diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 90e5b12..ef2eecf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ curl --fail-with-body \
   'https://api.tidelight.app/v1/market/instruments?kind=rtoken&underlying_ticker=AAPL&limit=10'
 ```
 
-Responses include a request ID and market provenance, including the provider source and timestamp. rToken spot instruments are tokenized products; they are not underlying shares or stock perpetual contracts. An unavailable provider returns a safe service error instead of fabricated values. Async research responses include a job ID; reuse the same `Idempotency-Key` when retrying a start request.
+Responses include a request ID and market provenance, including the provider source and timestamp. rToken spot instruments are tokenized products; they are not underlying shares or stock perpetual contracts. An unavailable provider returns a safe service error instead of fabricated values. Bitget-backed market responses fail closed with `503 provider_terms_unconfirmed` until written redistribution permission is confirmed and configured. Async research responses include a job ID; reuse the same `Idempotency-Key` when retrying a start request.
 
 Errors use a stable code, safe message, and request ID. Respect `429` quotas and only retry safe operations or idempotent requests. All request and response schemas, status codes, limits, and OAuth-free API-key requirements are defined by the OpenAPI contract.
 
diff --git a/openapi/tidelight.yaml b/openapi/tidelight.yaml
index dd3ad52..14d867e 100644
--- a/openapi/tidelight.yaml
+++ b/openapi/tidelight.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ info:
   license:
     name: Proprietary
     url: https://tidelight.app/terms
-  description: The versioned developer API exposes read only market data and permission scoped asynchronous research jobs. Tokenized equity spot data is distinct from underlying US stock and perpetual contract data.
+  description: The versioned developer API exposes permission scoped asynchronous research jobs and market data only where the provider's redistribution terms permit it. Tokenized equity spot data is distinct from underlying US stock and perpetual contract data. Bitget-backed market data returns 503 with provider_terms_unconfirmed until written redistribution authorization is configured.
 servers:
   - url: https://api.tidelight.app/v1
 security:
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ paths:
           schema: { type: string, pattern: '^[A-Z0-9]{2,32}$' }
       responses:
         '200':
-          description: A page of instruments from Bitget Reality spot
+          description: A page of instruments from Bitget Reality spot, only when redistribution is authorized
           headers:
             X-Request-Id: { schema: { type: string, format: uuid } }
           content:
@@ -48,7 +48,21 @@ paths:
         '401': { $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' }
         '403': { $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' }
         '429': { $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' }
-        '503': { $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' }
+        '503':
+          description: Upstream is unavailable or provider redistribution authorization is not configured (provider_terms_unconfirmed).
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                required: [error]
+                properties:
+                  error:
+                    type: object
+                    required: [code, message, request_id]
+                    properties:
+                      code: { type: string, enum: [provider_unavailable, provider_terms_unconfirmed] }
+                      message: { type: string }
+                      request_id: { type: string, format: uuid }
   /research/jobs:
     post:
       operationId: startCompanySnapshot