#Liquidity101 # Liquidity 101 💧📈
**Liquidity** is a foundational concept in trading and investing. It affects **how easily you can buy or sell** assets, and **how much it costs** to do so.
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## 💡 What is Liquidity?
> **Liquidity** refers to how easily an asset can be converted into cash **without significantly affecting its price**.
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## 🔄 Two Main Types:
### 1. **Market Liquidity**
* Describes how easy it is to **buy or sell an asset** in the market.
* **High liquidity** = Many buyers and sellers, tight spreads, fast execution.
* **Low liquidity** = Fewer participants, wide spreads, potential slippage.
### 2. **Asset Liquidity**
* Describes how easily a **specific asset** can be sold for cash.
* Example:
* **Cash** = Most liquid asset.
* **Real estate or art** = Less liquid, takes time to sell.
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## 📊 Liquidity in Trading (Key Concepts)
| Term | Meaning |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| **Bid Price** | Highest price a buyer is willing to pay |
| **Ask Price** | Lowest price a seller is willing to accept |
| **Spread** | Difference between bid and ask (tight = liquid) |
| **Volume** | Number of assets traded (more = usually more liquid) |
| **Slippage** | Price difference between expected and executed trade |
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## 🧠 Why Liquidity Matters
### ✅ Pros of High Liquidity:
* Faster trades
* Better price execution
* Lower spreads
* More stable prices
### ❌ Risks of Low Liquidity:
* Harder to enter/exit trades
* Price volatility (large orders move market)
* Increased trading costs
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## 🏦 Liquidity in CEX vs DEX
| Feature | CEX (Centralized) | DEX (Decentralized) |
| Liquidity Source | Order books, centralized pools | AMMs or peer-to-peer liquidity |
| Typically Higher | Yes (especially top CEXs) | Depends on DEX and token |