Can you always sell a stock?
Chloe Ramirez
Updated on March 06, 2026
When there are no buyers, you can't sell your shares, and you'll be stuck with them until there is some interest from other investors. Show activity on this post. No, Mark is right, if you place a market order there will always be someone to buy or sell at the market price.
Is it always possible to sell a stock?
When there are no buyers, you can't sell your shares—you'll be stuck with them until there is some buying interest from other investors. A buyer could pop in a few seconds, or it could take minutes, days, or even weeks in the case of very thinly traded stocks.How long do you have to hold a stock before you can sell it?
If you sell a stock security too soon after purchasing it, you may commit a trading violation. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) calls this violation “free-riding.” Formerly, this time frame was three days after purchasing a security, but in 2017, the SEC shortened this period to two days.Why can't I sell my shares?
If you have pledged your shares (to get extra margin against your shares), then you will not be able to sell these shares until they are unpledged. Your shares might get locked due to regulatory reasons. So you will be able to sell the shares only after the lock-in ends or is lifted.Can you buy stocks and not sell?
Buy and HoldHowever, a popular long-term strategy is called a buy-and-hold strategy, which is a passive investment strategy in which an investor buys stocks and holds them for a long period of time. Buy and hold investors are less concerned with short-term fluctuations in the stock market.