I just realized that many newcomers to the market are not very clear about what spread is, so today I want to explain it in the simplest way possible.

Simply put, the spread is the difference between the bid price (buying price) and the ask price (selling price). Imagine you're at a trading platform: a buyer is willing to pay 90 rubles for an apple, but the seller wants to sell at 100 rubles. The 10-ruble difference is the spread.

Why do I pay attention to this? Because the spread reflects the liquidity of an asset very well. When the spread is small, transactions happen quickly and easily, and you can buy and sell without much slippage. But when the spread is large, it means fewer people are interested in that asset, making trading more difficult and prices can fluctuate sharply.

I often see the spread exist everywhere: stock markets, forex, cryptocurrencies, even on trading platforms. These platforms make profits mainly from the difference between the buy and sell prices. Understanding what the spread is will help you make smarter trading decisions and avoid getting "eaten" by excessively large spreads.