OCO order
An OCO order (One Cancels the Other) is a pair of linked orders. When one of them fills, the other is cancelled automatically.
How it works
An OCO usually combines a limit order and a stop order (often a stop-limit) for the same size. While price sits between them, both wait. As soon as one fills, even partly, the platform cancels or reduces the other so you do not sell the same coins twice.
The most common use is exiting a position: a take-profit and a stop-loss at once. That helps when you cannot watch the chart. OCO also fits when you expect a breakout but do not know its direction: a buy stop above the range and a sell stop below it.
The stop-limit leg has a catch: in a fast move price can jump past your limit and the order stays unfilled. A stop-market leg will fill, but with slippage. Not every platform or market supports OCO; on futures a similar feature is often called TP/SL.
You bought at 100. You set an OCO: a limit sell at 110 and a stop at 95. Price reached 110, the order filled, and the stop vanished on its own. Nothing to cancel by hand.
ETH trades in a 2,400 to 2,600 range. You place an OCO: a buy stop at 2,620 and a sell stop at 2,380 (if you already hold ETH). Price breaks up, the buy fills and the sell order is cancelled.
Do not assume OCO guarantees the price: the stop leg can fill worse because of slippage, and a stop-limit can fail to fill at all in a fast move, leaving you in the position with no protection. Set the stop-limit's limit price with some room beyond the stop price, and check that your platform supports OCO for that market.
Questions and answers
What is an OCO order in simple terms?
It is two orders tied together: once one fills, the other cancels itself. It lets you set a take-profit and a stop-loss at the same time.
How is an OCO different from a regular stop-loss?
A regular stop-loss is a single order. An OCO pairs the stop with a limit order, so you do not have to cancel one by hand when the other fills.
Why did my OCO order not fill?
Most likely the stop-limit triggered but price moved past your limit and there were no orders at your price. Give the limit more room or use a stop-market instead.
Related terms
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Updated: 2026-10-19