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Ho and Stoll Model

Meaning

The Ho and Stoll Model, within the context of trading microstructure analysis relevant to crypto markets, is an equilibrium model that examines the price formation process and liquidity provision by a market maker. Its fundamental purpose is to explain how a specialist or dealer sets bid and ask prices and manages inventory in the presence of asymmetric information and order flow. Applied to digital assets, this model helps understand how centralized crypto exchanges or large liquidity providers quote prices and absorb trading imbalances, thereby influencing market efficiency and transaction costs.