Illiquid market definition

An illiquid market is a market that is difficult to sell assets in due to a lack of interested buyers, available assets, or because the market itself is not viable as a financial asset. Assets in these markets are often difficult to convert to cash without losing a significant portion of its value because of their large bid-ask spreads. Illiquid markets can hold high-value assets, but if no willing buyers are found, sellers may be forced to lower their price or hold on to their assets longer than preferred.