FTB-C000078 / Financial concept

Tick

A tick is one atomic market-data event or update in an ordered event stream.

Also known asmarket ticktick event

Foundation 5 linked topicsPublished

Definitions

In plain terms

Depending on the dataset, a tick can be a trade, quote update, order-book event, or another message—not necessarily a price movement.

Technical

Tick meaning is feed-specific and must retain message type, source, instrument, event time, sequence, conditions, and correction semantics.

Scope

Do not confuse a data tick with tick size, the minimum allowed price increment.

Examples

  • A governed dataset records tick explicitly and preserves the source context needed to interpret it.

Common misconceptions

  • Tick does not have one universal meaning or policy without its declared source, scope, and data contract.

Concept relationships

Related

Required by

Where this concept is used

Tutorials planned

These catalogued topics use this concept, but their complete build has not shipped yet.

  • D01-F01-A01 Prerequisite
  • D01-F01-A02 Primary
  • D01-F01-A05 Primary
  • D01-F01-A07 Primary
  • D01-F02-A02 Important

Evidence and governance

  1. Daily TAQ Client Specification New York Stock Exchange / Intercontinental Exchange · official exchange

    Supports: preferred label, short definition, technical definition

    Limits: Product-specific and licensed; it does not create universal eligibility, repair, imputation, tolerance, or aggregation rules.

  2. Fintech Builder Glossary Definition Contract The Fintech Builder · internal governed contract

    Supports: variant distinction

    Limits: Defines governed platform behavior rather than claiming these policies are universally prescribed by external McClellan methodology.

Reviewed by
Last reviewed
2026-07-26
Next review
2027-07-26
Record status
published
Written by

Fintech engineer building market-data and financial systems, and the author of every article, glossary record, and reference implementation on The Fintech Builder.