Source: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/volume

# Volume
URL: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/volume
Last modified: 2026-10-17

Volume is how many shares or contracts changed hands in a period. About half of US stock volume is [filled off exchange by wholesalers](https://mochatrade.com/learn/us-market-structure/how-us-stock-prices-form), and on a contract [open interest says how much money is in the trade](https://mochatrade.com/learn/start-here/how-to-read-us-market-news) while volume says how much moved. Ninety times normal volume with no news [is a mechanism, not a company](https://mochatrade.com/blog/what-happens-when-the-only-thing).

## Related terms

- Open interest: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/open-interest
- Settlement (T+1 in US): https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/settlement
- Short interest: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/short-interest
- Gap up and gap down: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/gap-up-and-gap-down
- Volatility / VIX: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/volatility-vix
- Trading halt: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/trading-halt

Educational content only. Not investment advice. Leveraged products magnify losses as well as gains.