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Order Book Jitter

Meaning

Order Book Jitter describes the rapid, frequent, and often erratic fluctuations in bid and ask prices, and corresponding quantity levels, within a trading exchange’s electronic order book. This phenomenon, characterized by continuous insertions, modifications, and cancellations of orders in very short timeframes, presents a challenge in crypto investing, particularly for RFQ systems and institutional options market makers. Its presence complicates accurate price discovery and efficient order execution by introducing noise and uncertainty into the real-time market microstructure, potentially leading to increased slippage and less favorable execution prices.