Forex Order Types: Market, Limit, Stop & More
Knowing which order to place — and when — is as important as knowing what to trade.
Market vs pending orders
A market order executes immediately at the best available price. A pending (limit/stop) order executes only when price reaches a level you set in advance — useful for planned entries without staring at the screen.
Buy/sell limit
A buy limit fills at or below a price (you want to buy on a dip). A sell limit fills at or above a price (you want to sell on a rally). Limits trade against the current move.
Buy/sell stop
A buy stop triggers above market (used to join a breakout). A sell stop triggers below market (often a stop-loss to cap losses). Stops trade with the breakout direction.
Stop-loss and take-profit
Always define your exit before entering. A stop-loss closes a losing trade automatically; a take-profit banks a gain. They turn risk management from intention into a rule.
Related glossary terms
New to the jargon here? These plain-English definitions will help.
