# Trading-agent map

A curated GitHub list or marketplace shelf is a map, not a “best bots” ranking. Label which path touches brokerage, crypto, prediction markets, or stays research-only — then match the shield. Never skip a dedicated agent wallet, spend caps, and review before place.

Canonical HTML: https://agentlane.net/guides/trading-agent-map/
Page dated 25 September 2026

## Answer first

Map the lane before you fund anything. Brokerage MCP write access → shield brokerage. Crypto wallet or x402 payer → shield crypto and x402 buyer basics. Prediction bots that can place or pay → same spend stack. Research-only quotes or news → no live keys. Prefer a specialist bot per lane over one mega-bot. Agent Lane publishes the map. We do not rank bots, hold wallets, or place trades.

## Lane chart

- **Brokerage MCP.** Live write → [shield-brokerage.md](./shield-brokerage.md).
- **Crypto wallet / x402.** Live path → [shield-crypto.md](./shield-crypto.md) and [x402-buyer-basics.md](./x402-buyer-basics.md).
- **Prediction markets.** Research-only stays research-only; place-or-pay → same wallet → caps → review stack.
- **Research-only.** Quotes, news, filings, paper accounts — no funded keys.

Public map (unpaid): [awesome-trading-agents](https://github.com/LLMQuant/awesome-trading-agents). Shelf: [resources.md](./resources.md).

## Agents, MCPs, and skills

- **Agents** — research, plan, or (if connected) try to place. Helpers, not a trading desk for you.
- **MCPs** — plug-ins to market or brokerage tools. Write access = spending power.
- **Skills** — one-job instruction packs. Not a broker account; not edge.

## How to map a trading agent to the right shield

1. Stay map-only first — browse lists; do not paste live keys until you know the lane.
2. Label the lane — brokerage MCP, crypto / x402, prediction place-or-pay, or research-only; if unsure, treat as spend.
3. Match the shield page — brokerage → shield-brokerage; crypto → shield-crypto + x402-buyer-basics; prediction place-or-pay → same spend stack.
4. Prefer one specialist per lane — not one mega-bot with every MCP.
5. Gate spend: wallet → caps → review — [dedicated-agent-wallet.md](./dedicated-agent-wallet.md), [agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md), [review-before-place.md](./review-before-place.md).
6. Check the shared box — [shared-box.md](./shared-box.md) before overnight or funded sessions.
7. Paper or dry-run before live keys — prove quotes and review prompts first; then size a pocket you can lose.

## Spend gate (never skip)

1. Dedicated agent wallet
2. Agent spend caps
3. Review before place
4. Shared-box checklist when the computer is shared

## Specialist bots, not one mega-bot

One mega-bot that inherits research, brokerage write, crypto pay, and mail is a blast radius. Prefer [install-specialist-bot.md](./install-specialist-bot.md) and [agent-memory.md](./agent-memory.md).

## Explicit don’ts

- Don’t paste API keys into random repos, chat, or cloned `.env` files.
- Don’t skip human approval on live orders or payments.
- Don’t treat GitHub stars as edge.
- Don’t wire an unknown bot to live money because a list called it an “agent.”
- Don’t start paid x402 seller or API rails from this page.

## FAQ

**What is a trading-agent map?**
A plain-English lane chart: which bot or connector can touch brokerage MCP, a crypto spend wallet, prediction-market rails, or stay research-only. Lists are maps of the neighborhood — not a green light to fund every address.

**Which path touches brokerage vs crypto vs prediction?**
Brokerage MCP write → shield brokerage. Crypto wallet or x402 payer → shield crypto and x402 buyer basics. Prediction place-or-pay → same wallet, caps, review stack. Research-only → no funded keys.

**What is research-only vs a spend path?**
Research-only reads quotes, news, filings, or paper accounts. A spend path can submit an order, sign a payment, or drain a wallet. If unsure, treat it as spend.

**Do I always need dedicated wallet, spend caps, and review before place?**
Yes for any live spend path. Gate in order: dedicated agent wallet → agent spend caps → review before place.

**Should I use one mega-bot or specialist bots?**
Prefer specialists — one clear job per bot. Prove one lane before adding another.

**How do I use a GitHub awesome-list safely?**
Read first. Fund later — or never. Prefer read-only and paper. Check where keys go and whether human approval is required. Stars measure attention, not safety.

**Where do I apply this next?**
Brokerage: shield-brokerage. Crypto: shield-crypto and x402-buyer-basics. Spend stack: dedicated-agent-wallet, agent-spend-caps, review-before-place. Shared computer: shared-box. Specialist install: install-specialist-bot.

Related: [shield-brokerage.md](./shield-brokerage.md), [shield-crypto.md](./shield-crypto.md), [x402-buyer-basics.md](./x402-buyer-basics.md), [dedicated-agent-wallet.md](./dedicated-agent-wallet.md), [agent-spend-caps.md](./agent-spend-caps.md), [review-before-place.md](./review-before-place.md), [shared-box.md](./shared-box.md), [install-specialist-bot.md](./install-specialist-bot.md), [agent-memory.md](./agent-memory.md), [resources.md](./resources.md).