What is a Scale Order?
A Scale Order is an algorithmic order type that allows you to automatically deploy multiple limit orders within a specific price range. Instead of placing one large order at a single price, a Scale Order splits your total position size into a number of smaller sub-orders distributed between a Start Price and an End Price.
This tool is designed to help traders "ladder" into or out of positions smoothly, reducing the impact of market volatility and minimizing slippage on large trades.
Why use Scale Orders?
Better Average Entry: By spreading orders across a range, you can average down (buy limits) or average up (sell limits), often resulting in a better overall entry price than a market order or a single limit order.
Liquidity Management: It allows you to execute large total sizes without revealing a massive "buy wall" or "sell wall" at a single price point.
Automation: It saves time by automatically calculating the price steps and size distribution for up to 100 orders instantly, rather than placing them manually.
Control over Distribution: With the "Size Skew" feature, you can control whether you want to buy/sell more at the start of the range, the end of the range, or in equal amounts.
How does it work? Key Parameters
When setting up a Scale Order on Grvt, you will configure the following fields:
1. Price Range
You set a Start Price and an End Price.
The prices define the start and end range where your orders will be placed.
The math calculates the price steps based on an arithmetic sequence.
Note: Start Price can be higher or lower than End Price, but they cannot be equal.
2. Number of Orders
This determines how many separate limit orders will be created.
Minimum: 2 orders.
Maximum: 100 orders.
3. Size Skew
This is the most powerful setting. It determines how your Total Quantity is distributed across the orders.
Flat (Skew = 1): All orders will have equal size (Total Size / N).
Ascending (1 < Skew <= 100): Orders start with a small size and increase towards the End Price. This is useful if you want to increase your position size as the price moves further in your favor (e.g., catching a deep dip).
Descending (0 < Skew < 1): Orders start with a large size and decrease towards the End Price.
4. Advanced Options
Post-Only: Ensures your orders enter the order book as "maker" orders (adding liquidity) and will not execute immediately against existing orders. Stay mindful that a post-only order will be rejected if it can be filled immediately instead of remaining on the order book.
Reduce-Only: Ensures the orders will only reduce an existing open position and will not open a new opposite position.
Step-by-Step Guide: Placing a Scale Order
Step 1: Access the Scale Order Tab
Navigate to the order entry panel.
Click the dropdown menu and select Scale.
Step 2: Input Price and Quantity
Total Size: Enter the total amount in USDT or in coin you wish to trade.
Start Price: Enter the price for your first order.
End Price: Enter the price for your last order.
Order Count: Enter the number of orders (between 2 and 100).
Step 3: Adjust Size Skew
Use the Size Skew input or slider.
Set the range between 0.01 and 100 to match the specific distribution needs of your strategy.
Tip: The interface shows a preview of "Start Price (Qty)" vs "End Price (Qty)" so you can see the size difference immediately.
Step 4: Preview and Confirm
Click Buy or Sell.
A Confirmation Window will appear if you turn On the Order Confirmation in trading page settings.
Review the Price Range, Total Orders, and the specific list of sub-orders to ensure the prices and sizes match your strategy.
Click Confirm to deploy the orders.
Understanding Order Size Distribution & Remainders
Q: Why might my final Scale Order size be slightly less than the total I input?
When you place a Scale Order, the system uses an Arithmetic Sequence method to distribute your total intended position across your specified number of sub-orders.
During this calculation, two key factors ensure your orders comply with exchange rules, which may result in unallocated "remainders":
Lot Size Rounding: The exchange requires all orders to conform to a specific minimum quantity and order value per order (Lot Size). To ensure every sub-order is valid and strictly avoid "over-ordering" beyond your intended capital, the system defaults to rounding down (flooring) the size of individual orders to the nearest lot.
Remainder Policy: Any fractional size that cannot be perfectly distributed into a valid lot size for a sub-order is discarded to ensure the total scale order size will not exceed your specified position size.
Important Note: Because of this strict rounding and the policy of discarding remainders, the actual total size of your Scale Order will be equal to or slightly less than the order size you originally input. This ensures you never inadvertently exceed your specified position size.
Step 5: Monitor
Once placed, the system generates individual Limit orders. You can view these in your Open Orders tab. They will be identified as "Limit" orders.
Limitations
Maximum Orders: You cannot place more than 100 sub-orders per Scale Order.
Minimum Order Size: Each individual sub-order must meet the minimum quantity and value per order required for the instrument. If the calculated size for any rung is too small, the system will alert you.
Modification: You cannot modify the parameters of the Scale Order once placed. However, you can manage the individual child Limit orders on the Open Orders tab.