Illiquid Assets Explained: Overview, Risks & Key Examples

Illiquid assets are those that don’t trade easily, often requiring more time and strategy to buy or sell effectively. Understanding these assets' unique characteristics and risks is crucial for traders who want to navigate their complexities. This article explores what makes an asset illiquid, the risks involved, and essential considerations for trading it.

What Are Illiquid Assets?

The illiquid asset definition refers to an asset that isn’t easily converted to cash. In turn, illiquid assets are those that aren’t easy to buy or sell without achieving a less-than-fair market price. They are the opposite of liquid assets, such as many stocks or government bonds, which can be traded with minimal impact on their value. Illiquid assets typically have fewer buyers and sellers, leading to less frequent trades, slower transactions, and more price variability.

Outside of the markets most traders regularly interact with, illiquid investments might include things like private equity, real estate, or certain collectibles, where valuation and demand can be uncertain. However, in financial markets, certain stocks, currency pairs, cryptocurrencies*, and commodities can also be considered illiquid.

For traders, this lack of liquidity means a trade can be harder to execute at the desired price, sometimes resulting in higher transaction costs or delays in getting out of a position. Illiquidity is particularly relevant in times of market stress when demand can dry up entirely, leaving traders holding assets they can’t easily convert to cash. The appeal of illiquid assets often lies in their potential to offer returns over time, but they come with the trade-off of being more challenging to manage in a fast-moving market.

Characteristics of Illiquid Assets

When comparing liquid vs illiquid assets, there are a few distinct traits that set them apart. These characteristics are worth understanding, as they directly impact how traders approach these assets.

Low Transaction Volume

One major feature of illiquid assets is limited trading activity. Unlike stocks that see hundreds or thousands of daily trades, illiquid assets might only attract occasional buyers and sellers. This low volume makes it harder to find a counterparty when you want to buy or sell, leading to longer wait times and potentially bigger price fluctuations than with more frequently traded assets.

Valuation Challenges

Determining the exact market value of illiquid assets can be tricky. Limited market activity can translate to a lack of up-to-date price data when a market is illiquid, meaning it might be challenging to set an accurate price. To use an extreme example, in real estate or private equity, values might depend on periodic appraisals rather than constant, real-time trading data. This uncertainty can make it harder for traders to calculate potential returns or evaluate risk effectively.

Limited Market Interest

Illiquid assets generally attract a smaller, more niche group of investors or traders. They may be specific to certain industries, geographic locations, or specialised interests, which limits their appeal. This restricted interest reduces demand, further contributing to their illiquidity.

Illiquid Assets: Examples

In most trading markets, illiquidity isn’t the norm, but it does occur in specific cases. Illiquid assets in trading tend to arise in less popular stocks, certain currency pairs, niche cryptocurrencies*, and specific commodities.

Lesser-Known or Thinly Traded Stocks

While major stocks in popular indices enjoy high liquidity, smaller or less-known stocks often don’t. These might be stocks of companies in emerging sectors or regions, with limited investor interest and low daily trading volume. When trading these stocks, a limited number of buyers and sellers can make transactions sluggish and cause price swings. Traders need to be cautious, as buying or selling large quantities can quickly impact prices.

Exotic Currency Pairs

In forex markets, major currency pairs like EUR/USD or USD/JPY are highly liquid. But when you move to exotic pairs—often involving currencies from smaller or emerging economies—liquidity dries up. These pairs see fewer trades, meaning bigger spreads and potential slippage. For traders, it can be harder to execute trades at ideal prices, and sudden market events can cause sharper price moves due to limited liquidity.

Explore real-time charts for various currency pairs, from major to exotic, in FXOpen’s free TickTrader platform.

Niche Cryptocurrencies*

Cryptocurrencies* offer another example. While major coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum are liquid, lesser-known altcoins often suffer from low trading volume. These niche coins may appeal to traders looking for high potential returns, but limited buyer interest can lead to volatile price swings and long waits to complete trades. Traders should account for the possibility of holding such assets longer than expected if market demand drops.

Specialty Commodities

Major commodities like crude oil, gold, and natural gas are generally liquid, but niche commodities can be far less so. For instance, specific metals or agricultural products may have fewer buyers and sellers, leading to greater price instability and higher transaction costs. In these markets, illiquidity can make it challenging to find counterparty interest, especially when market conditions shift.

Risks Associated with Illiquid Assets in Trading

Illiquid assets come with unique risks that can complicate trading strategies and impact potential returns. These risks are essential to understand, as they can significantly affect both short- and long-term outcomes.

Price Volatility

With fewer market participants and less frequent trading, illiquid assets are prone to greater price volatility. Even small trades can lead to significant price swings, as a limited number of buyers and sellers creates a more sensitive market. For traders, this volatility can mean unexpected price shifts.

Exit Challenges

Selling an illiquid asset can be far from straightforward. When there’s limited interest from buyers, exiting a position may take longer or require a price concession to attract potential buyers. This delay or the need to sell at a lower price can impact overall returns, especially in cases where funds need to be freed up quickly.

For traders, this creates a challenge: they may need to hold positions longer than anticipated, which could conflict with other trading opportunities or cash flow requirements.

Slippage Risks

Slippage—when there’s a difference between the expected price of a trade and the price at which it’s actually executed—can be especially pronounced with illiquid assets. This occurs because prices are more likely to move between the initiation of a trade and its completion in markets with limited participants.

For instance, if a trader tries to execute a larger-than-usual order in a low-volume stock, they might face a sharp price increase or decrease as their order shifts the market, leading to a less favourable outcome than planned.

Higher Transaction Costs

In illiquid markets, transaction costs tend to be higher, as brokers and exchanges factor in the risk of dealing with less popular assets. This can result in wider bid-ask spreads, where the gap between the buying and selling price becomes more significant, increasing trading costs.

For traders, higher transaction costs can impact profit margins, making it essential to weigh these added expenses when dealing with illiquid assets.

Capital Lock-In

Illiquid assets can also result in capital being locked up for an extended period. If market interest wanes or demand plummets, selling may be impossible without a considerable discount. This “lock-in” risk can create challenges for traders who may need to access funds or reallocate capital elsewhere.

For traders with capital tied up in illiquid assets, unforeseen market conditions or shifts in trading strategies can pose significant financial strain.

Practical Considerations for Traders

When trading illiquid assets, a few specific strategies may help manage the unique risks and challenges.

Liquidity Analysis

Evaluating an asset’s liquidity is essential. Traders may consider metrics such as average daily trading volume, bid-ask spreads, and historical transaction frequency. These indicators give insights into how challenging it might be to execute trades without major price impacts.

Timing and Market Conditions

Timing becomes especially critical with illiquid assets. Market conditions, such as economic stability or demand in specific sectors, can influence the limited buyer and seller pool. Monitoring broader trends helps traders anticipate demand shifts that could affect transaction possibilities or asset valuations.

Portfolio Diversification

Balancing illiquid assets with more liquid investments in a portfolio can potentially reduce overall risk. Diversifying investments across various asset classes allows traders to maintain greater flexibility. This approach helps ensure that funds aren’t overly tied up in assets that may require extended holding periods.

Position Sizing

Larger positions in illiquid assets can magnify challenges. Adjusting position sizes based on liquidity can potentially mitigate risks and improve a trader’s ability to exit positions without large price impacts.

The Bottom Line

In summary, illiquid assets present unique opportunities and challenges, requiring careful planning and strategy from traders. Understanding their characteristics, risks, and practical considerations is essential to navigate these markets effectively. For those interested in exploring a wide range of markets with competitive costs, consider opening an FXOpen account.

FAQ

What Is the Meaning of Illiquidity?

The illiquidity meaning refers to the challenge of quickly buying or selling an asset without causing a significant impact on its price. Illiquid assets generally have fewer buyers and sellers, low trading volumes, and infrequent transactions, making them challenging to convert to cash quickly at fair value.

What Is an Example of an Illiquid Currency?

An illiquid currency is typically one that belongs to an emerging or small economy, like the Tanzanian shilling or Icelandic króna. These currencies see limited trading in the global forex market, have fewer buyers and sellers, and often come with higher transaction costs and wider bid-ask spreads.

What Is the Illiquidity Risk?

Illiquidity risk is the potential difficulty in buying or selling an asset at its expected value due to limited market interest. This risk can lead to delays, lower exit prices, or forced long holding periods, affecting overall returns for traders.

What Is the Equity Liquidity Risk?

Equity liquidity risk is the chance that a stock cannot be sold or bought quickly without impacting its price. This risk is more common in thinly traded or small-cap stocks, where limited market activity makes finding buyers or sellers challenging.

What Is the Difference Between Liquid and Illiquid Assets?

Liquid assets can be bought or sold quickly with minimal impact on their price, such as stocks in major companies. Illiquid assets, however, trade infrequently, making fast transactions difficult without price concessions.

*At FXOpen UK, Cryptocurrency CFDs are only available for trading by those clients categorised as Professional clients under FCA Rules. They are not available for trading by Retail clients.