For many traders, technical analysis is the go-to method for turning a profit in the financial markets. However, with an abundance of chart patterns and indicators to consider, it’s easy to become lost in the details when crafting a trading strategy. One common mistake traders make is focusing solely on a single timeframe for both identifying trends and determining specific entry and exit points. Unfortunately, this approach can result in missing the forest for the trees.
This is where multi-timeframe trading analysis comes in. By incorporating this method, traders can more effectively identify trends and trading opportunities in the ever-fluctuating crypto market. In this article, we will take a closer look at how multi-timeframe analysis can help you pinpoint the best timeframe for crypto trading and ultimately increase your chances of success.
What is Multi-Time Frame Analysis?
A multi-timeframe analysis is a trading strategy that involves examining an asset under different timeframes. To illustrate, a swing trader might use a daily chart to identify the long-term trend and then switch to a 4-hour chart to pinpoint specific entry and exit points.
The ideal timeframe for spotting trends and entry points varies depending on the type of trade and holding period. As a general rule, traders should aim for a ratio of 1:4 or 1:6, such as using a 1-hour chart for entries and a 4-hour chart for identifying trends.
While it is possible to use more than two timeframes, it’s important to keep in mind that increased complexity does not necessarily translate to greater benefits. As such, most traders should start by using two timeframes and consider expanding to a maximum of three if necessary. By utilizing multi-timeframe analysis, traders can gain a better understanding of market trends and ultimately make more informed trading decisions.
Example
Suppose that you’re a swing trader who prefers to look for entry or exit points on a 4-hour chart. Rather than using just the 4-hour chart, you might start by looking at the daily chart to get a sense of the trend—after all, ‘the trend is your friend’ in trading!
You see that the daily chart shows a bullish uptrend, which means that you may want to maintain a bull bias when looking for 4-hour opportunities. In other words, you might only look for long trades for the day to increase the odds of a successful trade.
In addition to seeing a high-level trend, you may notice an ascending triangle chart pattern on the daily chart and use the trendline price levels as key areas of support and resistance that may not be nearly as obvious on the 4-hour chart.
How To Use Multi-Time Frame Trading?
There are a couple of ways to use multi-timeframe trading analysis for figuring out the best hours for crypto trading.
Many traders simultaneously display two charts in separate windows or monitors. That way, they can quickly reference the long-term trend before entering or exiting short-term positions. The ability to see across multiple time frames is one of the main reasons that professional traders use multiple monitors at their trading stations.
You can also look at technical indicator values across multiple timeframes. For example, the relative strength index on a 1-day chart may be bearish at the same time that the RSI on a 1-minute chart is bullish. You might therefore look at the 1-day RSI value (rather than the entire chart) to determine the direction of your trades on the 1-minute chart.
Some software solutions simplify multiple time frame analysis trading. For example, some technical analysis platforms let traders see trend lines and technical indicators from multiple timelines on the same chart. Python also provides technical analysis tools that you can use to build custom directional indicators leveraging data across multiple timeframes.
Best Hours for Crypto Trading
Beginners frequently focus on a single time frame, overlooking the more strong underlying trend when they’re determining the best hours to trade bitcoin. Alternatively, traders may be following the main trend but overlook the significance of fine-tuning their inputs in a suitable short-term time frame.
Once the fundamental trend has been established, traders can define the intermediary trend with their desired time frame and the short-term trend with a shorter time frame. The following are some examples of how different types of traders analyse the best hours for crypto trading:
| Trader | Multi- Time Frame Analysis | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Trend | Secondary Trend | |
| Long-term position trader | ||
| Day trader | 15-minute chart | 60-minute chart |
| Swing trader | Weekly chart | 60-minute chart |
Considerations For Crypto Traders
The crypto markets are similar to conventional assets, such as stocks or forex, but there are some considerations that traders should keep in mind.
Some crypto assets have less liquidity than stocks or forex, which means that some timeframes will not be very useful. For instance, an asset that only trades every few days doesn’t have a very useful 1-minute or 1-hour chart. Traders should keep liquidity in mind when selecting the right crypto assets for their trading style and use MTFA accordingly.
Crypto assets can be event-driven in some instances, such as when hard forks or algorithm changes take place, which can throw a wrench in any technical analysis. You should always be aware of upcoming event-driven risk factors and potentially stay out of the market if you don’t want to take the added directional risk.
Best Time Frame for Crypto Trading
One aggressive short-term trading strategy is day trading. Within a day, you want to acquire and sell cryptocurrencies, taking profits before bedtime. A trading day typically concludes at 4:30 p.m. local time in more established marketplaces like the stock market. However, since the bitcoin market is open every day of the year, you may set your day-trading hours to meet your schedule.
There is plenty of evidence to imply that cryptocurrency trading activity corresponds with regular market hours in the United States, showing that the majority of cryptocurrency investments transferred from the East to the West.
Let us take a look at the best timeframe for crypto trading, especially Ethereum.
Gas costs for transactions on Ethereum fluctuate in price based on network usage. In order to maximize the transaction time for traders with more undersized portfolios, that might thus be a key consideration.
According to analysts, there are fewer numbers but much bigger transactions around midnight ET and relatively much higher activity at around 1700hrs ET, which was once the most expensive period to transact.
However, all of the attempts to streamline Ethereum trading have created a conundrum, maybe in an effort to reduce gas costs.
It appears that people have been attempting to be cunning by making fewer transactions during the busiest times of the day. However, it just made the less busy hours busier and more pricey as a result.
Long-term Traders/HODLers
Long-term traders/HODLers too can use multiple-time frame analysis to gain a better understanding of the overall trend of their chosen cryptocurrency and to find potential entry and exit points for their trades.
For example, a long-term trader who is looking to hold Ethereum for several months or even years may start by analyzing the weekly or monthly chart to identify the long-term trend. They can utilize indicators like moving averages or trend lines to help identify the trend.
Once the long-term trend has been established, the trader can then move to a shorter crypto trading time frame, such as the daily or 4-hour chart, to look for potential entry and exit points. By using the shorter time frame in the direction of the long-term trend, the trader can increase their chances of making profitable trades.
For instance, if the long-term trend on the weekly chart shows an uptrend, the trader can use the daily chart to find buying opportunities when the price dips temporarily, but still within the context of the longer-term uptrend.
The trader can also use other technical analysis tools, such as chart patterns or momentum indicators, to further refine their entry and exit points. By combining multiple time frames and technical indicators, long-term traders/HODLers can make more informed trading decisions and potentially increase their profits.
The Bottom Line
Multi-time frame analysis trading can help you spot longer-term trends before finding nearer-term entry and exit points. You can use multiple time frame analysis by opening two charts side-by-side or by using indicator values to compute a directional bias for trades. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind the common pitfalls before using MTFA in practice.
While multiple time frame analysis may be an under-appreciated technical analysis technique, crypto taxes are an under-appreciated risk and opportunity for traders. Crypto taxes are significantly more complex than conventional financial assets and the IRS has begun to crack down on traders that fail to report their capital gains.
Taxes also present an opportunity for crypto traders. Since crypto assets aren’t subject to the same wash rules as conventional financial assets, there are many more opportunities to harvest tax losses to offset capital gains elsewhere or even ordinary income. The key is finding these opportunities amid the complexities of crypto trading activity.
If you’re a crypto trader, ZenLedger can help you identify ways to reduce your taxes through tax-loss harvesting. You can also use the platform to ensure that you’re accurately filing taxes with an audit trail in place in case you experience any IRS issues.
Multi-Time Frame Trading – Best Time-Frame For Crypto Trading FAQs
1. What is multi-time frame trading?
Multiple time frame trading is the process of viewing currency pairs under multiple time frames. Generally, the larger time frame is used to establish a longer-term trend, whereas a shorter time frame is used to spot ideal entries into the market.
2.What is the best time frame for trading?
Day traders resume day trading in the afternoon. Some traders begin around 1 p.m. EST, while others prefer to wait and resume trading closer to the market close.
3.How many time frames should you use?
There is a limit to how many time frames you can study. For most effective trading, you should use at least two, but not more than three-time frames.
4.How do you use multiple frames in trading?
The longer the time frame analysis, the more reliable the signals being given. As you cut short the time frames, the charts become more polluted with false moves and noise. You should use a longer time frame to define the primary trend of whatever you are trading.
5.What time frame do professional traders use?
Professional traders take about 30 seconds to choose a time frame. Their choice of time frame isn’t based on their trading system or technique—or the market in which they’re trading. Rather it is based on their own trading personality.
6.How should traders determine the best hours to trade bitcoin?
The optimal timeframes for identifying trends and entry points depend on the type of trade and holding period. As a general rule, traders should use a ratio of 1:4 or 1:6, such as a 1-hour chart for entries and a 4-hour chart for spotting the trend. While it’s possible to use more than two timeframes, the added complexity creates diminishing returns when it comes to realizing tangible benefits.
Most traders should stick to two-time frames when starting out and perhaps expand to a maximum of three if they need it.
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