How do I place a trailing stop order?
What is trailing stop order?
A trailing stop s a type of take-profit/stop-loss (TP/SL) order that adjusts automatically based on market price movements. Unlike a fixed TP/SL, the trailing stop's trigger price moves dynamically with the market, following your favorable direction — this is the core idea behind how trailing stops work.
You set a price variance (percentage or constant amount). When the market moves in your favor and then reverses by the preset variance, the system will place a market order to close your position.
The underlying logic: the trailing stop "follows" price in one direction but triggers only on a reversal. This lets you ride a trend and lock in profits automatically, without manually adjusting your stop price.
What is the difference between a trailing stop and a regular TP/SL order?
Regular TP/SL: uses fixed trigger prices — the position closes once the preset price is reached.
Trailing stop: uses a dynamic trigger that follows your favorable market movement. Ideal for trending markets — it locks in profits as the price moves in your favor and only closes the position if the market reverses by the preset variance.
In short, a regular TP/SL protects a fixed level; a trailing stop protects a moving level, making it better suited for capturing extended trends.
How do I place a trailing stop order?
On the app
Open your OKX app, select Trade > Futures
Go to Positions and choose the position you want to set a trailing stop for
Select TP/SL > Trailing stop > Select Percentage or Constant
Fill in the desired Variance, Amount and Activation price (optional) > Select Confirm
On the web
Select Trade > Futures
Go to Open positions and choose the position you want to set a trailing stop for
On TP/SL, select Add > Trailing stop > Select Percentage or Constant
Fill in the desired Variance, Amount and Activation price (optional) > Select Confirm
Note:
If you enable an Activation price, the trailing stop will only activate once the latest traded price reaches or exceeds the activation price.
If you do not set an activation price, the trailing stop will activate immediately after the order is placed.
Can I place multiple trailing stop orders?
Yes. On the trailing stop page, you can view your existing trailing stop order. If a trailing stop has not been triggered, select Add to create another trailing stop for the same position.
How do I cancel a trailing stop order?
On the trailing stop page: Select Cancel to cancel a single order or Cancel all to cancel up to 20 orders at once.
Note: if a trailing stop is triggered and the entire position is closed, all other TP/SL settings for that position will be canceled automatically.