Read the status before pressing the button again
An order request and a completed trade are different records. If an app shows only part of the quantity you expected, placing the same order again can increase your exposure while the first order remains open. First find the order ID, requested quantity, filled quantity and remaining quantity. This article explains spot-order mechanics using invented numbers; it does not recommend a trade, asset or service for Pakistan.
Compare the instruction, not the marketing label
| Order instruction | What it prioritises | What it does not guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| Market | Execution against available orders | One fixed execution price |
| Limit buy | Your maximum acceptable purchase price | A complete fill or any fill |
| Limit sell | Your minimum acceptable sale price | Immediate execution |
| Cancel request | Stopping the unfilled remainder if accepted | Reversing completed trades |
Platforms can add time-in-force settings and other conditions. Read the specific order preview and current help page. A limit order can execute immediately if it crosses available liquidity; “limit” does not automatically mean “maker fee”.
Work through a partial-fill example
Suppose a hypothetical limit buy requests 100 units at no more than 2.00 quote units per unit. The history shows 30 units filled at 1.98 and 20 at 2.00. Filled quantity is 50, and the displayed remaining quantity should be checked against the other 50. The filled notional is 99.4 quote units: 30 × 1.98 plus 20 × 2.00. The weighted average is 1.988 quote units per unit. Fees are excluded from this arithmetic and must be read separately. These are teaching numbers, not a market quotation.
Keep PKR conversion outside the fill calculation
If you funded the account through a PKR conversion, keep that funding record separate from the spot execution record. The order book may use another quote asset. Combining a guessed PKR exchange rate with a partial fill makes it hard to tell whether a difference came from execution, conversion or fees. Record the actual funding amount, actual received quote amount and the timestamp, then reconcile them with the completed fills. This bookkeeping method does not determine tax treatment or a provider’s legal status.
Before you replace or cancel an order
- Refresh the order history and read the exact status, not just the chart price.
- Check whether multiple fills belong to the same order ID.
- If cancelling, wait for the cancellation result and inspect any final fills.
- Calculate the new intended quantity after accounting for completed trades.
- Keep the fee asset and fee amount in separate columns.
Why did the market price touch my limit without a full fill? Available quantity, order priority and the exact traded market matter; a chart alone does not prove your entire order could execute. Does cancel mean refund? It does not undo trades that already filled. Check the platform’s balances and final status. Should I retry after a slow screen? First establish whether the original request was accepted. A connection delay is not evidence that no order exists.
Sources and method
Kraken: market and limit order mechanics; numerical worksheet by Mr. Slash
