It is often said that in life, quality triumphs speed, but in the world of trading, a fraction of a second can turn the tides of a trade.
At Upstox, we strive to strike the right balance between speed, accuracy, and reliability, ensuring that traders execute orders with razor-sharp precision.
One critical factor that influences execution quality is tick-by-tick (TBT) data , the most granular level of market data that captures every price movement, bid, ask, and trade as it happens. The data of this granularity unlocks precision and speed at the scale which has never been available for the retail traders before and was only available to HFTs and institutional traders.
This is especially important for GTT orders, where the trigger determines whether or not your trade executes at the right moment, which in turn is dependent on an accurate LTP data which is only possible through TBT data.
Ever Set a GTT Order That Didn’t Trigger? Here’s Why.
Imagine you’re closely following the Union Budget announcement. There’s speculation that the nuclear energy sector might benefit from new policy changes, and you expect a rally.
You decide to place a GTT entry order for Reliance at 1220 while the current LTP is 1227.25. Since Budget days are known for volatility, you prefer a wait and watch approach rather than manually chasing prices.
Now, here’s where things get tricky.
At one point, the stock briefly dips, and your trading screen shows an LTP of 1220. You check your order book, but your GTT hasn’t been triggered.
Note: Using Reliance ticker here for illustration purposes.
It turns out that an actual trade did happen at 1219.95, but because snapshot data updates at intervals, that tick wasn’t captured on the chart or the tradebook—and your GTT missed the trigger.
End result? You miss the trade entirely.
With TBT powered GTT triggers, this wouldn’t happen. Since TBT captures every single tick, your order would have triggered precisely at 99, just as intended.
Now, let’s flip the scenario.
Say you’re trading Nifty 50. You’ve gone long, buying 10 lots of ATM Call Options because the market is showing strong bullish momentum.
Given the volatility, you play it safe and set a GTT Stop Loss at 18 while the LTP is 22.75.
Like on most volatile days, things get chaotic. The market dips fast, and later, you notice a trade has occurred at 17.8.
You check your tradebook, but your stop loss didn’t trigger. How?
Because snapshot data missed that tick, and since your stop loss wasn’t triggered, you ended up holding the position longer than intended, potentially leading to a bigger loss or a lower profit exit in the case of a TP trade.
With TBT powered execution, this wouldn’t happen. Your stop loss order would have executed exactly at 18, ensuring that your trade setup is followed.
Why This Matters for Every Trader
Whether you’re setting up an entry order or managing risk with a Stop Loss or a Trailing SL, precision matters. And that’s exactly what TBT backed GTT orders offer:
- Accurate triggers at the exact price you set
- No missed trades due to snapshot data limitations
- Better risk management with precise stop loss execution
- Less slippage, better trade outcomes
Markets move fast, and sometimes, even a fraction of a second can mean the difference between a winning trade and a missed opportunity.
At Upstox, we’re bringing institutional-grade precision to retail traders, so you can trade with confidence, knowing your orders execute exactly as intended.
Click here to learn more about TBT and how to use TBT powered GTT.