Sweeps vs. blocks

A sweep is someone in a hurry.

A sweep fills one order across several exchanges at once and pays the ask. A block is a single large print, often negotiated before it reaches the tape. Sweeps signal urgency. Blocks signal size. Both matter, for different reasons.

Spot the pattern.

Two NVDA call sweeps at the same strike, minutes apart. One AAPL put block. One SPY put split across venues. The repetition on NVDA is what separates a story from a single noisy print.

A sweep, labeled.

Part two of this alert reads: SWEEP AT THE ASK. That phrase tells you someone paid the full ask price and routed the order across multiple venues at once. They wanted certainty of fill, not a better price.

This one is an animated diagram in the app. See it in Vero.