Market Maker Incentives

Definition ∞ Market maker incentives are rewards or benefits provided to entities that supply liquidity to financial markets, including digital asset exchanges. These incentives encourage market makers to continuously place both buy and sell orders, narrowing the bid-ask spread and improving market depth. Common incentives include trading fee rebates, lower trading fees, or direct payments for maintaining liquidity. Their purpose is to ensure efficient price discovery and reduce volatility by facilitating smoother trading conditions.
Context ∞ The design of market maker incentives is a critical aspect of exchange operations, frequently discussed in news about liquidity provision in both centralized and decentralized digital asset markets. The effectiveness of these incentives directly influences trading volumes and the overall health of a market. Regulators often scrutinize incentive structures to prevent market manipulation and ensure fair trading practices.