# What Are the Key Differences in Best Execution Obligations between Lit and Dark Venues? ▴ Question

**Published:** 2025-08-05
**Categories:** Question

---

![Sleek metallic structures with glowing apertures symbolize institutional RFQ protocols. These represent high-fidelity execution and price discovery across aggregated liquidity pools](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/precision-digital-asset-derivatives-trading-systems-optimizing-rfq-protocols-for-institutional-block-trade-execution.jpg)

![Clear geometric prisms and flat planes interlock, symbolizing complex market microstructure and multi-leg spread strategies in institutional digital asset derivatives. A solid teal circle represents a discrete liquidity pool for private quotation via RFQ protocols, ensuring high-fidelity execution](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocols-price-discovery-and-high-fidelity-execution.jpg)

## Concept

The mandate for [best execution](https://prime.greeks.live/area/best-execution/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) is a constant in the financial markets. It is the bedrock upon which client trust and regulatory compliance are built. The operational challenge resides in the architecture of the venues where orders are brought to life.

Viewing the market as a complex system reveals that the obligation itself does not change between lit and [dark venues](https://prime.greeks.live/area/dark-venues/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite); what transforms is the methodology for achieving it and the nature of the data used to prove its fulfillment. The core architectural difference is one of information control.

[Lit markets](https://prime.greeks.live/area/lit-markets/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) function as the system’s public broadcast layer. They are built on a principle of [pre-trade transparency](https://prime.greeks.live/area/pre-trade-transparency/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite), where order books, depths, and prevailing prices are disseminated in real-time to all participants. Here, the path to best execution is paved with visible data. The system itself provides the evidence stream.

An order sent to a lit exchange is placed into a competitive arena where it interacts with a broad spectrum of opposing interest. The quality of execution is measured against this public, verifiable benchmark, primarily the National Best Bid and Offer ([NBBO](https://prime.greeks.live/area/nbbo/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)). The obligation is met by demonstrably interacting with the best available prices within this transparent ecosystem.

> Best execution in a lit market is evidenced by interacting with the best prices visible to the entire system.

Dark venues, conversely, operate as private, discreet execution channels within the market’s architecture. Their primary design function is to suppress pre-trade information, thereby minimizing the [market impact](https://prime.greeks.live/area/market-impact/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) that can arise from signaling large trading intentions. In this environment, order details are concealed until after the transaction is complete. This opacity fundamentally alters how best execution is demonstrated.

Without a public order book to reference within the venue itself, the proof of execution quality becomes a post-trade analytical exercise. The [execution price](https://prime.greeks.live/area/execution-price/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) is benchmarked against the state of the lit markets at the moment of the transaction, turning the public venues into the reference point for the private ones.

![A sophisticated dark-hued institutional-grade digital asset derivatives platform interface, featuring a glowing aperture symbolizing active RFQ price discovery and high-fidelity execution. The integrated intelligence layer facilitates atomic settlement and multi-leg spread processing, optimizing market microstructure for prime brokerage operations and capital efficiency](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-crypto-derivatives-rfq-engine-intelligence-layer.jpg)

## What Is the Primary Design Difference

The fundamental design question is not about one venue being superior to the other, but about selecting the appropriate execution architecture for a specific order’s characteristics. A small, highly liquid market order for a popular stock finds its most efficient path in a [lit market](https://prime.greeks.live/area/lit-market/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite), where speed and interaction with the NBBO are paramount. A large institutional block order for that same stock would be severely penalized by the information leakage in a lit venue; its mere presence would move the market against it.

For this order, the discreet architecture of a [dark pool](https://prime.greeks.live/area/dark-pool/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) is the logical choice. The best execution obligation thus compels the broker to build a system, often powered by a [Smart Order Router](https://prime.greeks.live/area/smart-order-router/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) (SOR), capable of making this architectural choice on an order-by-order basis, justifying each decision with a robust data-driven rationale.

- **Lit Markets** They are defined by pre-trade transparency. The order book is visible, showing bids, asks, and volume. This public display of intent is the primary mechanism for price discovery in the broader market. 

- **[Dark Pools](https://prime.greeks.live/area/dark-pools/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)** These venues are characterized by pre-trade opacity. Orders are not displayed to other participants before execution. This design is intended to reduce market impact for large orders and to allow for execution without revealing trading strategy. 

- **Universal Obligation** The regulatory requirement to achieve the best possible outcome for a client’s order applies equally regardless of the execution venue. This includes factors like price, speed, likelihood of execution, and overall cost. 

![A precisely stacked array of modular institutional-grade digital asset trading platforms, symbolizing sophisticated RFQ protocol execution. Each layer represents distinct liquidity pools and high-fidelity execution pathways, enabling price discovery for multi-leg spreads and atomic settlement](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocols-high-fidelity-execution-8.jpg)

![A gleaming, translucent sphere with intricate internal mechanisms, flanked by precision metallic probes, symbolizes a sophisticated Principal's RFQ engine. This represents the atomic settlement of multi-leg spread strategies, enabling high-fidelity execution and robust price discovery within institutional digital asset derivatives markets, minimizing latency and slippage for optimal alpha generation and capital efficiency](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/inst-digital-asset-deriv-rfq-os-for-optimal-high-fidelity-trade-exec.jpg)

## Strategy

Strategic routing is the intelligent application of market architecture to fulfill the best execution mandate. The decision to route an order to a lit or dark venue is a calculated one, driven by the specific characteristics of the order and the strategic goals of the portfolio manager. This process moves beyond simple compliance and becomes a core component of alpha generation and preservation. The system’s intelligence lies in its ability to select the venue that offers the optimal balance of transparency, cost, and impact mitigation for a given trade.

A Smart Order Router (SOR) is the primary execution tool for implementing this strategy. It is a sophisticated algorithm designed to analyze an incoming order and parse it across multiple venues to achieve the best possible result. The SOR’s logic is programmed according to the firm’s [best execution policy](https://prime.greeks.live/area/best-execution-policy/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite), which dictates the hierarchy of factors to consider. For many institutional orders, the primary consideration is minimizing information leakage and market impact, which naturally prioritizes dark venues for initial exploration.

The SOR will attempt to find a liquidity match in a dark pool first, seeking a midpoint execution that provides demonstrable [price improvement](https://prime.greeks.live/area/price-improvement/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) over the current NBBO. If the order cannot be filled in its entirety or at a satisfactory price in the dark, the SOR will then route the remainder to lit markets for execution.

> The strategic deployment of a Smart Order Router is central to navigating the fragmented liquidity landscape of lit and dark venues.

![A sleek, conical precision instrument, with a vibrant mint-green tip and a robust grey base, represents the cutting-edge of institutional digital asset derivatives trading. Its sharp point signifies price discovery and best execution within complex market microstructure, powered by RFQ protocols for dark liquidity access and capital efficiency in atomic settlement](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-execution-microstructure-price-discovery-optimization-prime-os-intelligence-layer.jpg)

## Comparative Venue Selection Strategy

The strategic calculus involves a trade-off analysis. The table below outlines the key factors that guide the routing decision between lit and dark venues from a strategic perspective. Understanding these trade-offs is essential for constructing an effective [execution policy](https://prime.greeks.live/area/execution-policy/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite).

| Strategic Factor | Lit Venue Approach | Dark Venue Approach |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Market Impact | High potential for impact, as large orders are visible and can move prices. Suited for smaller orders that are unlikely to disturb the market. | Low potential for impact, as pre-trade intent is hidden. This is the primary strategic advantage for executing large block orders. |
| Information Leakage | High. The order’s size and price are broadcast publicly, revealing trading strategy to the entire market. | Low. Anonymity is preserved until after the trade is reported, preventing other participants from trading ahead of the order. |
| Price Discovery | Directly contributes to public price discovery. The interaction of orders is what sets the market price. | Indirectly contributes. Executes based on prices derived from lit markets (e.g. NBBO midpoint), and post-trade reports add to the total market data. |
| Potential for Price Improvement | Limited. Execution occurs at the displayed bid or ask. Price improvement is possible but less common. | High. Often designed to execute at the midpoint of the lit market’s bid-ask spread, providing a better price than what is publicly quoted. |

![Two intertwined, reflective, metallic structures with translucent teal elements at their core, converging on a central nexus against a dark background. This represents a sophisticated RFQ protocol facilitating price discovery within digital asset derivatives markets, denoting high-fidelity execution and institutional-grade systems optimizing capital efficiency via latent liquidity and smart order routing across dark pools](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-rfq-execution-system-architecture.jpg)

## How Does Venue Choice Affect Proof of Compliance?

Proving best execution in a dark venue requires a different set of tools and a more rigorous analytical framework. While a lit market execution can be justified by pointing to the public tape at the time of the trade, a dark pool execution must be validated through comprehensive post-trade analysis. [Transaction Cost Analysis](https://prime.greeks.live/area/transaction-cost-analysis/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) (TCA) becomes the central pillar of the compliance strategy.

TCA reports compare the execution price in the dark pool against a variety of benchmarks, such as the Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP) over a specific period, the arrival price (the market price at the time the order was received), and the NBBO at the time of each fill. This data-intensive process provides the auditable proof that the decision to use an opaque venue ultimately benefited the client by achieving a superior price or avoiding negative market impact.

![A polished sphere with metallic rings on a reflective dark surface embodies a complex Digital Asset Derivative or Multi-Leg Spread. Layered dark discs behind signify underlying Volatility Surface data and Dark Pool liquidity, representing High-Fidelity Execution and Portfolio Margin capabilities within an Institutional Grade Prime Brokerage framework](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/prime-os-rfq-block-trade-liquidity-execution-microstructure-analytics.jpg)

![Interconnected teal and beige geometric facets form an abstract construct, embodying a sophisticated RFQ protocol for institutional digital asset derivatives. This visualizes multi-leg spread structuring, liquidity aggregation, high-fidelity execution, principal risk management, capital efficiency, and atomic settlement](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-for-multi-leg-spread-execution-and-optimal-liquidity-aggregation.jpg)

## Execution

The execution of the best execution mandate is an operational discipline grounded in process and data. It requires a robust technological and analytical framework capable of not only routing orders intelligently but also producing the evidence required to validate those routing decisions. The core task is to translate the abstract obligation of “best execution” into a concrete, measurable, and defensible outcome for every single order.

For an institutional trading desk, the execution workflow begins the moment an order is received. The first step is a pre-trade analysis, where the characteristics of the order ▴ its size, the security’s liquidity profile, and prevailing market volatility ▴ are assessed. This analysis determines the optimal execution strategy.

An order deemed large enough to create adverse market impact if sent directly to a lit exchange is flagged for a dark venue-first approach. The firm’s SOR is then engaged to carry out this strategy, a process that must be meticulously logged.

![A sleek, cream and dark blue institutional trading terminal with a dark interactive display. It embodies a proprietary Prime RFQ, facilitating secure RFQ protocols for digital asset derivatives](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-terminal-for-best-execution.jpg)

## Evidencing Best Execution Factors

The regulatory framework requires brokers to consider a range of factors beyond just price. The table below details these factors and how their fulfillment is demonstrated within the distinct architectures of lit and dark venues. This is the operational core of a best execution policy.

| Execution Factor | Evidence in Lit Venues | Evidence in Dark Venues |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Execution price is compared directly against the NBBO at the time of the trade. The public tape provides a clear, verifiable record. | Execution price is benchmarked against the NBBO midpoint. Proof comes from post-trade analysis showing price improvement relative to the lit market. |
| Costs | Explicit costs (commissions, exchange fees) are transparent and easily documented. | Costs may be structured differently. The primary evidence of cost-effectiveness comes from TCA reports demonstrating savings from reduced market impact. |
| Speed and Likelihood of Execution | High for liquid securities. The depth of the public order book provides a high probability of a fast fill. | Variable. Dependent on finding a contra-party within the pool. The justification for slower execution is the trade-off for better price or lower impact. |
| Size and Nature of the Order | Best suited for smaller orders that do not disrupt the market’s equilibrium. | Specifically designed for large block orders where anonymity is critical to achieving a favorable execution. |

![Precision-engineered multi-vane system with opaque, reflective, and translucent teal blades. This visualizes Institutional Grade Digital Asset Derivatives Market Microstructure, driving High-Fidelity Execution via RFQ protocols, optimizing Liquidity Pool aggregation, and Multi-Leg Spread management on a Prime RFQ](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/precision-engineered-multi-vane-system-illustrating-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocols-market-microstructure-optimized-liquidity-aggregation-prime-os-high-fidelity-execution.jpg)

## The Role of Transaction Cost Analysis

[Transaction Cost](https://prime.greeks.live/area/transaction-cost/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) Analysis (TCA) is the definitive process for validating best execution in dark venues. It is the system’s audit log, translating the opacity of the execution process into a transparent report of outcomes. A TCA report for a dark pool execution will quantify the “alpha” generated by the routing decision itself.

- **Arrival Price Benchmark** This compares the final execution price to the market price at the moment the trading desk received the order. A positive result shows that the execution strategy outperformed a simple, immediate market order. 

- **VWAP Benchmark** The execution price is compared to the Volume-Weighted Average Price of the security over the trading day. This demonstrates how the execution performed relative to the average market participant. 

- **Market Impact Analysis** This is the most critical component for justifying dark pool usage. The analysis models the expected market impact if the large order had been sent to a lit exchange and compares this hypothetical cost to the actual, lower impact achieved through the dark execution. This quantified impact saving is the primary evidence of best execution for block trades. 

Ultimately, the execution of best execution obligations is a continuous cycle of pre-trade analysis, intelligent routing, and rigorous post-trade validation. The choice between lit and dark venues is not a matter of preference but a calculated decision within a sophisticated system designed to protect client interests in a fragmented and complex market environment.

![Sharp, transparent, teal structures and a golden line intersect a dark void. This symbolizes market microstructure for institutional digital asset derivatives](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-precision-execution-leveraging-granular-market-microstructure-intelligence.jpg)

## References

- Buti, S. Rindi, B. & Werner, I. M. (2010). Dark pool trading, market quality and welfare. Working Paper.

- O’Hara, M. & Ye, M. (2011). Is market fragmentation harming market quality? Journal of Financial Economics, 100(3), 459-474.

- Ready, M. J. (2009). Determinants of volume in dark pools. Working Paper, University of Notre Dame.

- Weaver, D. G. (2011). Off-exchange trading and market quality. Financial Review, 46(3), 345-368.

- Nimalendran, M. & Sofianos, G. (2012). Informational Linkages Between Dark and Lit Trading Venues. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

- Barnes, R. (2015). Analysis ▴ Dark pools and best execution. Global Trading.

- Mizuho Financial Group. (2024). Best Execution Policy (For corporate clients with transactions with the Global Markets Division).

![An advanced digital asset derivatives system features a central liquidity pool aperture, integrated with a high-fidelity execution engine. This Prime RFQ architecture supports RFQ protocols, enabling block trade processing and price discovery](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-rfq-protocol-execution-system-architecture.jpg)

## Reflection

![A precision-engineered, multi-layered system architecture for institutional digital asset derivatives. Its modular components signify robust RFQ protocol integration, facilitating efficient price discovery and high-fidelity execution for complex multi-leg spreads, minimizing slippage and adverse selection in market microstructure](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/prime-os-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-execution-platform.jpg)

## Is Your Execution Architecture Fit for Purpose

The principles governing best execution across lit and dark venues are now clear. The critical step is to turn this systemic understanding into an introspective analysis of your own operational framework. Consider the architecture you currently employ to bring orders to the market.

Does it possess the intelligence to dynamically select the appropriate venue based on the unique fingerprint of each order? Can it quantify the value it creates through impact mitigation and price improvement?

The knowledge of these market structures provides the blueprint. The ultimate strategic advantage comes from building or partnering with a system that not only navigates this complexity but also provides a transparent, data-rich audit trail of its performance. Your execution policy should be a living document, continuously refined by the data flowing back from your post-trade analysis, ensuring your market access architecture is perpetually optimized to achieve its primary function ▴ delivering a superior, verifiable result.

![A sleek, futuristic institutional-grade instrument, representing high-fidelity execution of digital asset derivatives. Its sharp point signifies price discovery via RFQ protocols](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/precision-rfq-execution-engine-for-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives.jpg)

## Glossary

<a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/best-execution/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Dark, reflective planes intersect, outlined by a luminous bar with three apertures. This visualizes RFQ protocols for institutional liquidity aggregation and high-fidelity execution](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-execution-dynamics.jpg)

## Best Execution

Meaning ▴ Best Execution is the obligation to obtain the most favorable terms reasonably available for a client's order. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/dark-venues/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![A modular system with beige and mint green components connected by a central blue cross-shaped element, illustrating an institutional-grade RFQ execution engine. This sophisticated architecture facilitates high-fidelity execution, enabling efficient price discovery for multi-leg spreads and optimizing capital efficiency within a Prime RFQ framework for digital asset derivatives](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/principal-prime-os-rfq-engine-for-digital-asset-derivatives.jpg)

## Dark Venues

Meaning ▴ Dark Venues represent non-displayed trading facilities designed for institutional participants to execute transactions away from public order books, where order size and price are not broadcast to the wider market before execution. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/pre-trade-transparency/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Engineered components in beige, blue, and metallic tones form a complex, layered structure. This embodies the intricate market microstructure of institutional digital asset derivatives, illustrating a sophisticated RFQ protocol framework for optimizing price discovery, high-fidelity execution, and managing counterparty risk within multi-leg spreads on a Prime RFQ](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-stack-optimization.jpg)

## Pre-Trade Transparency

Meaning ▴ Pre-Trade Transparency refers to the real-time dissemination of bid and offer prices, along with associated sizes, prior to the execution of a trade. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/lit-markets/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![A sleek conduit, embodying an RFQ protocol and smart order routing, connects two distinct, semi-spherical liquidity pools. Its transparent core signifies an intelligence layer for algorithmic trading and high-fidelity execution of digital asset derivatives, ensuring atomic settlement](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-execution-engine-bridging-diverse-liquidity-pools-via-high-fidelity-rfq-protocol-orchestration.jpg)

## Lit Markets

Meaning ▴ Lit Markets are centralized exchanges or trading venues characterized by pre-trade transparency, where bids and offers are publicly displayed in an order book prior to execution. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/nbbo/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![A sleek, white, semi-spherical Principal's operational framework opens to precise internal FIX Protocol components. A luminous, reflective blue sphere embodies an institutional-grade digital asset derivative, symbolizing optimal price discovery and a robust liquidity pool](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocols-high-fidelity-execution-5.jpg)

## Nbbo

Meaning ▴ The National Best Bid and Offer, or NBBO, represents the highest bid price and the lowest offer price available across all regulated exchanges for a given security at a specific moment in time. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/market-impact/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![A dual-toned cylindrical component features a central transparent aperture revealing intricate metallic wiring. This signifies a core RFQ processing unit for Digital Asset Derivatives, enabling rapid Price Discovery and High-Fidelity Execution](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-engine-core-best-execution-prime-os.jpg)

## Market Impact

Meaning ▴ Market Impact refers to the observed change in an asset's price resulting from the execution of a trading order, primarily influenced by the order's size relative to available liquidity and prevailing market conditions. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/execution-price/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![A central RFQ aggregation engine radiates segments, symbolizing distinct liquidity pools and market makers. This depicts multi-dealer RFQ protocol orchestration for high-fidelity price discovery in digital asset derivatives, highlighting diverse counterparty risk profiles and algorithmic pricing grids](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/centralized-digital-asset-rfq-orchestration-for-multi-venue-liquidity-aggregation-and-high-fidelity-execution-across-diverse-counterparties.jpg)

## Execution Price

Meaning ▴ The Execution Price represents the definitive, realized price at which a specific order or trade leg is completed within a financial market system. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/lit-market/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Sleek, abstract system interface with glowing green lines symbolizing RFQ pathways and high-fidelity execution. This visualizes market microstructure for institutional digital asset derivatives, emphasizing private quotation and dark liquidity within a Prime RFQ framework, enabling best execution and capital efficiency](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/prime-os-rfq-protocol-for-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives.jpg)

## Lit Market

Meaning ▴ A lit market is a trading venue providing mandatory pre-trade transparency. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/smart-order-router/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![A sleek, angled object, featuring a dark blue sphere, cream disc, and multi-part base, embodies a Principal's operational framework. This represents an institutional-grade RFQ protocol for digital asset derivatives, facilitating high-fidelity execution and price discovery within market microstructure, optimizing capital efficiency](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/prime-os-rfq-for-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-execution.jpg)

## Smart Order Router

Meaning ▴ A Smart Order Router (SOR) is an algorithmic trading mechanism designed to optimize order execution by intelligently routing trade instructions across multiple liquidity venues. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/dark-pool/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Abstract layers in grey, mint green, and deep blue visualize a Principal's operational framework for institutional digital asset derivatives. The textured grey signifies market microstructure, while the mint green layer with precise slots represents RFQ protocol parameters, enabling high-fidelity execution, private quotation, capital efficiency, and atomic settlement](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/prime-os-layered-rfq-protocol-for-digital-asset-execution-system.jpg)

## Dark Pool

Meaning ▴ A Dark Pool is an alternative trading system (ATS) or private exchange that facilitates the execution of large block orders without displaying pre-trade bid and offer quotations to the wider market. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/dark-pools/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![A precise stack of multi-layered circular components visually representing a sophisticated Principal Digital Asset RFQ framework. Each distinct layer signifies a critical component within market microstructure for high-fidelity execution of institutional digital asset derivatives, embodying liquidity aggregation across dark pools, enabling private quotation and atomic settlement](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/principal-digital-asset-rfq-protocol-layers-for-high-fidelity-execution.jpg)

## Dark Pools

Meaning ▴ Dark Pools are alternative trading systems (ATS) that facilitate institutional order execution away from public exchanges, characterized by pre-trade anonymity and non-display of liquidity. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/best-execution-policy/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Abstract geometric design illustrating a central RFQ aggregation hub for institutional digital asset derivatives. Radiating lines symbolize high-fidelity execution via smart order routing across dark pools](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-high-fidelity-execution-architecture.jpg)

## Best Execution Policy

Meaning ▴ The Best Execution Policy defines the obligation for a broker-dealer or trading firm to execute client orders on terms most favorable to the client. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/price-improvement/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Sleek, angled structures intersect, reflecting a central convergence. Intersecting light planes illustrate RFQ Protocol pathways for Price Discovery and High-Fidelity Execution in Market Microstructure](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-price-discovery-microstructure.jpg)

## Price Improvement

Meaning ▴ Price improvement denotes the execution of a trade at a more advantageous price than the prevailing National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO) at the moment of order submission. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/execution-policy/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![An abstract digital interface features a dark circular screen with two luminous dots, one teal and one grey, symbolizing active and pending private quotation statuses within an RFQ protocol. Below, sharp parallel lines in black, beige, and grey delineate distinct liquidity pools and execution pathways for multi-leg spread strategies, reflecting market microstructure and high-fidelity execution for institutional grade digital asset derivatives](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-displaying-multi-leg-execution-status-and-optimal-liquidity-pathways.jpg)

## Execution Policy

Meaning ▴ An Execution Policy defines a structured set of rules and computational logic governing the handling and execution of financial orders within a trading system. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/transaction-cost-analysis/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Intersecting structural elements form an 'X' around a central pivot, symbolizing dynamic RFQ protocols and multi-leg spread strategies. Luminous quadrants represent price discovery and latent liquidity within an institutional-grade Prime RFQ, enabling high-fidelity execution for digital asset derivatives](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocols-enabling-high-fidelity-execution-across-disparate-liquidity-pools.jpg)

## Transaction Cost Analysis

Meaning ▴ Transaction Cost Analysis (TCA) is the quantitative methodology for assessing the explicit and implicit costs incurred during the execution of financial trades. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/transaction-cost/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![A polished, dark, reflective surface, embodying market microstructure and latent liquidity, supports clear crystalline spheres. These symbolize price discovery and high-fidelity execution within an institutional-grade RFQ protocol for digital asset derivatives, reflecting implied volatility and capital efficiency](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-execution-system-1.jpg)

## Transaction Cost

Meaning ▴ Transaction Cost represents the total quantifiable economic friction incurred during the execution of a trade, encompassing both explicit costs such as commissions, exchange fees, and clearing charges, alongside implicit costs like market impact, slippage, and opportunity cost. </a>

**Tags:** [Dark Venues](https://options.greeks.live/area/dark-venues/), [Pre-Trade Transparency](https://options.greeks.live/area/pre-trade-transparency/), [Price Improvement](https://options.greeks.live/area/price-improvement/), [MiFID II](https://options.greeks.live/area/mifid-ii/), [Transaction Cost Analysis](https://options.greeks.live/area/transaction-cost-analysis/), [Execution Price](https://options.greeks.live/area/execution-price/)	

## Discover More

- 
### [How Does Dark Pool Interaction Affect the Ability to Prove Best Execution?](https://options.greeks.live/question/how-does-dark-pool-interaction-affect-the-ability-to-prove-best-execution/)
![A crystalline sphere, symbolizing atomic settlement for digital asset derivatives, rests on a Prime RFQ platform. Intersecting blue structures depict high-fidelity RFQ execution and multi-leg spread strategies, showcasing optimized market microstructure for capital efficiency and latent liquidity.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-execution-microstructure-8.jpg)

Dark pool interaction complicates proving best execution by shifting the burden of proof from transparent price-taking to demonstrating value through sophisticated, data-intensive transaction cost analysis.

- 
### [What Is the Role of Dark Pools in Achieving Best Execution for Large Block Trades?](https://options.greeks.live/question/what-is-the-role-of-dark-pools-in-achieving-best-execution-for-large-block-trades/)
![A sphere split into light and dark segments, revealing a luminous core. This encapsulates the precise Request for Quote RFQ protocol for institutional digital asset derivatives, highlighting high-fidelity execution, optimal price discovery, and advanced market microstructure within aggregated liquidity pools.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/high-fidelity-execution-framework-for-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-request-for-quote-protocol-optimization.jpg)

Dark pools provide a non-displayed execution environment, mitigating the price impact of large orders to achieve superior execution quality.

- 
### [What Is the Role of Venue Analysis in Mitigating the Financial Impact of Slippage?](https://options.greeks.live/question/what-is-the-role-of-venue-analysis-in-mitigating-the-financial-impact-of-slippage/)
![Abstract architectural representation of a Prime RFQ for institutional digital asset derivatives, illustrating RFQ aggregation and high-fidelity execution. Intersecting beams signify multi-leg spread pathways and liquidity pools, while spheres represent atomic settlement points and implied volatility. A central intelligence layer monitors market microstructure for best execution.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/architecting-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-trading-systems-for-optimized-rfq-execution-and-advanced-price-discovery.jpg)

Venue analysis is the systematic deconstruction of fragmented liquidity to architect execution paths that minimize price slippage.

- 
### [How Do Smart Order Routers Implement the Strategic Logic of a MiFID II Best Execution Policy?](https://options.greeks.live/question/how-do-smart-order-routers-implement-the-strategic-logic-of-a-mifid-ii-best-execution-policy/)
![A precision metallic mechanism with radiating blades and blue accents, representing an institutional-grade Prime RFQ for digital asset derivatives. It signifies high-fidelity execution via RFQ protocols, leveraging dark liquidity and smart order routing within market microstructure.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocols-engine.jpg)

A Smart Order Router systematically encodes a MiFID II best execution policy into an automated, data-driven, and auditable routing logic.

- 
### [How Does the Systematic Internaliser Regime Affect Best Execution Obligations for the Buy-Side?](https://options.greeks.live/question/how-does-the-systematic-internaliser-regime-affect-best-execution-obligations-for-the-buy-side/)
![The central teal core signifies a Principal's Prime RFQ, routing RFQ protocols across modular arms. Metallic levers denote precise control over multi-leg spread execution and block trades. This framework ensures high-fidelity execution, optimal price discovery, and efficient management of latent liquidity for institutional digital asset derivatives.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/principals-prime-os-rfq-system-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives.jpg)

The Systematic Internaliser regime integrates a principal-based, regulated liquidity source into the market, demanding a data-driven evolution of buy-side execution frameworks to prove best execution.

- 
### [How Do Dark Pools Impact the Process of Price Discovery in the Broader Market?](https://options.greeks.live/question/how-do-dark-pools-impact-the-process-of-price-discovery-in-the-broader-market/)
![A translucent blue sphere is precisely centered within beige, dark, and teal channels. This depicts RFQ protocol for digital asset derivatives, enabling high-fidelity execution of a block trade within a controlled market microstructure, ensuring atomic settlement and price discovery on a Prime RFQ.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/precision-execution-pathway-for-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-leveraging-rfq-protocols-and-high-fidelity-market-microstructure.jpg)

Dark pools bifurcate order flow, which can sharpen lit market price discovery by filtering out uninformed trades.

- 
### [How Must a Global Trading Desk Architect Its Technology Stack to Handle Both U.S. and E.U. Dark Pool Regulations?](https://options.greeks.live/question/how-must-a-global-trading-desk-architect-its-technology-stack-to-handle-both-u-s-and-e-u-dark-pool-regulations/)
![Precisely engineered circular beige, grey, and blue modules stack tilted on a dark base. A central aperture signifies the core RFQ protocol engine. This embodies a Prime RFQ facilitating high-fidelity execution for institutional digital asset derivatives, optimizing liquidity pool aggregation, multi-leg spread pricing, and robust price discovery in market microstructure.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/core-prime-os-rfq-engine-digital-asset-derivatives-trading-system-execution.jpg)

A global trading stack must embed divergent U.S. and E.U. dark pool rules into a unified execution system to achieve optimal, compliant liquidity capture.

- 
### [What Is the Role of Dark Pools in a Smart Trading Strategy?](https://options.greeks.live/question/what-is-the-role-of-dark-pools-in-a-smart-trading-strategy/)
![Sleek, engineered components depict an institutional-grade Execution Management System. The prominent dark structure represents high-fidelity execution of digital asset derivatives. Behind it, sweeping forms illustrate latent liquidity and price discovery within a dark pool. The distinct green plane signifies atomic settlement and capital efficiency via RFQ protocols.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-for-optimized-price-discovery-high-fidelity-execution-and-market-microstructure.jpg)

Dark pools are essential components for executing large trades anonymously, minimizing market impact and improving price.

- 
### [How Does Smart Trading Contribute to a Fair Market?](https://options.greeks.live/question/how-does-smart-trading-contribute-to-a-fair-market/)
![Modular plates and silver beams represent a Prime RFQ for digital asset derivatives. This principal's operational framework optimizes RFQ protocol for block trade high-fidelity execution, managing market microstructure and liquidity pools.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocols-principal-execution-layer.jpg)

Smart trading engineers equitable market access by navigating fragmented liquidity to achieve fair and verifiable execution outcomes.

---

## Raw Schema Data

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
    "itemListElement": [
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 1,
            "name": "Home",
            "item": "https://options.greeks.live"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 2,
            "name": "Question",
            "item": "https://options.greeks.live/question/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 3,
            "name": "What Are the Key Differences in Best Execution Obligations between Lit and Dark Venues?",
            "item": "https://options.greeks.live/question/what-are-the-key-differences-in-best-execution-obligations-between-lit-and-dark-venues/"
        }
    ]
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Organization",
    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization",
    "name": "Greeks.Live",
    "url": "https://greeks.live/",
    "description": "Greeks.live is the definitive toolkit for the professional options trader, dedicated to empowering our users with institutional-grade data, advanced analytics, and a comprehensive suite of trading tools designed to provide a decisive edge in the market. Every article and guide published under the Greeks.live name is a product of our deep commitment to data-driven analysis and our mission to support the global trading community.",
    "email": "support@greeks.live",
    "logo": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Greeks.Live-Logo-Icon.svg"
    },
    "hasPart": [
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "About Us",
            "url": "https://about.greeks.live"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "App Download Page",
            "url": "https://about.greeks.live/#/download/basic_trade"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Newcomers' Guide",
            "url": "https://twisty-sign-c8b.notion.site/Guide-for-Greeks-live-X-Deribit-Newbies-5a08a3052822427d800af6eaf3704c8d"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Knowledge Base",
            "url": "https://linktr.ee/greeks.live"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Option Terminology",
            "url": "https://greekslive.notion.site/88dfc00e7c584d4d8969b6302a79a12f?pvs=4"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Terms of Service",
            "url": "https://greeks.live/#/tos"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Disclaimer",
            "url": "https://greeks.live/#/disclaimer"
        }
    ],
    "sameAs": [
        "https://x.com/greekslive",
        "https://youtube.com/@greeks_live?si=-KjT0Lkw4WUCI0tD",
        "https://t.me/greekslive_notifications",
        "https://t.me/greekslive",
        "https://pinterest.com/greekslive/"
    ],
    "makesOffer": [
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "RFQ Platform",
                "url": "https://rfq.greeks.live",
                "description": "Execute institutional-grade block trades for crypto options and futures. This platform provides deep, over-the-counter (OTC) liquidity via a professional Request for Quote system.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Lending Tools",
                "url": "https://lend.greeks.live",
                "description": "Manage crypto lending and borrowing activities to earn yield or secure loans. This suite of tools helps users analyze interest rates and manage collateralized debt positions.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Data Lab",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/#/deribit/tools/datalab/BTC",
                "description": "Analyze historical and real-time options data with advanced metrics. This tool is designed for backtesting strategies and identifying market trends through comprehensive data visualization.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Profit & Loss Analysis (PnL)",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/#/deribit/tools/pnl_analysis",
                "description": "Track and analyze the Profit and Loss (PnL) of your options portfolio. This tool provides detailed performance metrics to help traders evaluate and refine their strategies.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Position Visualization",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/#/deribit/tools/pv/BTC",
                "description": "Visualize complex options positions and their corresponding risk profiles. This tool generates payoff diagrams to help traders intuitively understand potential profit, loss, and exposure.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Options Calculator",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/#/deribit/tools/calculator",
                "description": "Calculate the theoretical price and risk parameters ('the Greeks') of crypto options. An essential tool for pricing new trades and analyzing the sensitivity of existing positions.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Greeks.live Main Platform",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/",
                "description": "The central hub for the Greeks.live suite of professional cryptocurrency options and derivatives trading tools. Access analytics, manage positions, and explore the ecosystem.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Community Forum",
                "url": "https://t.greeks.live",
                "description": "Join the official Greeks.live community. Connect with other traders, share insights, and receive the latest updates directly from the team.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Greeks.live for Deribit",
                "url": "http://deribit.greeks.live",
                "description": "A dedicated interface for trading on the Deribit exchange. This platform leverages Greeks.live's advanced analytics and tools specifically for users of Deribit's options and futures markets.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Greeks.live for OKX",
                "url": "http://okx.greeks.live",
                "description": "A dedicated interface for trading on the OKX exchange. This platform integrates Greeks.live's powerful analytics with the OKX marketplace, focusing on its options and derivatives products.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "GLVS.AI Trading Platform",
                "url": "https://www.glvs.ai/",
                "description": "An AI-powered platform for automated crypto options trading. Leverage advanced algorithms and data-driven signals to develop and deploy sophisticated, hands-free trading strategies.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "API Testnet & Sandbox",
                "url": "https://test.greeks.live",
                "description": "A dedicated testnet environment for developers to test their API integrations and automated trading strategies. This sandbox allows for full functionality testing without risking real funds.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        }
    ],
    "subOrganization": [
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "name": "GreeksLive HK Co., Limited",
            "email": "support@greeks.live",
            "telephone": "+852-56418949",
            "address": {
                "@type": "PostalAddress",
                "streetAddress": "Unit 11, 27/F, K. Wah Centre, 191 Java Road",
                "addressLocality": "Hong Kong",
                "addressRegion": "North Point",
                "addressCountry": "CN",
                "postalCode": "0000"
            },
            "geo": {
                "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
                "latitude": "22.2932357",
                "longitude": "114.2022026"
            },
            "image": "https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Wah-Centre-Hong-Kong.jpg"
        }
    ]
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Article",
    "mainEntityOfPage": {
        "@type": "WebPage",
        "@id": "https://options.greeks.live/question/what-are-the-key-differences-in-best-execution-obligations-between-lit-and-dark-venues/"
    },
    "headline": "What Are the Key Differences in Best Execution Obligations between Lit and Dark Venues? \u25b4 Question",
    "description": "Best execution is a constant obligation; the venue choice alters the method of proof from public transparency to post-trade analytics. \u25b4 Question",
    "url": "https://options.greeks.live/question/what-are-the-key-differences-in-best-execution-obligations-between-lit-and-dark-venues/",
    "datePublished": "2025-08-05T17:28:00+00:00",
    "dateModified": "2025-08-05T17:28:01+00:00",
    "articleSection": [
        "Question"
    ],
    "author": {
        "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
    },
    "publisher": {
        "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
    },
    "image": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/principal-prime-os-rfq-engine-for-digital-asset-derivatives.jpg",
        "caption": "This advanced modular infrastructure visually represents a cutting-edge institutional RFQ execution system, designed for atomic settlement of digital asset derivatives. It exemplifies precise market microstructure interaction, enabling optimal liquidity aggregation and best execution across diverse venues. The system supports complex multi-leg spread strategies, mitigating counterparty risk through a robust Prime RFQ, ensuring pre-trade analytics and post-trade reporting for superior alpha generation."
    },
    "keywords": [
        "Algorithmic Trading",
        "Best Execution",
        "Best Execution Policy",
        "Block Trading",
        "Cost Analysis",
        "Dark Pool",
        "Dark Pools",
        "Dark Venues",
        "Execution Policy",
        "Execution Price",
        "Liquidity Fragmentation",
        "Lit Market",
        "Lit Markets",
        "Market Impact",
        "MiFID II",
        "NBBO",
        "Pre-Trade Transparency",
        "Price Improvement",
        "Smart Order Router",
        "Smart Order Routing",
        "Transaction Cost",
        "Transaction Cost Analysis"
    ]
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "WebSite",
    "url": "https://options.greeks.live/",
    "potentialAction": {
        "@type": "SearchAction",
        "target": "https://options.greeks.live/?s=search_term_string",
        "query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
    }
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "FAQPage",
    "mainEntity": [
        {
            "@type": "Question",
            "name": "How Does Venue Choice Affect Proof of Compliance?",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "@type": "Answer",
                "text": "Proving best execution in a dark venue requires a different set of tools and a more rigorous analytical framework. While a lit market execution can be justified by pointing to the public tape at the time of the trade, a dark pool execution must be validated through comprehensive post-trade analysis. Transaction Cost Analysis (TCA) becomes the central pillar of the compliance strategy. TCA reports compare the execution price in the dark pool against a variety of benchmarks, such as the Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP) over a specific period, the arrival price (the market price at the time the order was received), and the NBBO at the time of each fill. This data-intensive process provides the auditable proof that the decision to use an opaque venue ultimately benefited the client by achieving a superior price or avoiding negative market impact."
            }
        }
    ]
}
```


---

**Original URL:** https://options.greeks.live/question/what-are-the-key-differences-in-best-execution-obligations-between-lit-and-dark-venues/
