Order Types

MoonTrader offers five order types for opening positions. Each type is used in different situations.

Market

Order executes immediately at the best available market price.

Example:

BTC price = $50,000. You place a Market buy — executes instantly at ~$50,000.

Features:

  • Guaranteed execution

  • Slippage possible

  • You are taker (higher fee)

When to use: need to enter the market right now.

Limit

Order executes only at the specified price or better. Enters the order book and waits in queue.

Example:

BTC price = $50,000. You place a Limit buy at $49,500. When the price drops to $49,500, the order executes.

Features:

  • Execution price control

  • No execution guarantee

  • You are maker (lower fee)

  • No slippage

When to use: want to buy cheaper or sell higher than current price.

Post Only

Guarantees order placement as maker. If it can execute immediately — automatically cancelled.

Example:

Ask = $50,000. You place Post Only buy at $50,000 — exchange will cancel the order (would execute as taker). If at $49,999 — will accept.

Features:

  • Always maker — minimum fee

  • May be cancelled

  • Guaranteed entry into order book

When to use: important to pay minimum fee, for market making.

Stop Market

Activates when stop price is reached and executes as a market order.

Stop-loss example:

Long on BTC at $50,000. You place Stop Market sell at $48,000. Price drops to $48,000 — order activates and closes position at market price.

Breakout example:

Price = $50,000. Stop Market buy at $51,000. Price rises to $51,000 — order activates and buys at market.

Features:

  • Guaranteed activation

  • Slippage possible on execution

  • You are taker

When to use: stop-losses, take-profits, breakout entries.

Stop Limit

Activates when stop price is reached and places as a limit order.

How it works:

You set two prices: stop price (trigger) and limit price (execution price).

Example:

BTC price = $50,000. Stop Limit buy: stop $51,000, limit $51,100.

  1. Price rises to $51,000 — activates

  2. Limit order is created at $51,100

  3. Will execute only if price is not higher than $51,100

  4. If price immediately jumps to $51,500 — will not execute

Features:

  • Slippage protection

  • Non-execution risk

  • Price control

When to use: slippage protection on stops, but ready for non-execution risk.

Comparison

Type
Execution
Slippage
Guarantee
Role

Market

Immediate

Yes

Yes

Taker

Limit

At price

No

No

Maker

Post Only

At price

No

No

Maker

Stop Market

At stop

Yes

Yes (activation)

Taker

Stop Limit

At stop

No

No

Maker/Taker

⚠️ Important

Limit orders may not execute — if price doesn't reach the level.

Stop Market can slip — especially on news and gaps.

Stop Limit may not trigger — stop activates, but limit doesn't execute. Position remains open.

Choice for stops:

Stop Market — guaranteed closure, but slippage.

Stop Limit — price control, but non-execution risk.

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