Mean Reversion Slippage

Calculation

Mean reversion slippage, within cryptocurrency and derivatives markets, represents the divergence between theoretical price convergence during a mean-reverting trade and the actual realized price execution. This discrepancy arises from market microstructure effects, specifically order book dynamics and the impact of trade size on available liquidity. Quantifying this slippage necessitates analyzing the bid-ask spread, order flow imbalances, and the depth of the limit order book at the time of execution, particularly relevant in less liquid crypto assets. Its presence directly impacts profitability, reducing the expected return of strategies predicated on statistical arbitrage and reversion to historical norms.