Market Order
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In Brief
A market order is an instruction to buy or sell a token immediately at the best price currently available, prioritizing speed of execution over a specific price.
What Is a Market Order?
A market order is an instruction to swap a token right away at the best price currently available on the market. Unlike a limit order, which waits for a specific target price, a market order prioritizes speed and certainty of execution — it fills almost immediately.
When you just want to enter or exit a position now and aren't trying to wait for a better rate, a market order is the simplest choice.
How Does a Market Order Work?
You select a token pair and the amount you want to swap.
You confirm the trade at the current best available rate.
The swap executes immediately against available liquidity.
You receive the swapped tokens right away.
Market Order vs Limit Order
| Feature | Market Order | Limit Order |
|---|---|---|
| Execution timing | Immediate | When price hits your target |
| Price control | None — takes current price | Full — your price or better |
| Certainty of fill | High (if liquidity exists) | Not guaranteed |
| Risk | Slippage on the current price | Order may never fill |
| Best for | Acting now | Waiting for a better price |
When Should You Use a Market Order?
You need to trade now — speed matters more than getting a precise price.
Highly liquid pairs — where slippage is minimal and the price is stable.
Small trades — where the price impact of executing immediately is low.
Capturing a moment — entering or exiting quickly during fast market moves.
Market Orders and Slippage
Because a market order fills at whatever price is available, the final rate can differ slightly from the quote — this is called slippage. It's more pronounced in low-liquidity pools or during high volatility. Setting a slippage tolerance helps protect you from an unexpectedly poor price.
Market Orders and Trust Wallet
Trust Wallet's swap feature lets you place market orders that execute instantly at the best available rate across supported token pairs and 100+ blockchains. You can review the expected rate and adjust your slippage tolerance before confirming. And when you'd rather wait for a specific price instead of trading now, you can switch to a limit order — all from the same self-custody wallet, where only you control your private keys.