Ask

The term “ask” refers to the lowest price at which a seller is willing to sell a financial instrument. It’s also commonly known as the “offer” price.

In trading, the ask price is one of the most frequently mentioned figures when buying or selling assets. It’s usually quoted alongside the bid price , forming what’s known as the bid-ask spread .

The ask price tells you how much you need to pay if you want to buy a particular asset. In most cases, it will be slightly higher than the current market value — and it always appears above the bid price.

In the forex market , the ask price is the level at which a trader can buy the base currency in a currency pair. The bid price , on the other hand, shows how much you’d receive if you decided to sell that same currency . The difference between these two prices is called the spread .

In markets with strong liquidity — like major currency pairs or large-cap stocks — the spread tends to be very small. But in less liquid or more volatile markets, the spread often widens, reflecting the increased difficulty in executing trades at desired prices.

Understanding the relationship between the ask , the bid , and the spread is essential for traders because this gap directly affects trading costs and ultimately influences profitability . Even a small spread can add up quickly over multiple trades, making it an important factor to consider in any trading strategy.