diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index b7c8c9a3742..093b5f8725b 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"flag"
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
@@ -36,9 +37,16 @@ func main() {
 
 	//Handle flags
 	flag.StringVar(&bot.configFile, "config", config.GetFilePath(""), "config file to load")
+	version := flag.Bool("version", false, "retrieves current GoCryptoTrader version")
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	if *version {
+		fmt.Printf(BuildVersion(true))
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+
 	bot.config = &config.Cfg
+	fmt.Println(BuildVersion(false))
 	log.Printf("Loading config file %s..\n", bot.configFile)
 
 	err := bot.config.LoadConfig(bot.configFile)
diff --git a/version.go b/version.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b742ee09e2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/version.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package main
+
+import "fmt"
+
+// const vars related to the app version
+const (
+	MajorVersion = "0"
+	MinorVersion = "1"
+
+	PrereleaseBlurb = "This version is pre-release and is not inteded to be used as a production ready trading framework or bot - use at your own risk."
+	IsRelease       = false
+	Copyright       = "Copyright (c) 2018 The GoCryptoTrader Developers."
+	GitHub          = "GitHub: https://github.com/thrasher-/gocryptotrader"
+	Trello          = "Trello: https://trello.com/b/ZAhMhpOy/gocryptotrader"
+	Slack           = "Slack:  https://gocryptotrader.herokuapp.com"
+	Issues          = "Issues: https://github.com/thrasher-/gocryptotrader/issues"
+)
+
+// BuildVersion returns the version string
+func BuildVersion(short bool) string {
+	versionStr := fmt.Sprintf("GoCryptoTrader v%s.%s",
+		MajorVersion, MinorVersion)
+	if !IsRelease {
+		versionStr += " pre-release.\n"
+		if !short {
+			versionStr += PrereleaseBlurb + "\n"
+		}
+	} else {
+		versionStr += " release.\n"
+	}
+	if short {
+		return versionStr
+	}
+	versionStr += Copyright + "\n\n"
+	versionStr += GitHub + "\n"
+	versionStr += Trello + "\n"
+	versionStr += Slack + "\n"
+	versionStr += Issues + "\n"
+	return versionStr
+}