Description

The payment failed because the API rate limit has been exceeded. This error occurs when too many requests are sent to the gateway API in a short time, traffic spikes overwhelm the service, or inefficient retry mechanisms cause repeated requests.

Recommended Customer Message

We're sorry — your payment could not be completed due to a technical issue. Please try again in a few minutes.

Root Cause

• API rate limit exceeded: Too many requests were sent to the gateway API in a short time, surpassing the allowed threshold. Each gateway has a limit on the number of API requests allowed per second, minute, or hour.
• Spikes in traffic: Unforeseen increases in traffic can temporarily overwhelm a service and cause it to trigger rate limits.
• Inefficient retry mechanisms: Automated retry logic caused repeated API requests, contributing to the rate limit breach.

Troubleshooting and Solutions

• Review API integration to ensure proper handling of rate limits.
• Use request queuing to manage traffic spikes and ensure a steady flow of requests.
• If higher limits are consistently required for valid use cases, contact the payment gateway to request an increase in the rate limit.