In the high-speed, high-frequency electronic market it is almost impossible to answer the question “What is the market?”. By creating an electronic algorithmic crowd competing for order flow, PDQ restores this critical element to the marketplace. When an order is received by PDQ, (see The PDQ Process), the order is paused for up to 20 milliseconds, and in that time when the competing algorithms respond with contra liquidity the answer to the question of "What is the market?" is formed.

It is the same process as an open outcry pit, a good broker asks the crowd “What is the Market?” and the members of the crowd are rewarded by responding quickly and aggressively. PDQ is the high-speed, electronic and efficient algorithmic version of this process.

All orders are confidential and there is no information leakage or gaming of orders because the Liquidity Provider responding algorithms are hosted and operated within the PDQ facility. These algorithms are updated with streaming information from the Liquidity Provider's home office, but are blocked from returning Liquidity Seeking order information to their home office.