# "Limit price increment must be \> 1" Did the create order API change very recently?

**URL:** <https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/limit-price-increment-must-be-1-did-the-create-order-api-change-very-recently/9633>\
**Category:** Alpaca Integration Applications\
**Created:** [June 1, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/limit-price-increment-must-be-1-did-the-create-order-api-change-very-recently/9633 "2022-06-01T03:15:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Robotronic](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.alpaca.markets/robotronic/32/3332_2.png) [@Robotronic](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/Robotronic)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/limit-price-increment-must-be-1-did-the-create-order-api-change-very-recently/9633/1 "2022-06-01T03:15:38Z")

</div>

I am using the paper trading API and have successfully placed many thousands of limit orders. I was using 2DP for limit prices, even though that level of precision was not really required for BTC.

Now, quite suddenly the limit orders are failing with  
`{ code: 42210000, message: 'limit price increment must be > 1' }`

This is for BTCUSD. My previously working code just broke. It’s not a problem to change my code. The concern is the breaking change. Is there somewhere that breaking API changes are documented so I can catch them before my app breaks? I googled for the specific error, but did not find any recent mentions.

```auto
body: {
    symbol: 'BTCUSD',
    qty: 0.0031,
    side: 'sell',
    type: 'limit',
    time_in_force: 'gtc',
    limit_price: 32748.16,
  }
}
{ code: 42210000, message: 'limit price increment must be > 1' }

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gravitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/51bf81/32.png) [@Gravitas](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/Gravitas)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2022, 9:25am UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/limit-price-increment-must-be-1-did-the-create-order-api-change-very-recently/9633/2 "2022-06-01T09:25:42Z")

</div>

According to Alpaca feedback, they prefer that limit orders are updated if (and only of) there has been a change to the price and/or qty. Some algos were repeatedly sending a limit order update with the exact same price as the previous limit order, which created unnecessary traffic.

I would not be surprised if this was an API change on Alpacas end. I think the only solution is to update the code, or chat to Alpaca re: their API config.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![trasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e274bd/32.png) [@trasher](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/trasher)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2022, 3:27pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/limit-price-increment-must-be-1-did-the-create-order-api-change-very-recently/9633/3 "2022-06-03T15:27:30Z")

</div>

Alpaca is more than happy to break API compatibility without announcement or even acknowledgement. And it has happened repeatedly. When you contact customer support they have no clue, don’t follow up, or just show you the finger.

(they also have no problem messing with year old historic data – repeatedly – but it’s typically less of a concern)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rejec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b5a626/32.png) [@rejec](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/rejec)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 10:25am UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/limit-price-increment-must-be-1-did-the-create-order-api-change-very-recently/9633/4 "2022-06-26T10:25:49Z")

</div>

The API is not broken. The price is just not valid.

32748.16 → 32748

See here:

> **[Crypto Trading](https://alpaca.markets/docs/trading/crypto-trading/#trading-hours)**
>
> Crypto Trading # We now offer crypto trading through our API and the Alpaca web dashboard! Trade all day, seven days a week, as frequently as you’d like.
> Crypto trading is currently available for eligible international participants and participants...

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Suspect1487](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.alpaca.markets/suspect1487/32/3337_2.png) [@Suspect1487](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/Suspect1487)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/limit-price-increment-must-be-1-did-the-create-order-api-change-very-recently/9633/5 "2022-07-24T17:39:14Z")

</div>

Hi! Following this example: [Buying Crypto using Alpaca Snapshot and Crypto APIs](https://alpaca.markets/learn/buying-crypto-using-alpaca-snapshot-and-crypto-apis/) I am getting the following error: `alpaca_trade_api.rest.APIError: limit price increment must be > 1` when submitting a limit order. I’ve reset my paper account several times and formatted the `limit_price`.

```auto
{
  "symbol": "BTCUSD",
  "side": "buy",
  "type": "limit",
  "time_in_force": "day",
  "qty": 2.2009,
  "limit_price": 22717.47
}

```