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What is MEV? How transaction order can cost crypto traders

By SendPay Business · · 2 min read

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MEV, short for maximal extractable value, is the extra profit someone can make by choosing which transactions go into a block and in what order. It is most talked about on Ethereum and other networks with busy decentralised exchanges.

How it happens

Pending transactions usually sit in a public waiting area before they are added to a block. Specialised bots watch this area for trades they can profit from, then pay to have their own transactions placed just before or after them.

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  • A bot spots a large pending swap on a decentralised exchange.
  • It buys the same token first, pushing the price up.
  • The user's swap goes through at the worse price.
  • The bot sells straight after, keeping the difference.

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Limiting the cost

Setting a tight slippage limit caps how much worse a trade can get. Some wallets and services offer private transaction routes that keep trades out of the public waiting area. Splitting very large trades can also help.

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Where SendPay fits

SendPay platforms let customers buy, sell and hold crypto, held with regulated partners, alongside GBP, EUR and USD accounts, powered by licensed partners. SendPay doesn't offer trading tools, DeFi or lending.

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Questions people ask

What did slippage cost me?

Work out slippage and the worst price your tolerance allows.

Slippage calculator →
What is slippage?

The gap between the price you expect and the price you get.

Slippage →
What is a DEX?

A crypto exchange that runs on smart contracts instead of a company.

DEXs →
What is the Bitcoin mempool?

The waiting area for transactions before they are added to a block.

Mempool →

Read next

Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.