# Order time in force: GTC, IOC and fill-or-kill Time in force describes how long an order remains eligible and what happens to unfilled quantity. GTC means good until cancelled, subject to venue rules; IOC immediately fills what it can and cancels the rest; FOK requires the entire order to fill immediately or cancels it. Supported policies and expiry limits vary by venue. Evidence: [Create a new order](https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/api-reference/exchange-api/rest-api/orders/create-new-order); [Perpetual order types on dYdX Chain](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166981-perpetual-order-types-on-dydx-chain) Canonical: https://degreesofsatoshi.com/encyclopedia/order-time-in-force/ Published: 2026-10-02 Substantively modified: 2026-10-02 Independently verified by an automated reviewer: 2026-10-02T19:18:00.092Z Data current through: 2026-10-02 AI-assisted research and drafting with a separate automated source-verification pass; no external expert or named human review is implied. ## Key facts - **IOC:** Partial execution is permitted; the unfilled remainder is cancelled. ([Perpetual order types on dYdX Chain](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166981-perpetual-order-types-on-dydx-chain)) - **GTD:** dYdX documents orders that expire at a specified date. ([Perpetual order types on dYdX Chain](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166981-perpetual-order-types-on-dydx-chain)) - **FOK:** Fill-or-kill requires complete immediate execution. ([Create a new order](https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/api-reference/exchange-api/rest-api/orders/create-new-order)) ## Keep the same limit and change the policy Suppose a buy order requests 10 A at no more than 100 B each, but only 6 A are immediately available within that price. An IOC can buy six and cancel four. An FOK would cancel rather than accept the incomplete fill. A persistent limit order can retain the remaining four if its rules allow. These differences come from the order policy, not a different limit price. Evidence: [Create a new order](https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/api-reference/exchange-api/rest-api/orders/create-new-order); [Perpetual order types on dYdX Chain](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166981-perpetual-order-types-on-dydx-chain) ## Persistent does not mean permanent A venue can impose maximum lifetimes, maintenance rules or explicit expiry dates. The retrieved dYdX guide describes good-til-date behavior; do not assume a GTC label on another venue maps to the same implementation. Evidence: [Create a new order](https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/api-reference/exchange-api/rest-api/orders/create-new-order); [Perpetual order types on dYdX Chain](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166981-perpetual-order-types-on-dydx-chain) ## Read filled and remaining quantities A cancelled status can coexist with earlier partial fills. Reconcile the executed amount and remaining amount before resubmitting, otherwise a replacement order can exceed the intended total. FOK, IOC and post-only are separate constraints and may not be offered in every combination. Evidence: [Interface of the Trade tab](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166979-interface-of-the-trade-tab); [Perpetual order types on dYdX Chain](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166981-perpetual-order-types-on-dydx-chain) ## Questions ### Does IOC mean the whole order must fill? No. IOC permits an immediate partial fill. FOK is the all-or-nothing immediate policy where supported. Evidence: [Create a new order](https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/api-reference/exchange-api/rest-api/orders/create-new-order); [Perpetual order types on dYdX Chain](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166981-perpetual-order-types-on-dydx-chain) ## Claims and scope ### order-time-in-force-quick-answer Time in force describes how long an order remains eligible and what happens to unfilled quantity. GTC means good until cancelled, subject to venue rules; IOC immediately fills what it can and cancels the rest; FOK requires the entire order to fill immediately or cancels it. Supported policies and expiry limits vary by venue. Scope: {"collection":"defi","dataAsOf":"2026-10-02","blockHeight":null} ### order-time-in-force-fact-ioc IOC: Partial execution is permitted; the unfilled remainder is cancelled. Scope: {"collection":"defi","dataAsOf":"2026-10-02","blockHeight":null} ### order-time-in-force-fact-gtd GTD: dYdX documents orders that expire at a specified date. Scope: {"collection":"defi","dataAsOf":"2026-10-02","blockHeight":null} ### order-time-in-force-fact-fok FOK: Fill-or-kill requires complete immediate execution. Scope: {"collection":"defi","dataAsOf":"2026-10-02","blockHeight":null} ## Sources - [Create a new order](https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/api-reference/exchange-api/rest-api/orders/create-new-order) — Coinbase Exchange. General order policy example; not a claim these policies exist on every DEX. Locator: Time in force; post only; fill or kill. Retrieved: 2026-10-02T19:02:00.071Z. - [Perpetual order types on dYdX Chain](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166981-perpetual-order-types-on-dydx-chain) — dYdX Operations Services. Order-type semantics and dYdX-specific constraints. Locator: Market; Limit; Stop; Take Profit; execution policies. Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:53:20.714Z. - [Interface of the Trade tab](https://help.dydx.trade/en/articles/166979-interface-of-the-trade-tab) — dYdX Operations Services. Definition and presentation of trading market metrics. Locator: Orderbook; Position information; Stats. Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:53:20.712Z. ## Revision history - 2026-10-02: First publication after primary-source research and separate automated verification. ## Cite this entry Degrees of Satoshi editorial project. “Order time in force: GTC, IOC and fill-or-kill.” Published 2026-10-02; updated 2026-10-02. https://degreesofsatoshi.com/encyclopedia/order-time-in-force/