Slippage: when the price you get is not the price you wanted
Slippage is not a broker scam — it is what happens when liquidity thins or markets gap. Here is when it hurts most.
By Dr. Elena Voss
Direct answer
Slippage is the difference between the price you expected and the price you actually received on a fill. It increases when volatility spikes or liquidity is thin.
Every beginner has a story about a stop that filled “nowhere near” the level. Often that is slippage during fast markets — not platform manipulation.
When slippage tends to widen
- Major news releases
- Market open after a gap
- Illiquid pairs or off-hours trading
- Large market orders in thin books
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Mechanics · Understanding slippageEducational content only — not financial advice. Trading involves risk of loss. See our risk warning and editorial policy.