GlossaryBeginner
Market Order
An order to buy or sell immediately at the best currently available price.
A market order instructs an exchange to buy or sell immediately at the best price currently available, prioritizing speed of execution over a specific price.
Because it executes immediately against existing orders, a market order's final price can differ from the price shown just before placing it, especially for larger orders or less liquid assets.
Examples
- A market order to buy will fill immediately at the lowest available sell prices until the order is complete.
- Market orders are useful when speed matters more than getting a specific exact price.