A market order tells the market to fill your trade right now, whatever the current price is. Speed matters more than precision.
It’s the fastest way to enter or exit a position, but you give up price control. In calm markets the difference is small. In fast markets it can be significant.
Market orders guarantee execution, which is useful when timing is critical. They’re often used during breakouts, news events, or when exiting risk quickly.
The downside is price uncertainty. In volatile or thin markets, market orders can lead to slippage, especially when liquidity is low or bid-ask spreads widen.
Market orders are defined by execution behavior:
- Filled immediately at the best available price
- Final price depends on liquidity and order book depth
- Higher volatility increases slippage risk
- Large orders can move price in illiquid assets
Execution speed trades off with price control.
A common mistake is using market orders in low-liquidity assets. Fast execution can come at an unexpectedly bad price.
Another error is placing market orders during sudden news spikes without checking spreads. What looks like a small move can turn into a costly fill.
On Stoxcraft, market orders are explained in Academy content covering trading mechanics and execution basics.
They’re also referenced on stock pages when comparing market orders with limit orders to highlight speed versus price control.