As an example, I have a stock which is in the green by ~54.00 Is this difference based on the current price or the market price and the price I paid?
If you are long on a stock it will be the difference between the price you bought and the current sell price. Foreign exchange rates are also accounted for in the result.
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Beginner question but what’s the reason for the difference between the sell and buy value? Google wasn’t particularly helpful
It is the “bid-ask spread” that exists for all stocks. It is basically the difference between the price a buyer is willing to pay and the price a seller is willing to accept.
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The “reason” for the difference is to reward the market makers who provide liquidity to both sellers and buyers. It is worth reading the following interesting article if this concept is new to you.
“Market Maker Definition” https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marketmaker.asp