insider trading

American  

noun

1. the illegal buying and selling of securities by persons acting on privileged information.

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insider trading Cultural  

1. The unlawful practice of using information that comes from a source “inside” the business but is not available to the general public to trade on the stock market. This activity is prohibited by law and is policed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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In the mid-1980s, several revelations of insider trading rocked Wall Street.

Other Word Forms

• insider trader
  noun

Etymology

Origin of insider trading

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

insider trading

He is accused of violating Kalshi’s rules regarding insider trading and market manipulation, fining him more than $71,000.

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

Both platforms have listed markets that have led to charges of insider trading.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

The potential for insider trading to occur has also been raised.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

The company has also been accused of several California Coastal Act violations, and is facing state environmental law criminal charges, a congressional investigation of the company’s practices and lawsuits related to claims of insider trading.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Paolo’s father was a real estate mogul who had been indicted for insider trading some months ago.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart