name: Phemex API Rate Limits Overview
description: Phemex enforces two layers of rate limiting - IP-level limits and per-user API group limits. Rate limit status is communicated via response headers. Exceeding limits returns HTTP 429. VIP and VAPI tiers unlock higher limits for contract trading.
created: '2026-06-13'
modified: '2026-06-13'
source: https://github.com/phemex/phemex-api-docs/blob/master/Generic-API-Info.en.md

layers:
  - name: IP Rate Limit
    description: Applied globally per IP address across all API endpoints.
    limit: 5000
    window: 5 minutes
    enforcement: Block for 5 minutes if exceeded
    scope: per-IP

  - name: API User Rate Limit
    description: Applied per authenticated user per minute, segmented by API group.
    window: 1 minute
    httpStatus: 429
    scope: per-user
    groups:
      - name: Contract
        description: Endpoints related to contract (perpetual) trading.
        limit: 500
        vipLimit: 5000
        sampleEndpoints:
          - POST /orders
          - PUT /orders/create
          - GET /orders/activeList
          - DELETE /orders/cancel
          - GET /accounts/accountPositions

      - name: SpotOrder
        description: Endpoints related to spot order management.
        limit: 500
        vipLimit: 500
        sampleEndpoints:
          - POST /spot/orders
          - PUT /spot/orders/create
          - DELETE /spot/orders
          - GET /spot/orders/active
          - GET /spot/wallets

      - name: Others
        description: All other endpoints including public market data.
        limit: 100
        vipLimit: 100
        sampleEndpoints:
          - GET /exchange/public/md/kline
          - GET /md/orderbook
          - GET /md/trade
          - GET /md/spot/ticker/24hr

vipRateLimits:
  description: VIP and VAPI tier accounts get enhanced contract group limits with per-symbol tracking.
  contractOverall: 5000/minute
  perSymbol: 500/minute
  allSymbolsGroup: 500/minute
  baseURL: https://vapi.phemex.com

headers:
  description: Rate limit status returned in HTTP response headers.
  standard:
    - name: x-ratelimit-remaining-{groupName}
      description: Remaining requests in current window for the named group.
    - name: x-ratelimit-capacity-{groupName}
      description: Total capacity for the named group in current window.
    - name: x-ratelimit-retry-after-{groupName}
      description: Seconds to wait before retrying after limit exceeded.
  vip:
    - name: x-ratelimit-remaining-{groupName}_{symbol}
      description: Remaining requests for the named group per symbol.
    - name: x-ratelimit-capacity-{groupName}_{symbol}
      description: Total capacity for the named group per symbol.
    - name: x-ratelimit-retry-after-{groupName}_{symbol}
      description: Seconds to wait before retrying per symbol.

webSocket:
  maxConnections: 5
  maxSubscriptionsPerConnection: 20
  requestThrottle: 20 requests/second
  heartbeatRequired: true
  heartbeatInterval: every 30 seconds (recommended every 5 seconds)
  heartbeatMethod: server.ping