Summary
Best Bid is the highest displayed price currently available from buyers in the Orderbook.
It represents the most competitive visible buying interest at that moment.
Why it matters
The Best Bid helps investors understand the price at which an immediate sale may begin to execute, subject to the quantity available and current market conditions.
Together with the Best Offer, it is used to measure the Bid-Offer Spread and assess immediate liquidity.
How to read it
The Best Bid is normally shown with a price and an associated quantity. The price is the highest visible amount a buyer is currently offering, while the quantity indicates how much is displayed at that level.
If a sell order is larger than the quantity available at the Best Bid, the remaining amount may execute against lower bid levels, depending on the order type and market conditions.
Things to keep in mind
The Best Bid is not a guaranteed execution price. Orders can be changed, cancelled, or matched before another order reaches the market, and the displayed data may update rapidly.
It also does not show all possible buying interest, as some orders may be hidden or available on another trading venue.