Learning to Get Stellar (XLM) Historical Prices using this API

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance, understanding the historical prices of cryptocurrencies like Stellar (XLM) is crucial for developers and investors alike. Leveraging APIs such as the Metals-API can provide invaluable insights into market trends and price fluctuations. This blog post will guide you through the process of obtaining historical prices for Stellar (XLM) using the Metals-API, while also exploring the broader implications of digital transformation in the metal markets.

Understanding the Metals-API

The Metals-API is a powerful tool designed to provide real-time and historical data for various metals and currencies. It offers a suite of features that empower developers to create innovative applications that can analyze market trends, perform currency conversions, and track price fluctuations. The API is built with modern technological advancements in mind, ensuring that users can access accurate and timely data.

About Nickel (NI)

Nickel, represented by the symbol NI, is a key metal in various industries, including electronics, automotive, and construction. The digital transformation in metal markets has led to significant advancements in how nickel is traded and analyzed. With the integration of smart technologies and data analytics, stakeholders can gain deeper insights into market dynamics.

Technological innovations have enabled real-time tracking of nickel prices, allowing businesses to make informed decisions based on current market conditions. The future of nickel trading looks promising, with the potential for further integration of AI and machine learning to predict price movements and optimize trading strategies.

API Capabilities

The Metals-API offers a variety of endpoints that cater to different needs, from retrieving the latest exchange rates to accessing historical data. Each endpoint is designed to provide specific functionalities that can be leveraged for various applications. Here’s a closer look at some of the key features:

Latest Rates Endpoint

The Latest Rates Endpoint provides real-time exchange rate data for metals, updated according to your subscription plan. This endpoint is essential for applications that require up-to-the-minute pricing information. Depending on your plan, you can receive updates every 60 minutes or even every 10 minutes.

{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1776471429,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-04-18",
"rates": {
"XAU": 0.000482,
"XAG": 0.03815,
"XPT": 0.000912,
"XPD": 0.000744,
"XCU": 0.294118,
"XAL": 0.434783,
"XNI": 0.142857,
"XZN": 0.344828
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}

This response includes the base currency (USD), the date of the rates, and the current rates for various metals, including gold (XAU), silver (XAG), and nickel (XNI).

Historical Rates Endpoint

Accessing historical rates is crucial for analyzing market trends over time. The Historical Rates Endpoint allows you to query rates for most currencies dating back to 2019. By appending a specific date to your request, you can retrieve past exchange rates, which is invaluable for back-testing trading strategies.

{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1776385029,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-04-17",
"rates": {
"XAU": 0.000485,
"XAG": 0.03825,
"XPT": 0.000915,
"XPD": 0.000748
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}

This endpoint provides a snapshot of historical rates, allowing developers to analyze price movements and make informed decisions based on past performance.

Bid And Ask Endpoint

The Bid and Ask Endpoint is a powerful feature that enables users to retrieve real-time bid and ask prices for metals. This information is crucial for traders looking to make quick decisions based on market conditions.

{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1776471429,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-04-18",
"rates": {
"XAU": {
"bid": 0.000481,
"ask": 0.000483,
"spread": 2.0e-6
},
"XAG": {
"bid": 0.0381,
"ask": 0.0382,
"spread": 0.0001
},
"XPT": {
"bid": 0.000911,
"ask": 0.000913,
"spread": 2.0e-6
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}

This response includes the bid and ask prices for gold, silver, and platinum, along with the spread, which is the difference between the bid and ask prices.

Convert Endpoint

The Convert Endpoint allows users to convert any amount from one currency to another. This feature is particularly useful for applications that require currency conversion for transactions or reporting purposes.

{
"success": true,
"query": {
"from": "USD",
"to": "XAU",
"amount": 1000
},
"info": {
"timestamp": 1776471429,
"rate": 0.000482
},
"result": 0.482,
"unit": "troy ounces"
}

In this example, the API converts 1000 USD to troy ounces of gold (XAU), providing the conversion rate and the result.

Time-Series Endpoint

The Time-Series Endpoint allows users to query the API for daily historical rates between two dates of their choice. This feature is essential for analyzing trends over specific periods.

{
"success": true,
"timeseries": true,
"start_date": "2026-04-11",
"end_date": "2026-04-18",
"base": "USD",
"rates": {
"2026-04-11": {
"XAU": 0.000485,
"XAG": 0.03825,
"XPT": 0.000915
},
"2026-04-13": {
"XAU": 0.000483,
"XAG": 0.0382,
"XPT": 0.000913
},
"2026-04-18": {
"XAU": 0.000482,
"XAG": 0.03815,
"XPT": 0.000912
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}

This endpoint provides a series of rates for the specified dates, allowing developers to visualize trends and fluctuations over time.

Fluctuation Endpoint

The Fluctuation Endpoint enables users to track how currencies fluctuate on a day-to-day basis. This feature is particularly useful for identifying volatility in the market.

{
"success": true,
"fluctuation": true,
"start_date": "2026-04-11",
"end_date": "2026-04-18",
"base": "USD",
"rates": {
"XAU": {
"start_rate": 0.000485,
"end_rate": 0.000482,
"change": -3.0e-6,
"change_pct": -0.62
},
"XAG": {
"start_rate": 0.03825,
"end_rate": 0.03815,
"change": -0.0001,
"change_pct": -0.26
},
"XPT": {
"start_rate": 0.000915,
"end_rate": 0.000912,
"change": -3.0e-6,
"change_pct": -0.33
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}

This response details the fluctuations for gold, silver, and platinum, providing insights into market volatility.

Open/High/Low/Close (OHLC) Price Endpoint

The OHLC Price Endpoint provides data on the open, high, low, and close prices for a specific time period. This information is vital for traders looking to analyze price movements and make informed decisions.

{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1776471429,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-04-18",
"rates": {
"XAU": {
"open": 0.000485,
"high": 0.000487,
"low": 0.000481,
"close": 0.000482
},
"XAG": {
"open": 0.03825,
"high": 0.0383,
"low": 0.0381,
"close": 0.03815
},
"XPT": {
"open": 0.000915,
"high": 0.000918,
"low": 0.00091,
"close": 0.000912
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}

This endpoint provides a comprehensive view of price movements for metals, allowing traders to make data-driven decisions.

Historical LME Endpoint

The Historical LME Endpoint provides access to historical rates for LME symbols dating back to 2008. This endpoint is particularly useful for users interested in the London Metal Exchange prices.

{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1776385029,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-04-17",
"rates": {
"XCU": 0.294118,
"XAL": 0.434783,
"XNI": 0.142857
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}

This response includes historical rates for copper, aluminum, and nickel, providing valuable insights for market analysis.

API Key and Authentication

To access the Metals-API, you will need an API key, which is a unique identifier passed into the API base URL's access_key parameter. This key is essential for authenticating your requests and ensuring that you have the necessary permissions to access the data.

API Response Structure

The API responses are structured in a JSON format, making it easy for developers to parse and utilize the data in their applications. Each response includes a success flag, a timestamp, and the relevant data fields, allowing for straightforward integration into various applications.

Practical Use Cases

Developers can leverage the Metals-API in various ways to enhance their applications. Here are some practical use cases:

• Market Analysis Tools: Create applications that analyze historical price data to identify trends and make predictions.
• Trading Platforms: Integrate real-time pricing data into trading platforms to provide users with up-to-date information.
• Financial Reporting: Use historical data for generating reports and insights for stakeholders.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Metals-API offers a robust set of features that empower developers to access real-time and historical pricing data for metals, including Stellar (XLM). By understanding how to utilize the various endpoints, developers can create innovative applications that provide valuable insights into market trends. The integration of advanced technologies and data analytics will continue to shape the future of metal markets, making it essential for developers to stay informed about the latest tools and techniques. For more information, refer to the Metals-API Documentation and explore the Metals-API Supported Symbols for a comprehensive list of available data.