Passive Liquidity Provision
Passive liquidity provision is the act of placing limit orders on an exchange to provide liquidity for others to trade against, rather than hitting existing orders. This is the primary role of market makers, who profit from the bid-ask spread while bearing the risk of holding an inventory.
In decentralized finance, this has evolved into automated market making, where liquidity providers deposit assets into pools to earn fees. Passive providers are exposed to risks like impermanent loss and adverse selection, especially in volatile crypto markets.
Successful passive provision requires sophisticated models to set optimal bid and ask prices that balance fee income against inventory risk. It is a foundational pillar of market stability, ensuring that there is always a counterparty available for those looking to trade.
Understanding the mechanics of passive provision is key to grasping how modern automated trading systems function.