What makes OpenClaw different from other AI assistants?

OpenClaw is not just a chatbot. It's "Claude with hands"—an AI agent that can actually execute tasks. It can control browsers, manage files, execute code, make trades, and more, all while maintaining local-first privacy protection.

How much does OpenClaw cost?

OpenClaw itself is completely free and open-source (MIT license). The only cost is AI model API usage: you can use free Ollama for local AI, use your existing Anthropic Pro/Max subscription, or bring your own API key. There are no premium tiers or hidden fees.

Do I need technical knowledge to use OpenClaw?

It depends on your platform. Windows users can use the one-click installer—no command line needed. For macOS/Linux, basic terminal familiarity helps for the npm install. Once set up, you interact with OpenClaw through natural language on WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord—no coding required.

Where does my data go?

OpenClaw runs entirely on your computer. Your files, conversations, API keys, and personal data stay on your device. Nothing is sent to our servers. We don't collect any telemetry or usage data.

Is the download safe?

Yes. All downloads come from the official OpenClaw GitHub releases page. The code is fully open-source (MIT license), meaning anyone can inspect it. The same releases are used by tens of thousands of users worldwide.

How is OpenClaw proactive instead of reactive?

Traditional AI assistants wait for prompts. OpenClaw's Heartbeat Engine lets it initiate actions—sending morning briefings, monitoring servers, tracking prices, alerting you to events.

What are Skills and ClawHub?

Skills are modular capabilities that extend what OpenClaw can do. ClawHub is the community registry where you can browse, install, and publish Skills. Skills range from weather reporters to flight trackers, and you can create custom ones using natural language.

OpenClaw is open source software (MIT license), completely free to use. You can use provided Anthropic Pro/Max tokens, or use your own API key.

Is OpenClaw's trading feature safe?

OpenClaw trading assistant has strict risk controls built in, including 2% maximum position limits, trend-following constraints, and Human-in-the-Loop approval. But all investments carry risk, please use with caution.

OpenClaw uses a local-first architecture, all data and keys are stored on your device. The code is fully open source and auditable, with no hidden data collection.

Can OpenClaw make real phone calls?

Yes! With Vapi integration, OpenClaw can make actual phone calls—booking restaurant reservations, calling businesses, handling hold times.

What platforms does OpenClaw support?

OpenClaw supports 13+ messaging platforms including Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, iMessage, Signal, WeChat, Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, and Matrix. It runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows (via WSL2).

Why is it called OpenClaw?

OpenClaw combines 'Open' (for open source) with 'Claw' (from the project's lobster mascot). The claw represents precision and capability—an AI that can grab and handle real-world tasks.

What does OpenClaw cost?

OpenClaw is free and open source (MIT license). You only pay for AI model API usage ($5-50/month estimated) and optional dedicated hardware ($0-599 one-time). No subscription fees.

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Trading2026-02-05

How to Set Up Your OpenClaw Trading Bot - Complete Guide

OpenClaw is not just a chatbot—it can act as your personal trading assistant. This guide walks you through everything you need to set up, configure, and run an AI-powered trading bot that monitors markets, executes trades, and manages risk on your behalf.

What Is an AI Trading Bot?

An AI trading bot is software that uses artificial intelligence to analyze markets and execute trades automatically. Unlike traditional trading bots that follow simple if-then rules, OpenClaw uses Claude—one of the most capable AI models—to interpret market data, news events, and social sentiment. It makes decisions the way a human trader would, but faster and without emotional bias. OpenClaw runs 24/7, watching markets while you sleep, and can react to opportunities in under one second.

Why Use OpenClaw for Trading?

OpenClaw brings several advantages over traditional trading platforms. First, it runs on your own hardware, so your API keys and strategy details never leave your machine. Second, it combines trading with other capabilities—it can read news, monitor Twitter/X, check on-chain data, and even call you on the phone if something urgent happens. Third, its risk management is hardcoded: the AI literally cannot make trades larger than your configured limits, protecting you from runaway losses. Finally, you communicate with it through natural language via Telegram, WhatsApp, or any messaging app—no complex dashboards to learn.

What You Need to Get Started

Before setting up your trading bot, make sure you have these prerequisites ready. You do not need to be a programmer—OpenClaw's onboarding wizard handles the technical setup for you.

# Prerequisites checklist:
# 1. OpenClaw installed and running (see Getting Started guide)
# 2. A Hyperliquid account (sign up at hyperliquid.xyz)
# 3. Hyperliquid API key and secret
# 4. A messaging channel connected (Telegram recommended)
# 5. Funds deposited on Hyperliquid

# Verify OpenClaw is running:
openclaw status

Step-by-Step Setup

Follow these steps to enable trading on your OpenClaw instance. The entire process takes about 10 minutes once you have your Hyperliquid credentials ready.

# Step 1: Store your Hyperliquid credentials securely
openclaw vault set HYPERLIQUID_API_KEY your-api-key-here
openclaw vault set HYPERLIQUID_API_SECRET your-api-secret-here

# Step 2: Install the trading skill
openclaw skills install nof1-trading

# Step 3: Enable trading in your config
# Edit ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:
{
  "skills": {
    "trading": {
      "enabled": true,
      "exchange": "hyperliquid",
      "riskLimit": 0.02
    }
  }
}

# Step 4: Restart OpenClaw
openclaw restart

# Step 5: Test with a message
# Send via Telegram: "What is the current price of ETH?"

Choosing a Trading Strategy

OpenClaw comes pre-loaded with several trading strategies developed in partnership with nof1.ai. For beginners, we recommend starting with the Smart DCA (Dollar-Cost Averaging) strategy—it automatically buys your chosen asset at regular intervals, using AI to pick the best entry point within each window. More experienced traders can enable momentum trading, which follows market trends, or sentiment trading, which reacts to social media and news signals. You can run multiple strategies simultaneously, each with its own risk budget.

Configuring Risk Management

Risk management is the most important part of automated trading, and OpenClaw takes it seriously. These rules are hardcoded—meaning the AI cannot override them, even if it wants to. This protects you from both market volatility and potential AI errors.

# Risk management settings in config.yaml
skills:
  trading:
    risk:
      maxPositionSize: 0.02    # Max 2% of equity per trade
      dailyLossLimit: 0.03     # Stop trading after 3% daily loss
      requireApproval: 500     # Human approval for trades > $500
      trendFilter: true         # Only trade with the trend
      autoBench: 3             # Bench strategy after 3 losses
      circuitBreaker: 0.05     # Halt all trading at 5% drawdown

Monitoring Your Trades

Once trading is active, OpenClaw keeps you informed through your messaging app. Small trades execute automatically with a notification, while larger trades wait for your approval via inline buttons. You can check your portfolio, recent trades, and profit/loss at any time simply by asking.

# Example messages you can send via Telegram:
# "Show my portfolio"
# "What trades happened today?"
# "What is the sentiment on BTC right now?"
# "Pause all trading"
# "Resume trading"
# "What is my total PnL this week?"

Crypto vs Stock Trading with OpenClaw

OpenClaw primarily trades on Hyperliquid, which supports both crypto perpetuals (like BTC-PERP and ETH-PERP) and spot synthetics that track real-world assets like stocks and commodities. This means you can trade crypto 24/7 and also access stock-like instruments without a traditional brokerage account. The AI handles the differences automatically—it applies different volatility assumptions and position sizing for crypto versus synthetic assets.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much capital do I need to start?

There is no minimum required by OpenClaw itself. Hyperliquid allows small positions, so you can start with as little as $50-100 to test. We recommend starting small and increasing only after you are comfortable with the system.

Will OpenClaw make me money?

No trading system can guarantee profits. OpenClaw provides risk controls and AI-powered analysis, but markets are unpredictable. Always trade with money you can afford to lose and treat this as a tool, not a get-rich-quick scheme.

Is my money safe?

Your funds remain on Hyperliquid, not with OpenClaw. OpenClaw only has API access to place trades within your configured risk limits. It cannot withdraw funds. Your API keys are stored in an encrypted vault on your own hardware.

Can I trade with Ollama local models?

We do not recommend using local models for trading. Trading requires fast, accurate reasoning that currently only cloud-hosted models like Claude can reliably provide. Local models may misinterpret data or make poor decisions under pressure.

Risk Disclaimer

Trading cryptocurrencies and synthetic assets carries significant risk of financial loss. OpenClaw includes risk controls but no automated system can eliminate all risk. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Only trade with funds you can afford to lose. This guide is for educational purposes and is not financial advice.

Ready to Trade Smarter?

Explore advanced strategies or dive deeper into the Hyperliquid integration.