Article Summary
Learn what spread is, how River applies it to buy and sell orders, and how to view it before confirming a transaction.
Spread is the difference between the mid-market price and the price at which you can buy or sell bitcoin. It allows River to lock in your price to protect you and River from any short-term market fluctuations.
River will include a small spread in the quoted price for any buy or sell order. For buy orders, the spread typically falls around 0.25%, and for sell orders, the spread typically falls around 0.50%, though the exact percentages can and will vary based on market conditions.
Allow us to explain with simple examples. If bitcoin's current mid-market price is $100,000:
- A 0.25% buy spread means your buy price would be $100,250
- A 0.50% sell spread means your sell price would be $99,500
River always sets the final buy and sell prices, which include this spread, and you'll see the exact spread before confirming any transaction. You can view the applied spread by tapping the tooltip next to the "Spread and Fees" line item on the order preview screen.
Most brokerages include spreads ranging between 0.15% to 1.00%, depending on the exchange and the market conditions. River's spread typically falls on the lower end of this range, reflecting our commitment to transparency and competitive pricing.
River reserves the right to adjust the spread at its discretion to reflect changing market conditions.