API Key vs Rate Limit

Quick comparison to help you distinguish these two crypto terms.

API Key
intermediate
risk

An API key is a unique credential generated by an exchange that authenticates a trading bot's programmatic access, enabling it to fetch market data and place orders without requiring manual login.

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Rate Limit
advanced
fundamentals

A rate limit is the maximum frequency at which an exchange API permits requests, with automatic temporary suspension of access imposed on bots that exceed the allowed call threshold.

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