Litecoin market dashboard

In brief The quoted amount of one currency per unit of another, with direction, spread and fees affecting its use.

The amount of one currency or asset quoted for one unit of another. Pair direction matters: EUR per LTC and LTC per EUR are reciprocals. A reference conversion does not include every spread or service fee and is not necessarily an executable buy or sell offer.

For example At a hypothetical 50 EUR per LTC, 0.2 LTC has a reference value of 10 EUR before spreads and fees.

Common mistake Using a rate backwards, confusing a current reference with a historical transaction rate, or assuming the displayed conversion is what a provider will deliver.

In brief A buyer's offered price, with the best bid being the highest displayed buy offer in a particular market.

A price at which a buyer offers to buy an asset. The best bid is the highest displayed buy price on a particular order book. A seller may receive less when a larger order consumes lower levels, and trading fees are separate.

For example A hypothetical $49.90 best bid is the top displayed buying price, not necessarily the average received for selling all your LTC.

Common mistake Using the best bid as a guaranteed purchase price or assuming a displayed order will remain available until you trade.

In brief A seller's offered price, with the best ask being the lowest displayed sell offer in a particular market.

A price at which a seller offers an asset. The best ask is the lowest displayed sell price on a particular order book. A buyer may pay more for a larger order that consumes several levels, and trading fees are separate.

For example If only 1 LTC is offered at a hypothetical $50 best ask, buying 3 LTC may require paying higher prices for the rest.

Common mistake Reading the best ask as the price you can sell at, or assuming your whole purchase is available at that one price.

In brief The gap between the best displayed buy and sell prices, before considering other trading costs and available quantities.

The gap between the highest displayed buy price (bid) and the lowest displayed sell price (ask). A small spread can reduce trading costs, but does not show how much you can trade at those prices.

For example If the best bid is $49.90 and the best ask is $50.10, the displayed spread is $0.20 before other charges.

Common mistake Treating the spread as the only trading cost while ignoring fees and prices beyond the top of the order book.

In brief How recently a price was observed at its source; a page refresh does not make it current or guarantee it can be traded.

How recent an underlying market observation is, judged from its timestamp and the tool's stated rules. A source event time, collection time and page refresh time describe different things. A recent observation still does not guarantee an available or executable price.

For example Reloading a page at 12:05 does not make an observation from 11:30 newer; that source observation remains 35 minutes old.

Common mistake Reading a cache refresh as a new market event or assuming that every tool uses the same expiry threshold.

In brief A scheduled cut by half in newly created LTC per block, without halving existing balances or the transaction-fee component.

A scheduled cut in the block subsidy: the new LTC a miner can create in a block. Litecoin mainnet halves this subsidy every 840,000 blocks, roughly four years. Transaction fees are separate and are not halved by this rule.

For example At height 3,360,000, Litecoin's scheduled subsidy changes from 6.25 LTC to 3.125 LTC per block; transaction fees remain separate.

Common mistake Assuming the event halves your wallet balance or guarantees that the market price will rise.