Crypto Markets & Prices

How to read crypto market data

Crypto markets trade 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across hundreds of exchanges in dozens of countries. The headline price you see on any data aggregator is a volume-weighted average across the largest spot venues.

A few details worth knowing:

• Market cap equals current price multiplied by circulating supply. For assets with large locked or staked supplies, this number can overstate the float available to trade.
• 24-hour volume includes both spot and, sometimes, derivatives. Compare like-for-like when ranking activity across exchanges.
• Spreads on major pairs are typically a few basis points on regulated exchanges. Wider spreads on a tradeable pair are a sign of low liquidity.
• Slippage on large orders matters more than the headline fee. Test small orders on any new venue first.