Collect VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ) Historical Prices through this API

Collect VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ) Historical Prices through this API
In the ever-evolving landscape of precious metals trading, the VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ) stands out as a pivotal player for investors seeking exposure to gold. With the rise of digital transformation in finance, accessing historical prices for OUNZ has become more streamlined than ever, thanks to the innovative capabilities of the Metals-API. This blog post delves into the intricacies of retrieving historical prices for OUNZ using the Metals-API, while also exploring the broader implications of technology integration in the precious metals market.
About Gold (XAU)
Gold, represented by the symbol XAU, has long been regarded as a safe haven asset. Its intrinsic value and historical significance make it a preferred choice for investors during times of economic uncertainty. The digital transformation in the precious metals sector has not only enhanced trading efficiency but has also opened avenues for data analytics and market insights. By leveraging technology, traders can now access real-time data, enabling them to make informed decisions based on market trends.
Moreover, the integration of advanced technologies in trading platforms has revolutionized price discovery mechanisms. With the advent of digital asset solutions, investors can now track gold prices with unprecedented accuracy and speed. The Metals-API plays a crucial role in this transformation, providing developers with the tools necessary to build next-generation applications that harness the power of real-time metals data.
Metals-API Overview
The Metals-API is a robust JSON API that offers comprehensive access to precious metals prices, including historical data, real-time rates, and conversion capabilities. This API empowers developers to create applications that can analyze market trends, track price fluctuations, and provide valuable insights into the precious metals market.
One of the standout features of the Metals-API is its ability to deliver real-time exchange rate data. Depending on your subscription plan, the API's latest rates endpoint can return updates every 60 minutes, every 10 minutes, or even more frequently. This ensures that traders have access to the most current information, allowing them to react swiftly to market changes.
Key Features and Endpoints
The Metals-API offers a variety of endpoints that cater to different needs within the precious metals trading ecosystem. Here are some of the key features:
- Latest Rates Endpoint: This endpoint provides real-time exchange rates for all available metals, including gold (XAU). The response includes the base currency, date, and rates for various metals.
- Historical Rates Endpoint: Investors can access historical rates dating back to 2019. By appending a specific date to the API request, users can retrieve past prices for OUNZ, enabling them to analyze trends over time.
- Bid and Ask Endpoint: This powerful feature allows users to retrieve real-time bid and ask prices for metals, providing insight into market liquidity and pricing dynamics.
- Convert Endpoint: The Metals-API includes a currency conversion feature, allowing users to convert amounts between different metals or to/from USD. This is particularly useful for traders looking to assess the value of their holdings in various currencies.
- Time-Series Endpoint: This endpoint enables users to query daily historical rates between two specified dates, making it easier to analyze price movements over specific periods.
- Fluctuation Endpoint: Users can track how metal prices fluctuate on a day-to-day basis, providing insights into market volatility and trends.
- Carat Endpoint: This feature allows users to retrieve gold rates by carat, catering to jewelers and investors interested in specific gold purity levels.
- Lowest/Highest Price Endpoint: Users can query the API to find the lowest and highest prices for a given metal over a specified period, aiding in investment decision-making.
- Open/High/Low/Close (OHLC) Price Endpoint: This endpoint provides detailed OHLC data for a specific time period, allowing traders to analyze price movements comprehensively.
- Historical LME Endpoint: For those interested in LME symbols, this endpoint provides historical rates dating back to 2008, offering a wealth of data for analysis.
- API Key: Each user is assigned a unique API key, which is essential for accessing the API's features securely.
- API Response: The Metals-API delivers exchange rates relative to USD, ensuring consistency in data interpretation.
- Available Endpoints: The API features a constantly updated list of available currencies, enabling users to stay informed about supported symbols.
- Gold Price India Endpoint: This dedicated endpoint allows users to retrieve the latest gold price in India, catering to regional market needs.
- News Endpoint: Users can access the latest news articles related to various metals, keeping them informed about market developments.
API Endpoint Examples and Responses
Understanding the API's response structure is crucial for effective implementation. Below are examples of various endpoints and their corresponding JSON responses:
Latest Rates Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1754355777,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2025-08-05",
"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"
}
The response includes a success flag, timestamp, base currency, date, and rates for various metals. The rate for gold (XAU) is provided in terms of troy ounces, which is the standard measurement for precious metals.
Historical Rates Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1754269377,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2025-08-04",
"rates": {
"XAU": 0.000485,
"XAG": 0.03825,
"XPT": 0.000915,
"XPD": 0.000748
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
This endpoint allows users to access historical rates for specific dates. The response structure is similar to the latest rates endpoint, providing valuable data for trend analysis.
Time-Series Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timeseries": true,
"start_date": "2025-07-29",
"end_date": "2025-08-05",
"base": "USD",
"rates": {
"2025-07-29": {
"XAU": 0.000485,
"XAG": 0.03825,
"XPT": 0.000915
},
"2025-07-31": {
"XAU": 0.000483,
"XAG": 0.0382,
"XPT": 0.000913
},
"2025-08-05": {
"XAU": 0.000482,
"XAG": 0.03815,
"XPT": 0.000912
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
The time-series endpoint provides a comprehensive view of price movements over a specified period, allowing traders to analyze trends and make informed decisions.
Convert Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"query": {
"from": "USD",
"to": "XAU",
"amount": 1000
},
"info": {
"timestamp": 1754355777,
"rate": 0.000482
},
"result": 0.482,
"unit": "troy ounces"
}
This endpoint is particularly useful for traders looking to convert amounts between different metals or to/from USD. The response includes the conversion rate and the result in troy ounces.
Fluctuation Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"fluctuation": true,
"start_date": "2025-07-29",
"end_date": "2025-08-05",
"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"
}
The fluctuation endpoint provides insights into how metal prices have changed over a specified period, which is invaluable for traders looking to capitalize on market movements.
OHLC (Open/High/Low/Close) Price Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1754355777,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2025-08-05",
"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 detailed OHLC data, which is essential for technical analysis and understanding market trends.
Bid/Ask Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1754355777,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2025-08-05",
"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"
}
The bid/ask endpoint provides crucial information about market liquidity and pricing dynamics, enabling traders to make informed decisions.
Common Developer Questions
As developers begin to integrate the Metals-API into their applications, several common questions arise:
- How do I authenticate my API requests? Each request must include your unique API key as a parameter in the URL. This ensures secure access to the API's features.
- What are the rate limits for API requests? Rate limits vary based on your subscription plan. It's essential to review the documentation to understand your specific limits and avoid throttling.
- How do I handle errors in API responses? The API provides error codes and messages in the response. Developers should implement error handling strategies to manage these scenarios effectively.
Practical Use Cases and Integration Strategies
Integrating the Metals-API into trading applications can enhance functionality and provide users with valuable insights. Here are some practical use cases:
- Real-Time Trading Platforms: Developers can build platforms that utilize the latest rates endpoint to provide users with real-time pricing information, enabling them to make swift trading decisions.
- Historical Data Analysis Tools: By leveraging the historical rates endpoint, developers can create analytical tools that allow users to visualize price trends over time, aiding in investment strategy formulation.
- Portfolio Management Applications: The convert endpoint can be integrated into portfolio management tools, allowing users to assess the value of their holdings in different currencies or metals.
Conclusion
The VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ) represents a significant opportunity for investors looking to gain exposure to gold. By utilizing the Metals-API, developers can access a wealth of historical price data and real-time market insights, empowering them to build sophisticated trading applications. The API's innovative features, such as the latest rates, historical rates, and fluctuation endpoints, provide invaluable tools for analyzing market trends and making informed investment decisions.
As the precious metals market continues to evolve, embracing technology and data analytics will be crucial for traders seeking to stay ahead. The Metals-API not only facilitates this transformation but also opens up new avenues for innovation in price discovery and trading strategies. For more information, visit the Metals-API Documentation and explore the comprehensive Metals-API Supported Symbols list to get started on your journey into the world of precious metals trading.