Blockchain · 7 min read

Concentrated Liquidity vs 50/50 LP: Range Orders Compared

**Classic 50/50 pools** stay in range forever but spread capital wide. **Concentrated liquidity** focuses capital in a price band—higher fee APR when in range, but **out-of-range** earns nothing until rebalanced.

Step by step

1. Pick range width

Narrow range = more fees and more rebalance / IL risk.

2. Model IL at band edges

Price leaving range behaves like holding single-sided exposure.

3. Budget gas for rebalances

L2 helps; active LP is a job, not set-and-forget.

Full range vs concentrated

Concentrated is capital-efficient; classic is simpler for passive LPs.

  • 50/50 full range: Always earns fees; IL follows standard AMM formula.
  • Concentrated: Higher fees in band; zero fee when out of range.

Common mistakes

  • Setting range too tight on volatile pairs
  • Ignoring downtime out of range

FAQ

Is concentrated always better?

Only if you monitor range and fees exceed IL + gas.