Market Order
A market order executes immediately at the best available price. It guarantees fill, not price.
A market order executes immediately at the best available price. It guarantees the fill, not the price, so you may get slippage in fast markets.
A market order is an instruction to buy or sell immediately at the best available price. It guarantees execution but not the price, because the fill happens at whatever the market is quoting at that instant. Market orders are the default for traders who want in or out now and accept the spread and possible slippage as the cost of immediacy.
How It Works
- Fills at the current bid (sell) or ask (buy)
- No price control - you take whatever is quoted
- Slippage risk rises in news and thin markets
Trading Tips
Use market orders when speed matters more than the exact price
For large size, consider limit orders or splitting the order to avoid moving the market
Related Terms
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