Rate Limits

The CDP API enforces rate limits to ensure fair usage and system stability. Rate limits are calculated using rolling 10-second windows and are applied separately for read and write operations.

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Rate limit structure

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Write operations

Write operations include any API endpoints that modify resources (POST, PUT, DELETE methods). These are limited to 50 requests per 10 seconds.

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Read operations

Read operations include any API endpoints that retrieve data (GET methods). These are limited to 250 requests per 10 seconds.

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Rate limit response

When you exceed the rate limit, the API will respond with a 429 (“Too Many Requests”) status code. The response will include an error object with details about the rate limit violation:

{
  "errorType": "rate_limit_exceeded",
  "errorMessage": "Rate limit exceeded. Please try again later."
}

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Best practices

To effectively work with these rate limits, consider implementing the following best practices:

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Exponential backoff

You should implement an exponential backoff strategy to handle rate limit errors.

async function withRetry(fn: () => Promise<any>) {
   let delay = 1000;
   while (true) {
      try {
      return await fn();
      } catch (e) {
      if (e.errorType === "rate_limit_exceeded") {
        await sleep(delay); // wait before retrying
        delay *= 2; // increase delay each time
        continue;
       }
      throw e;
      }
   }
}

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Cache responses

Caching improves performance and reduces unnecessary load on your server or APIs. You should:

• Cache frequently-accessed data locally when possible
• Implement response caching for read operations that don’t require real-time data

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Batch Operations

Instead of making many individual requests, combine them into a single call and use bulk endpoints when possible.

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Monitor usage

Given our rate limit structure, you should track your API usage to stay within limits, and set up alerts before reaching rate limit thresholds.

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Rate Limits

Consider the following when designing your application around rate limits:

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Optimize API usage

• Only request the data you need
• Use pagination for large data sets
• Implement efficient polling strategies

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Handle rate limits gracefully

• Implement proper error handling for 429 responses
• Add retry logic with exponential backoff
• Consider using a queue system for high-volume operations

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Plan for scale

• Design your application architecture to work within these limits
• Consider caching strategies for frequently-accessed data
• Distribute requests evenly across time windows when possible

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Support

If you consistently hit rate limits and need higher limits for your use case, please reach out to us in the #wallet-api channel of the CDP Discord to discuss your requirements.