Long in trading refers to a position that profits if the market price of an asset rises. In most cases, it refers to 'taking a long position or 'going long.' Going long is the inverse of going short or shorting, which means taking a position that profits if the market price of an asset falls.
Taking a long position does not always imply purchasing an asset. Spread bets, CFDs, and futures contracts are all derivatives that allow traders to take a long position in a market without actually purchasing the underlying asset.