Ask Price Definition

The ask price is the lowest price a seller is currently willing to accept for an asset. In crypto and other markets, you may also see it called the offer price. 

How it appears in an order book

On an exchange order book, asks are the sell orders. The best ask is simply the lowest ask listed, and it sits at the top of the sell side. A market buy will match with that lowest ask first. 

Ask vs bid and the spread

The bid is what buyers are offering, the ask is what sellers want. The gap between the highest bid and the lowest ask is the bid-ask spread. Tighter spreads usually signal more liquidity because there are more orders on both sides. 

Market and limit orders

If you place a market buy, you agree to pay the current best ask. If you place a limit sell, you set your own ask. Your order will only fill ahead of others if your ask becomes the lowest one available. 

What moves the ask price

Ask prices shift with supply from sellers, overall liquidity, and how many orders are stacked in the book. When liquidity is deep, the best ask tends to sit closer to the best bid, so spreads stay small.

Where you see it on platforms

Most trading screens show the best bid and best ask next to each trading pair. Open the order book to see the full ladder of asks on one side and bids on the other.

Quick example

Say the best bid on BTC is 60,000 and the best ask is 60,010. The spread is 10. A market buy will hit 60,010 first. If another seller posts an ask at 60,005, that becomes the new best ask until it fills.

Related terms

• Bid price: highest price a buyer is willing to pay. Usually lower than the ask. 
• Bid-ask spread: difference between best bid and best ask. Used as a quick read on market liquidity.

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