Core Mechanism - The OTC market operates without a central trading hall and relies on market maker quotes [10] - Market makers are essential to the OTC trading process, holding inventory and providing buy and sell quotes [10] Trading Process - Investors place buy or sell orders for OTC stocks through their brokerage accounts [2] - If the brokerage has a market-making department, it may attempt to internally match client buy and sell orders [2] - Orders are typically routed to market makers or accessed through the OTC Link ECN [2][7] - The transaction price is determined by the market maker's quoted price, not the investor's limit price unless the limit is better than the market maker's quote [4] Electronic Platform - OTC Link ATS is the core electronic trading platform operated by OTC Markets Group, connecting hundreds of market makers and brokerages [5] - Market makers update their quotes in real-time through OTC Link [6] Important Characteristics - OTC stocks tend to have higher price volatility due to lower liquidity and potentially insufficient company information [8] - Trading hours align with major exchanges, operating from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time, with possible pre-market and after-hours trading [9] - The settlement cycle is consistent with the U.S. stock market standard of T+2 [9] Investor Steps - Investors must choose a brokerage capable of OTC trading and complete account registration [11] - Funds can be deposited into the trading account via bank cards or third-party payment methods [11]