[qrybam]

Market makers are not charities, they're there to provide a baseline for markets that don't have that many orders available (liquidity). This liquidity allows people to enter and exit positions more readily, encouraging real entrants to start trading the once quiet market.

People are more likely to trade if they feel a lower risk of being stuck in a 'bad' position.

Many times, exchanges actually pay market makers to provide liquidity to try and kickstart a particular market.