What's with the disparity between exchanges?

[Topazan]

At the time of this writing, MtGox is at 137.89108, Btc-e is at 123.708, amd bitstamp is at 127.16.

What gives?  In my experience the prices on the various exchanges are usually pretty close.  What's causing them to be so far apart?  It's too bad I don't have the liquidity to arbitrage right now...

[1714039024]

1714039024

[grue]

over 9000 topics on this already. use the search function.

[SheHadMANHands]

377 posts.

OP clearly trolling..

[Topazan]

I must be missing something.  As far as I can tell, there's nothing to explain this on the front page of the speculation or service discussion forums.  Searching for "mtgox" just brings up old threads complaining about old problems.

If I look deep, I can see a couple of 1-2 post threads complaining about minor issues with the exchanges.  I really don't see what gigantic news break I'm supposed to be seeing.  It seems to me everyone's too busy talking about Silk Road.

[SheHadMANHands]

You can't withdraw USD from Gox currently.  It's indefinitely suspended, so Gox USD balances are worth less than Bitstamp USD balances.

Why is Btc-e lower than Bitstamp?  I don't know.  My guess..  maybe a combination of lower volume and less (or more costly) deposit options?

If it were easy to arbitrage for easy profit between the three, someone would have already done it - most likely.

[Topazan]

Ok, that explains it, thanks.