specification: API Commons Rate Limits
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/RateLimits
provider: Backpack
providerId: backpack
created: '2026-05-24'
modified: '2026-05-24'
reconciled: false
tags:
  - Crypto
  - Trading
  - Rate Limiting
  - Web3
description: >-
  Backpack Exchange enforces per-API-key request limits and a request validity window via X-Window
  (default 5000ms, max 60000ms). Specific RPM tiers are not publicly published in the OpenAPI; expect
  conservative defaults and adjust based on observed 429 responses. WebSocket connections are
  long-lived but subject to subscription-count limits.
sources:
  - https://docs.backpack.exchange/
  - https://docs.backpack.exchange/#section/Authentication
algorithm: token-bucket
window:
  header: X-Window
  defaultMs: 5000
  maxMs: 60000
  description: Client-supplied request validity window in milliseconds. Server rejects requests outside the window.
responseCodes:
  throttled: 429
  signatureExpired: 401
  signatureInvalid: 401
limits:
  - scope: REST API
    perKey:
      rpm: undocumented
      note: Backpack does not publish a per-key RPM in the OpenAPI. Treat 50-100 RPS as a soft ceiling and back off on 429.
    perIp:
      rpm: undocumented
      note: A per-IP ceiling is enforced for unauthenticated endpoints.
  - scope: WebSocket
    perConnection:
      maxSubscriptions: undocumented
      note: A single connection can subscribe to multiple streams; expect a soft cap in the low hundreds.
  - scope: Order placement
    perAccount:
      orderRateLimit: undocumented
      note: Matching engine enforces an undocumented max-orders-per-second to protect the book.
authentication:
  type: ed25519-signed-request
  signingHeaders:
    - X-API-Key
    - X-Signature
    - X-Timestamp
    - X-Window
  instructionBinding: true
  description: >-
    Every signed request is prefixed with instruction=<name> before signing. The instruction binds the signature
    to a specific operation (orderExecute, balanceQuery, withdraw, etc.) so a captured signature cannot be replayed
    against a different operation.
notes:
  - Backpack does not publish standardized rate-limit response headers in the same way as e.g. Anthropic or Binance.
  - Clients should implement exponential backoff on 429 and re-sync server time via GET /api/v1/time on persistent 401 from clock drift.
  - The USDT/USDC pair has 0% fees and trades on it do not count toward your 30-day volume-tier requirements.