BitMEX is experiencing record-breaking load at this time due to recent Bitcoin price movements. Our engine team is working full-time to improve performance, delivering a 20% performance improvement on Friday and with more to come. Above all, BitMEX is committed to correctness in its trading engine and to real-time correctness auditing. BitMEX positions and orders are always internally consistent from open to close.
Unfortunately, when load spikes, we cannot service every incoming request while maintaining acceptable response times. In early November, we implemented a cap on the maximum number of requests that can enter the engine queue, after which new requests are rejected until the queue has shrunk. Many of you have experienced this as the “System Overload” message (also known as “Load Shedding”).
For the benefit of our traders, the following request types are no longer subject to rejection during overload:
- Canceling an order.
- Market or Limit Close of a position, when using the Close buttons on the Position table.
- For API users, this corresponds to use of the “
Close” execInst with no qty. - This lifted restriction only applies to non-bulk orders. Close orders, even inside bulk payloads, may be load-shed.
- For API users, this corresponds to use of the “
New orders and order amends are still subject to rejection on overload. We will keep you updated as we improve the situation.