name: BitPay API Rate Limits
description: BitPay does not publicly document explicit numeric rate limits for their REST API. The platform applies practical constraints through invoice expiration windows, session timeouts, and token-based access controls. Access is governed by merchant facade tokens with ECDSA-signed requests.
provider: bitpay
url: https://developer.bitpay.com/docs/api-integrations-additional-information
rate_limits: []
constraints:
  - name: Invoice Price Lock Window
    description: Cryptocurrency exchange rates are locked for 15 minutes after invoice creation. Invoices expire after this window if payment is not received.
    value: 15
    unit: minutes
    scope: invoice
  - name: API Session Timeout
    description: API sessions expire after 15 minutes of inactivity. Sessions are an optional security feature protecting against replay attacks with request ordering guarantees.
    value: 15
    unit: minutes
    scope: session
  - name: Sandbox Environment
    description: BitPay provides a test environment at test.bitpay.com for development and integration testing without processing real payments.
    value: test.bitpay.com
    unit: environment
    scope: development
authentication:
  - type: Token-based (POS Facade)
    description: No cryptographic signing required. Tokens created manually in the merchant dashboard. Suitable for point-of-sale integrations.
    signing_required: false
  - type: Token-based (Merchant Facade)
    description: Requires ECDSA-signed requests using X-Identity and X-Signature headers. Required for full merchant API capabilities including payouts and settlements.
    signing_required: true
    headers:
      - X-Accept-Version (required, value must be 2.0.0)
      - X-Identity (ECDSA public key)
      - X-Signature (ECDSA signature)
notes:
  - No publicly documented numeric rate limits per minute or per hour
  - Rate limiting enforced at infrastructure level; contact BitPay for high-volume requirements
  - Webhook (IPN) delivery expects HTTP 200 response from merchant endpoint