Instant Execution
Order Types & Execution
Instant execution fills an order at the exact requested price or issues a requote if that price is no longer available, common on dealing-desk accounts.
What is instant execution?
Instant execution is an order execution model in which a broker tries to fill a trade at exactly the price the trader requested. If the market has moved and that price is no longer available by the time the order reaches the broker’s system, the trade does not simply fill at the new price — instead, the broker sends a requote, asking the trader to accept the new price or cancel the order.
How it works
This model is typically used by brokers operating a dealing desk, which internally handles and prices client orders rather than routing them straight to external liquidity providers. Because the dealing desk is the counterparty setting the fill price, it can offer a firm guarantee: “this exact price, or a new quote for you to approve” — rather than “whatever the market happens to be at that instant.”
Worked example
A trader requests to sell GBP/USD at a displayed price of 1.2700. A moment later, when the order reaches the broker, the market has shifted to 1.2698. Under instant execution, the broker does not fill at 1.2698 automatically; instead, it shows the trader a requote of 1.2698 and asks them to accept or reject it before the trade proceeds.
Instant execution vs. market execution
Market execution resolves the same situation differently: it simply fills the order at the next available price (here, 1.2698) without pausing for approval, treating the difference as ordinary slippage rather than something to confirm.
Why it matters
Instant execution can give traders more certainty about the exact price they’ll pay, since nothing happens without their approval when the market has moved. The trade-off is that requotes can be frustrating and can mean a missed entry during fast-moving conditions, since the trader has to manually confirm a new price rather than being filled automatically. Traders who prioritize speed over price precision, especially during volatile news events, often prefer brokers using market execution instead.
Trading carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors.