FAQs: Common Mistakes

Quick fixes for balance, API, bot availability, and sizing issues.

Use this page when a bot won’t start, balances look wrong, or you hit an API error.

✅ Quick checklist

• Confirm funds are in USDT-M Futures (not Spot/Funding/Earn).

• Confirm you’re holding USDT (not USDC or other assets).

• Refresh your dashboard. Wait ~5 minutes between transfers and refreshes.

• Check API key permissions (trading ON, withdrawals OFF).

• Check your plan limits and whether the bot has available copy slots.

• Avoid more than one bot per pair.

💰 Balance & wallet issues

Balance not showing (BloFin / Bitget)

Most common cause

• Funds are not in the Futures wallet.

Fix

1. Open your exchange wallet view.

2. Use Transfer.

3. Move funds from Funding / Spot / Earn to Futures.

4. For PrimeAutomation, use USDT-M Futures.

5. Refresh your PrimeAutomation dashboard.

6. Wait ~5 minutes before refreshing again.

Bots only run on USDT (stablecoin mismatch)

PrimeAutomation bots run on USDT-margined futures.

Fix

• Swap your stablecoin (example: USDC → USDT).

• Transfer USDT into USDT-M Futures.

TradeStation: balance is wrong (multiple futures accounts)

TradeStation can have more than one futures sub-account.

Fix

• Transfer funds between your TradeStation futures accounts.

• Refresh the PrimeAutomation dashboard.

• Wait ~5 minutes between transfers and refreshes.

🔑 API issues (bots can’t trade / API error)

API key expired (or stopped working)

Some brokers issue API keys with an expiration date.

Fix

1. Create a new API key on the broker.

2. Update the API key + secret in PrimeAutomation.

3. If the bot still errors, delete and re-add the bot so it picks up the new key.

If you remove a bot while trades are open, those positions remain on the exchange. Re-add the bot quickly or manage open positions manually.

API permissions are wrong (BloFin / Bitget / TradeStation)

Fix

• Enable Trading permission.

• Disable Withdrawals permission.

API key vs “password” confusion

PrimeAutomation asks for the API Key and API Secret. These are created on your broker. They are not passwords you invent.

Fix

• Copy/paste the exact values from the broker’s API creation screen.

🤖 Bot access & availability

Can’t add a bot (plan restriction)

Different plans have different limits. Some plans exclude AI bots. Some plans cap the number of active bots.

Fix

• Open the Pricing tab.

• Compare your plan limits to the bot you’re trying to copy.

• Upgrade if needed.

Can’t add a bot (no copy slots available)

Some bots have limited capacity. Once full, you can’t copy it until capacity frees up.

Fix

• Check again later.

• Consider a similar bot on the same pair.

• Consider a stronger performer on a different pair.

Can’t find a bot you copied before

Bots are auto-sorted by new arrivals and current performance. Older bots can move out of view during normal market cycles.

Fix

• Use the search bar to find the bot by name/pair.

Bot disappeared (maintenance)

Bots may be paused for testing and improvements.

Fix

• Contact support if a bot disappears from your dashboard.

Same pair, different results

Same pair does not mean same logic. Example: BTC-USDT-SNIPER vs BTC-USDT-ROCKET.

Fix

• Check the bot’s code name and metrics.

• Pick the version that fits your risk and style.

More than one bot on the same pair

Avoid running multiple bots on the same pair. Some brokers can mis-attribute entries and exits.

Fix

• Keep one bot per pair.

• If you delete a bot with open positions, close those positions on the broker.

🧯 Funds, sizing, and risk settings

“Insufficient funds”

Common causes:

• Funds are in the wrong wallet.

• Wallet is too small for the bot’s minimum order size.

• Too many bots are drawing from the same wallet.

Fix

• Verify funds are in USDT-M Futures.

• Verify the PrimeAutomation dashboard shows the correct balance.

• Reduce the number of bots or reduce each bot’s position size.

• Add more equity if needed.

Too many bots using a high % at the same time

Bots can lock margin while trades are open. This can starve other bots.

Fix

• Reduce the % used per trade.

• Add more funds.

• Reduce the number of concurrently running bots.

If you delete a bot while it has an open trade, PrimeAutomation won’t manage that position anymore. Close open positions on your broker if needed.

Using fixed dollar sizing (instead of %)

Fixed sizing locks a specific dollar amount per bot. With many bots, you can run out of that amount.

Fix

• Prefer % of balance.

• If you must use dollars, keep it around 5–10% of your account per bot.

Risk is set too high ("100% risk")

Risk mainly comes from:

• Leverage

• % of wallet per trade

Even with safeguards, fast moves and slippage can liquidate accounts.

Suggested baseline

• Leverage: max 3x

• Allocation: 5–10% of your wallet per bot per trade