Market maker
| Part of a series on | 
| Financial markets | 
|---|
| Bond market | 
| Stock market | 
| Other markets | 
| Alternative investment | 
| Over-the-counter (off-exchange) | 
| Trading | 
| Related areas | 
A market maker or liquidity provider is a company or an individual that quotes both a buy and a sell price in a tradable asset held in inventory, hoping to make a profit on the difference, which is called the bid–ask spread or turn. This stabilizes the market, reducing price variation (volatility) by setting a trading price range for the asset.
In U.S. markets, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission defines a "market maker" as a firm that stands ready to buy and sell stock on a regular and continuous basis at a publicly quoted price. A Designated Primary Market Maker (DPM) is a specialized market maker approved by an exchange to guarantee a buy or sell position in a particular assigned security, option, or option index.