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Description

Bid-Ask Spread measures the difference between the best bid and best ask prices for a particular instrument. It returns both:
  • The absolute spread (in quote currency)
  • The spread as a percentage of the mid-price
This dual representation allows for cross-instrument and cross-exchange comparison of liquidity conditions.

Details

This metric provides a view of market tightness and liquidity fragmentation. By analyzing how wide or narrow the spread is, traders can quickly identify:
  • The most liquid exchange for a given asset
  • Which instruments offer the best execution conditions
The percentage spread is especially useful when comparing instruments with different quote currencies (e.g., BTC-USDT vs. BTC-USD vs. BTC-EUR), as it normalizes price scale effects.

API Endpoint

/derivatives-analytics-bid-ask-spread

Availability

We cover all instruments on major exchanges like Binance, Deribit, OKX (Okex) and more. Please use the information endpoint to find all coverage and exact instruments.
ExchangeHistoryDepth Order Count
Arkham2025-08-10Full
Binance2024-01-011000
Bitmex2024-01-01Full
Bybit2025-01-01500
Deribit2024-01-01Full
Hyperliquid2025-03-1920
Kraken2025-01-01Full
Okex (OKX)2025-05-012000

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the absolute spread calculated?
  • spread = bestAskPrice − bestBidPrice
  • This is returned in the quote currency of the instrument.
What does spreadPercent represent?
  • It’s the absolute spread divided by the mid-price:
  • spreadPercent = (spread / midPrice) × 100
  • This normalizes spread data across different pairs.