Please stop for a moment. Do not rush to sign.
It is not uncommon for a quote to show as expired on your side, but the interface still says you can accept it. This happens in crypto options RFQs and some traditional electronic quote systems. The reason is that the quote may show "expired" on your screen, but the server may not yet have marked the record as unavailable. Or the front end only grays out the quote, while the back-end acceptance interface is actually still open.
More importantly, some systems even allow an "expired" quote to be processed further. For example, traditional tender and procurement rules may include a clause such as "the quote shall remain valid for 60 days after the deadline." In crypto RFQs, FinchTrade's API documentation states that quote validity is determined by server timestamps. The system uses a last-look mechanism and may reject a quote at the final moment. This means even if you click accept, the market maker may still refuse to trade at the last stage if market conditions change.
Therefore, seeing a "tradable" button does not mean the trade will definitely be completed. Before signing, you must check the following items yourself. Otherwise, you may waste gas fees.
Step 1: Check the real-time status of the quote
Before signing, manually check the quote's actual status on the server side.
- Confirm whether the quote is still valid, and whether another quote has already been selected.
- If the RFQ system supports multiple platforms, go to the web version or API interface and refresh to see whether the quote is still in the "pending acceptance" list.
- Key point: Confirm that you have not accepted another quote at the same time. In some systems, accepting one quote does not automatically invalidate other quotes with the same conditions. If you accidentally click "accept" on two quotes, it may create duplicate orders or trigger account risk controls.
Completion standard: The quote shows as "pending" or "acceptable" in the official backend, and it has not been overwritten by another action.
Step 2: Check whether the quote expiration timestamp is really invalid
Do not only look at whether the interface countdown has reached zero. For options trades that require an on-chain signature, check the validity period attached when the server issued the quote.
- What to do: Find the original effective deadline when this quote was generated.
- How to do it: Check the technical parameters in the quote details. There is usually an expirationTimestamp or validUntil field. Compare that timestamp with the current on-chain time. If the current time is past that timestamp, the quote is already invalid at the contract level. Signing on-chain will only waste gas.
Completion standard: The current time is still within the technical validity period of the quote.
Step 3: Check funds and position status
A quote that stays on the screen after expiration often means the account status has changed, but the page has not refreshed yet.
- What to do: Check whether the margin balance and options position are still enough to support this trade.
- How to do it: Go to the assets page and confirm whether margin has been occupied by other positions or withdrawn. Check whether there are pending orders or positions that conflict with this RFQ. For example, if you are buying a call option and the account already has a hedging position, it may trigger risk control limits.
Completion standard: The account has enough available balance, and the trading strategy is compliant.
Risk reminder: the last-look mechanism at the final moment
Even if all the checks above are completed, the trade may still be rejected after you sign on-chain. FinchTrade's API documentation explains that the server uses a last-look mechanism and can reject a quote at the final moment. If the market moves sharply when you accept the quote, the market maker has the right not to fill the trade. This is not a malfunction; it is part of the rules.
How to verify after submitting the operation
If you still want to submit the trade, go to the block explorer immediately after submitting and check the final status. If the transaction status is Success, the RFQ was accepted and recorded on-chain. If it shows Fail or Reverted, and the reason contains "expired quote" or "invalid," it means the quote was indeed expired and the transaction was rolled back. In that case, do not resubmit. Instead, request a new quote.
