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Ask (offer)

By Jarosław Wasiński • Published: • Updated:
The quoted price at which a seller or liquidity provider offers to sell an instrument. In a retail currency quote, buying the base currency normally uses the ask. The difference between ask and bid is the spread, one component of trading costs; available size and execution conditions also matter.
Example.

EUR/USD Bid/Ask is 1.1000/1.1002. Buying EUR 10,000 at the Ask requires USD 11,002 in a deliverable-exchange model before fees. For a CFD the same quote describes price exposure; the margin requirement is calculated separately.

Whose offer is it?

The Ask is the quoting party’s offer to sell. From the client’s perspective, buying the base currency normally uses this side. Opening a long and closing a short are both purchases. Saying “selling price” without naming the party can therefore be misleading.

A quote is not every fill

A displayed Ask applies to specified quantity and conditions at a moment. A larger order can execute at several prices, receive only part of the requested size or be rejected. Compare the confirmed price and volume with the recorded Ask reference, including timing, when measuring slippage.

Ask and the chart

A chart can use Bid, Ask, midpoint or Last. A Bid-only candle cannot reconstruct the whole Ask path, especially when spread changes. Under Ask-based triggers a short stop can activate while the Bid chart has not reached its level. Check actual instrument rules instead of assigning one trigger series to every platform.

FAQ

Do I close a short at the Ask?

Normally, closing a short requires buying, which uses Ask in a conventional two-way retail FX quote. The contract and execution mode govern the actual fill.

Is the Ask always the lowest available market-wide price?

No. It is a quote from a particular source; executable size, access and competing venues can differ.

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Jarosław Wasiński

Editor-in-chief, ForexMechanics.com • Macro & FX analyst

Independent analyst and practitioner with over 20 years of experience in financial markets. Actively involved in Forex since 2007, with a focus on fundamental analysis, OTC market structure, and disciplined capital risk management.

  • Creator and editor-in-chief of MyBank.pl, providing reliable financial education since 2004.
  • Author of hundreds of in-depth market commentaries, structural analyses, and educational materials for traders and investors.
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All content is educational and informational only – it does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation. Remember: leveraged trading (Forex/CFD) carries a high risk of rapid capital loss.