Key Takeaways
Each Binance symbol is governed by a set of permissions and a status indicator, which together determine how and where the pair can be used.
Binance allows users to programmatically fetch spot market symbols via API.
Staying informed about newly listed or soon-to-be-delisted symbols can help traders anticipate market changes and avoid potential disruptions.
Introduction
When trading on any exchange, it’s useful to know which trading pairs are available. These pairs, called symbols, show you what assets you can trade against each other. On Binance, getting this information is straightforward, and it helps you plan better trades and avoid potential issues related to trading availability. Binance offers multiple methods for retrieving spot symbols.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how Binance categorizes spot symbols, how to fetch them using the API, and why it’s important to stay updated on new listings or pairs that are about to be removed.
Understanding Symbol Permissions and Status
Before exploring how to retrieve Binance Spot symbols, it is important to understand how symbols are categorized and what determines their availability. Each symbol on Binance is associated with a set of permissions and a trading status, which together define where and how the symbol can be used.
Each symbol can include one or more of the following permissions:
SPOT: Indicates that the symbol is available in the spot market.
MARGIN: Shows that margin trading is allowed for this symbol.
TRD_GRP: Indicates users belonging to a specific trade group who are authorized to trade the symbol. Users can find the trade groups they belong to by calling the GET /api/v3/account endpoint and checking the `permissions` array.
The trading status of a symbol indicates its operational state. Common statuses include:
TRADING: The symbol is active and available for trading.
BREAK: The symbol is temporarily suspended.
Understanding these classifications helps users identify which pairs are accessible for their preferred trading method and ensure compatibility with their account permissions.
Fetching Spot Symbols from Binance
Retrieve Spot Symbols via API
Binance offers a dedicated API endpoint to retrieve all spot trading symbols. The REST API endpoint GET /api/v3/exchangeInfo returns a list of all spot symbols available on the exchange.
A sample response for a symbol looks like this:
{
"symbol": "BNBUSDT",
"status": "TRADING",
"baseAsset": "BNB",
"quoteAsset": "USDT",
"permissionsSets": [["SPOT", "MARGIN", "TRD_GRP_004"]]
}
The response includes various details that help users identify valid spot symbols. One of the key elements is the list of permissions assigned to each symbol, which indicates the types of trading activities allowed. By examining this information alongside the current trading status of the symbol, users can determine whether the pair is actively available for spot trading. This step is particularly important for users running automated strategies, as it helps prevent placing orders on pairs that are temporarily suspended or no longer supported.
For more specific use cases, users can filter results based on criteria such as base or quote assets. For example, to focus on USDT pairs, users can extract only those with USDT as the quote currency.:
from binance_sdk_spot.spot import Spot
client = Spot()
response = client.rest_api.exchange_info()
data = response.data()
usdt_symbols = [symbol for symbol in data.symbols if symbol.quote_asset == "USDT"]
usdt_trading_symbols = [symbol for symbol in usdt_symbols if symbol.status == "TRADING"]Filtering by trading status helps narrow down the list to include only pairs that are currently active. This approach provides more control over the trading dataset and supports more efficient and reliable trade execution.
Advantages of using the Binance API
Using the Binance API to retrieve spot symbols offers several benefits:
Automation: The API allows traders to automate data retrieval and integrate it directly into trading bots or analysis tools.
Efficiency: Fetching symbols via the API eliminates the need for manual checking and provides real-time access to trading data.
Customizability: Users can filter and manipulate the data programmatically to match their specific trading needs.
Scalability: API integration enables traders to handle large volumes of data efficiently, making it ideal for both individual and institutional users.
Listed and Delisted Symbols
It’s important to keep track of which symbols are newly added to Binance and which ones are being removed. New listings can open up fresh trading opportunities. Delisted symbols, on the other hand, are scheduled for removal and should be avoided in automated strategies or portfolio planning.
To keep track of these changes, Binance provides dedicated announcement pages:
Newly listed symbols: Announcements on new listings
Soon-to-be delisted symbols: Announcements on delistings
Why do symbols get listed or delisted?
The listing and delisting of symbols are based on various factors, including:
Market demand: Pairs with high trading interest are more likely to be listed.
Regulatory compliance: Binance ensures that listed pairs comply with global regulations.
Project viability: Delisting often occurs when a project fails to meet Binance’s quality standards or loses market relevance.
Closing Thoughts
Getting comfortable with how to find and interpret spot symbols on Binance can make your trading experience much smoother. By understanding the different permissions and statuses each symbol has, you’ll know exactly which pairs you can trade and how. The Binance API is a powerful tool that lets you access this data in real time and tailor it to your needs (ideal for building trading bots or conducting detailed market analysis).
Further Reading
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