A requote occurs when a broker cannot execute your order at the requested price and offers you a new price instead. You click to buy at 1.1000, but instead of executing, the broker asks if you'll accept 1.1003. This can be frustrating and costly for traders.
How Requotes Work
- You see EUR/USD at 1.1000 and click buy
- Your order reaches the broker
- Price has moved to 1.1003
- Broker can't fill at 1.1000
- Broker sends you a requote: "Accept 1.1003?"
- You must decide: accept new price or cancel
This happens in seconds but can mean missed opportunities.
Why Requotes Happen
Fast-Moving Markets
During volatile conditions, prices change rapidly. By the time your order processes, the quoted price no longer exists.
Common Triggers:
- News releases
- Economic data
- Sudden market moves
- Geopolitical events
Dealing Desk Execution
Market maker brokers quote their own prices. If the market moves before they can fill your order, they requote rather than taking a loss.
Slow Technology
Delays between your platform and broker's server increase requote chances:
- Slow internet connection
- Outdated platform version
- Broker's slow server
- High server traffic
Large Order Sizes
Big orders may exceed available liquidity at one price, triggering requotes.
Requotes vs. Slippage
These are different concepts:
| Aspect | Requote | Slippage |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | Order rejected, new price offered | Order fills at different price |
| Your choice | Accept or decline | No choice—already filled |
| Execution | Delayed | Immediate |
| Common with | Market makers | ECN/STP brokers |
Requotes give you a choice; slippage doesn't.
Are Requotes Always Bad?
Requotes are often seen negatively, but consider:
Negative Requotes:
- You want to buy at 1.1000
- Offered 1.1003 (worse for you)
- This costs you money
Positive Requotes:
- You want to buy at 1.1000
- Offered 1.0997 (better for you)
- This saves you money
In practice, negative requotes are more common because brokers prioritize their interests.
Impact on Trading
Scalping
Frequent requotes devastate scalping strategies where small pip targets are common. A 3-pip requote can eliminate your entire profit target.
News Trading
Attempting to trade news events with requoting brokers is nearly impossible. You'll miss entries or get terrible prices.
Stop Loss Hunting Concerns
Some traders suspect excessive requotes are used to prevent profitable trades from executing or to trigger stop losses.
How to Avoid Requotes
Choose ECN/STP Brokers
ECN brokers don't requote—they fill at available market prices. You might get slippage, but you get execution.
Use Limit Orders
Limit orders only fill at your price or better. If your price isn't available, the order doesn't fill—but you won't be pestered with requotes.
Trade During Liquid Hours
London and New York sessions have more liquidity, reducing requote frequency.
Avoid News Trading
No new position from 30 minutes before to 30 minutes after a high-impact release, which is also when requotes spike.
Improve Your Connection
Use a faster internet connection or VPS (Virtual Private Server) closer to your broker's server.
Accept Deviation Settings
Some platforms let you pre-authorize price deviation:
- Set maximum acceptable slippage
- Orders fill within range automatically
- No requote pop-ups
When Requotes Indicate Problems
Occasional requotes during volatility are normal. But watch for:
Red Flags:
- Frequent requotes during calm markets
- Requotes only when you're winning
- Requotes never in your favor
- Inability to close profitable trades
These patterns may indicate a problematic broker.
Questions for Your Broker
Before opening an account, ask:
- What is your execution model?
- How often do requotes occur?
- Do you offer market execution?
- What's your average order execution time?
- Do you publish execution statistics?
Reputable brokers are transparent about execution quality.
Key Takeaways
- Requotes happen when brokers can't fill orders at requested prices
- They're common with market maker brokers during volatility
- Requotes differ from slippage—you get a choice to accept or decline
- ECN/STP brokers don't requote but may slip
- Use limit orders and trade during liquid hours to minimize issues
- Excessive or one-sided requotes may indicate broker problems
What's Next?
Learn about forex regulation and why choosing a regulated broker protects your funds.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.