What are the trading rules for on-chain spot trading?

Published on 15 Oct 2026Updated on 15 Oct 20263 min read1

This article explains the rules that apply to on-chain spot trading and how much of your balance an order holds, so you know what to expect before you trade.

What rules apply to on-chain spot trading?

Tick size, min trade amount and min & max order value

Definition: every trading pair has its own tick size and minimum trade amount, along with a minimum and maximum order value.

  • Tick size is the smallest price increment you can use. Your order price has to be multiple of it.

  • Minimum trade amount is the smallest quantity you can trade. Your order size has to be multiple of it too.

  • Order value, an order below the minimum or above the maximum is rejected


Note: selling your whole balance of a token is always allowed, even when it's worth less than the minimum order value. A small leftover amount never gets stuck.

Price Limit

Definition: each spot pair has price limit derived from its oracle price. Only the side that matters gets checked, a buy against the top of the limit, a sell against the bottom. What happens when your price falls outside the limit depends on the order type.

  • Market order: the price is automatically brought to the edge of the limit, and the order goes through

  • Limit order: the order is rejected, unless you've allowed price adjustment, in which case the price is brought to the edge of the limit instead


Example: BTC-USDⓈ has a price of 65,000 USDⓈ and the upper price limit is to 66,000 USDⓈ. A buy limit order at 70,000 USDⓈ is rejected. A market buy order is accepted and prices at 66,000 USDⓈ or better.

How is the "In-use" on your spot balance calculated?

When a spot order rests on the order book, the amount it needs is held on your balance. Your available balance for spot is your balance minus whatever your open spot, perpetual futures and prediction market orders and positions have frozen.

Example: you place a buy limit order for 0.5 BTC at 62,000 USDⓈ on BTC-USDⓈ. That holds 31,000 USDⓈ, because 62,000 × 0.5 = 31,000. Sell 0.5 BTC instead, and it holds 0.5 BTC.


> Crypto products involve significant risk. Prices can go up and down, and you may get back less than you put in. This article is for informational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or tax advice. Please do your own research and seek independent advice before making any investment decisions.