Frontrunning

Action

Frontrunning represents a manipulative trading practice where an entity executes an order based on non-public information regarding a pending, substantial transaction, anticipating its market impact. This typically involves placing an order immediately prior to the larger order to profit from the expected price movement, exploiting informational asymmetry. In cryptocurrency and derivatives markets, this action is facilitated by the transparency of the mempool, allowing observation of pending transactions before confirmation. Successful frontrunning requires rapid execution capabilities and an understanding of order book dynamics, often employing automated trading systems.