART=1 | Force-restart the local pmxt-core on every ensure_server_running call. Useful during local SDK development. |
PMXT_TIMEOUT | Default per-request timeout in seconds. |
PMXT_LOG_LEVEL | Log verbosity for SDK + local server: debug, info, warn, error. |
Constructor arguments always take precedence over environment variables. The env-var path is for ergonomics in deploy environments where you set PMXT_API_KEY once.
Base URL resolution
When the SDK makes a request, it picks one of three base URLs based on the operation and configuration:
trade.pmxt.dev (hosted trading) — used for /v0/trade/*, /v0/user/*, and /v0/escrow/* whenever pmxt_api_key is set. Override with trade_base_url or PMXT_TRADE_BASE_URL.api.pmxt.dev (hosted catalog + reads) — used for /v0/markets, /v0/events, /api/{venue}/* whenever pmxt_api_key is set and the operation is not a hosted-trading write. Override with base_url or PMXT_BASE_URL.http://localhost:3847 (self-hosted) — used for every operation when pmxt_api_key is absent. Override port with local_port or PMXT_LOCAL_PORT.
Precedence (highest to lowest)
- Explicit constructor
base_url / trade_base_url.
PMXT_BASE_URL / PMXT_TRADE_BASE_URL env var.- Default (
https://api.pmxt.dev / https://trade.pmxt.dev / http://localhost:3847).
Worked example
import os
os.environ["PMXT_BASE_URL"] = "https://api-staging.pmxt.dev"
# Hosted mode (because pmxt_api_key is set); base_url comes from env
client = pmxt.Polymarket(pmxt_api_key="pmxt_test_...")
# → reads go to https://api-staging.pmxt.dev
# → trade writes still go to https://trade.pmxt.dev (PMXT_TRADE_BASE_URL not set)
# Self-hosted mode (no pmxt_api_key); env var ignored
local = pmxt.Polymarket(private_key="0x...")
# → reads + writes go to http://localhost:3847
Hosted as default
The configuration philosophy:
- Setting
pmxt_api_key (or PMXT_API_KEY) is the single switch that opts in to hosted mode. No other flag is required.
- All hosted-specific URLs default to PMXT’s production endpoints — no setup beyond the API key.
- Self-hosted is the explicit fallback path. The SDK only attempts to spawn
pmxt-core when no API key is configured.
The result: the shortest correct config is hosted. A single env var (PMXT_API_KEY) plus a constructor with a wallet and private key is everything you need to trade.
# Minimum hosted trading config:
import os
os.environ["PMXT_API_KEY"] = "pmxt_live_..."
client = pmxt.Polymarket(
wallet_address="0x...",
private_key="0x...",
)
Self-hosted fallback (advanced)
If you have specific reasons to run local — sub-100ms latency, raw venue credentials, regulatory custody — drop the API key. See Self-hosted for the full guide and Server Management for lifecycle controls.
# Self-hosted: no PMXT_API_KEY, no pmxt_api_key arg
client = pmxt.Polymarket(private_key="0x...")
See also
