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Markets

SuperEx Educational Series: Understanding Market Making Algorithm

already felt the impact of market making. Behind the simple trading interface, there may be algorithms constantly deciding: Where should we quote? How much should we quote? Should spreads be

AnonymousCryptoCompass newsroom
May 27, 2026
7 min read
NEWS
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already felt the impact of market making.

Behind the simple trading interface, there may be algorithms constantly deciding:

  • Where should we quote?
  • How much should we quote?
  • Should spreads be wider or tighter?
  • Are we holding too much inventory?
  • Is the market becoming risky?
  • Should we hedge, pause, or rebalance?

A market making algorithm is not just “a bot placing orders.”It is a risk engine, pricing engine, and liquidity engine working together.

What Is Market Making?

The term “Market Making” gives me the impression of being a professional financial practitioner — I believe the same is true for most people. Some may instinctively resist it, but the concept is actually quite straightforward to understand:Market making means continuously providing buy and sell quotes to a market.

A market maker usually offers both sides:

  • A bid price, where it is willing to buy.
  • An ask price, where it is willing to sell.

The difference between the two is called the spread.

For example:

  • Buy ETH at 3,000 USDT.
  • Sell ETH at 3,005 USDT.

By quoting both sides, the market maker helps other users trade more easily.

Without market makers or liquidity providers, users may face wider spreads, slower execution, and higher slippage.

What Is a Market Making Algorithm?

A market making algorithm is a system that automatically generates, updates, and manages buy and sell quotes based on market conditions.

It may consider:

  • Current market price
  • Order book depth
  • Volatility
  • Trading volume
  • Inventory levels
  • Risk limits
  • Fees
  • Liquidity demand
  • Cross-exchange prices
  • Hedging cost

In simple terms: A market making algorithm decides how to provide liquidity without taking uncontrolled risk.

It is trying to do two things at the same time:

  • Help the market trade smoothly.
  • Protect the liquidity provider from being exposed too heavily.
A Simple Example

Imagine a market maker is providing liquidity for BTC/USDT. The current fair price of BTC is around 70,000 USDT.

The algorithm may quote:

  • Buy BTC at 69,990 USDT.
  • Sell BTC at 70,010 USDT.

If the market is calm and liquidity is deep, the spread may stay tight.

But if volatility suddenly increases, the algorithm may widen the quotes:

  • Buy at 69,950 USDT.
  • Sell at 70,050 USDT.

Why?

Because price risk is higher. The market maker does not want to buy BTC right before the price drops or sell BTC right before the price jumps.

So the algorithm adjusts.

The Core Goals of Market Making Algorithms

A market making algorithm usually has several goals.

  • First, it provides liquidity so users can trade.
  • Second, it earns spread or fees as compensation for taking risk.
  • Third, it manages inventory so the market maker does not hold too much of one asset.
  • Fourth, it reacts to market volatility.
  • Fifth, it reduces the chance of being exploited by faster traders, stale prices, or sudden market moves.

So the algorithm is constantly balancing: Competitiveness vs safety.

  • If quotes are too wide, users may not trade.
  • If quotes are too tight, the market maker may lose money during volatility.
Inventory Management

Inventory is one of the biggest concerns in market making.

If many users sell ETH to the market maker, the market maker’s ETH inventory increases.If ETH price then falls, the market maker suffers losses.

A market making algorithm may respond by adjusting quotes.

If it holds too much ETH, it may:

  • Offer a better sell price to reduce ETH inventory
  • Offer a worse buy price to avoid buying more ETH
  • Hedge exposure using futures
  • Route risk to another venue
  • Trigger rebalancing

This is why market making is not just about placing orders.It is about controlling the assets accumulated through those orders.

Volatility Response

Markets are not always calm.

When volatility rises, market making becomes more dangerous.Prices can move before the algorithm updates quotes. Traders may hit stale quotes. Inventory can become risky very quickly.

A good market making algorithm reacts by:

  • Widening spreads
  • Reducing order size
  • Updating quotes faster
  • Increasing hedging activity
  • Lowering exposure limits

Temporarily pausing quotes in extreme conditions.This is not the algorithm “being unfriendly.”It is risk management.

If market makers do not protect themselves during extreme conditions, they may withdraw completely. And if liquidity disappears, users face worse execution.

Market Making in Order Books

In order book markets, market making algorithms place limit orders on both sides of the book.

They decide:

  • At what price should we place bids?
  • At what price should we place asks?
  • How much size should each order have?
  • How many layers should we quote?
  • When should we cancel and replace orders?

The goal is to keep the book liquid while managing risk.

A deeper order book usually helps users execute trades with less price impact.

Market Making in AMMs

In AMM-based DeFi, market making looks different.

Instead of placing orders manually, liquidity providers deposit assets into pools, and prices are determined by formulas.

But algorithms still matter,They may help decide:

  • Which pool to provide liquidity to
  • What price range to use in concentrated liquidity
  • When to rebalance liquidity
  • How to hedge impermanent loss
  • How fees should adjust dynamically
  • When to withdraw or redeploy capital

So even in AMMs, market making is not passive,It can be highly algorithmic.

Why Market Making Algorithms Matter for Users

You might be wondering, what does this have to do with me as an ordinary trader? Why should I learn this?

Most users do not interact with market making algorithms directly,But they feel the result every time they trade.

Good market making can bring:

  • Tighter spreads
  • Deeper liquidity
  • Lower slippage
  • Faster execution
  • More stable quotes
  • Better market confidence

Poor market making can lead to:

  • Wide spreads
  • Thin order books
  • Unstable prices
  • Failed execution
  • High slippage
  • Liquidity disappearing during volatility

So yes, market making algorithms may sound like backend infrastructure.But their effects show up clearly on the front end.

Market Making Is Not Risk-Free

Some people think market makers simply earn spread all day.Nice idea, but reality is much tougher.Market makers face many risks:

  • Inventory risk
  • Adverse selection
  • Volatility risk
  • Latency risk
  • Hedging risk
  • Liquidity withdrawal risk
  • Exchange or smart contract risk
  • Cross-venue price differences

A market making algorithm exists because these risks must be managed continuously. The spread is not free money. It is compensation for providing liquidity under uncertainty.

How SuperEx Academy Looks at Market Making Algorithms

At SuperEx Academy, we see market making algorithms as one of the core engines behind modern crypto trading.

Many beginners only see the visible parts. But behind those numbers, liquidity is being actively managed.

A more mature user starts asking:

  • Who is providing liquidity?
  • Why is the spread narrow or wide?
  • Why did liquidity disappear during volatility?
  • How does the platform manage inventory risk?
  • Are quotes coming from order books, AMMs, RFQ, or market makers?
  • How does the system protect execution quality?

This is the difference between looking at a market and understanding how a market works.

Final Thoughts

A Market Making Algorithm is a system that automatically provides and manages liquidity by generating buy and sell quotes while controlling risk.

Its value includes:

  • Supporting market liquidity
  • Reducing spreads
  • Improving execution quality
  • Managing inventory risk
  • Responding to volatility
  • Helping markets function more smoothly

In one sentence: A market making algorithm is the engine that helps keep a market tradable.

  • It does not remove risk.
  • It does not guarantee perfect prices.

But when designed well, it helps users trade in a market that feels deeper, smoother, and more reliable.And in crypto, that matters a lot.

Because a market without liquidity is just a price on a screen.