There's a cluster of threads on symbol specifications that each got one or two replies, which is a shame, because between them they explain a whole class of "why did my order get rejected" problems. Here's the joined-up version.
Stop level and freeze level
The stop vs freeze level thread has the clearest definitions. Stop level is the minimum distance from current price at which you can place a stop, target or pending order. Freeze level is the distance inside which you can't modify or delete existing orders. Both are in points, not pips, so a 20 point setting on a five digit quote is 2 pips.
Why it matters for scalpers, from the "traps that silently murder scalps" thread: on a 2 to 4 pip idea, a 5 to 10 point freeze level means your tight management plan is literally not allowed on that symbol. The panic edit during a fast London move gets rejected. You either widen the stop, which changes your R, or manage exits with market orders.
The stop level zero thread adds a caveat: a zero stop level doesn't mean freedom. Freeze level can still block modifications near price, and very tight stops can still get filled badly if the spread is wider than the stop.
Specs that differ by broker
The symbol gotchas thread is a checklist worth copying:
- Contract size on metals. Gold is usually 100 ounces per lot but not always, and silver varies more. Copying size from one broker to another can double or halve your real risk.
- Digits. Four versus five digit FX, two or three on gold. Calculators and EAs that assume one format break quietly.
- Points versus pips. The fractional pips thread puts it simply: a stop of "50" in an EA may mean 5 pips.
- Symbol names and suffixes. The IC suffix thread lost a morning to templates and EAs looking for a symbol name that didn't exist on that account type.
- Lot minimums and steps. From the lot rounding thread: if the calculator says 0.076 and the step is 0.01, trade 0.07. Round down, always.
Three of these threads single out XAUUSD: contract size assumptions, uglier minimum stop distances than the majors, and whether mobile or web flatten behaves the same as desktop. The freeze-level cheat sheet thread mentions traders placing a gold stop the server rejects, then market-ing out in a panic. That's the failure you're trying to prevent.
The habit that ties it together
The cheat sheet idea is the one I'd steal. A small text file per symbol with stop level, freeze level, and the minimum distance you'll actually use, which is the greater of the broker constraint and your playbook stop. Refresh it when the broker pushes spec changes and after any odd weekend. Keep it next to the order ticket.
The only real disagreement across the threads is whether to trust the spec window or test it. One thread checked on demo accounts, which is fine for reading the numbers, but servers can differ between demo and live, so a couple of small live orders is the honest confirmation.
What spec has caught you out on a new broker? Contract size, suffixes, freeze level, something else?
Threads this pulls from
- Freeze level / stops level traps that silently murder scalps
- Stop level versus freeze level: what the spec window tells you
- Building a freeze-level cheat sheet per symbol on IC Markets
- Stop Level Zero Brokers: What Changes for Very Tight Stops
- Symbol specification gotchas that differ by broker
- IC Markets symbol suffixes and chart template pitfalls
- IC Markets symbol swap and contract size quirks for XAUUSD
- Fractional Pips and Price Precision
- Lot Rounding and Minimum Sizes: Small Details With Real Effects
