Order Book Anatomy

These terms describe the best prices on each side, the gap between them, and how trades move the market.

How to recognize this theme

Terms you see when buyers and sellers post live quotes.

In a daily board, this category groups terms by their shared role. Look for four cards that describe the same mechanism, risk area, or workflow rather than four words that merely sound similar.

Educational context

These entries are vocabulary notes for learning. They are not project endorsements, token recommendations, exchange rankings, or trading signals.

Bid

A bid is the highest price a buyer is currently willing to pay for an asset.

Ask

An ask is the lowest price a seller is currently willing to accept for an asset.

Spread

The spread is the difference between the best bid and the best ask in a market.

Slippage

Slippage is the difference between an expected trade price and the price a trade actually receives.