Let me tell you a story about the tools that transformed my crypto trading journey. When I first started trading, I was like many others — jumping into positions based on gut feelings and Twitter tips. After some painful losses (we’ve all been there), I realized I needed a systematic approach to survive in these volatile markets.
My breakthrough came when I started focusing on resistance and support levels. Today, I want to share the actual tools I use every day that have helped me turn those early losses into consistent wins. These aren’t fancy algorithms or expensive subscriptions — just practical tools that give me the edge I need when setting up trades.
I probably spend more time on TradingView than I do on social media these days. It’s not just a charting platform; it’s literally where all my trading decisions begin.
In an upcoming article, I’ll be dedicating an entire piece to my customized TradingView setup. I’ll dive deep into my personalized layouts, saved chart configurations, and how I’ve optimized the platform for my specific trading style. Stay tuned for that comprehensive guide!
This indicator became my obsession after a trading friend showed me how he used it. I was blown away by how clearly it showed the “invisible walls” in the market where price tends to bounce.
I once spotted a massive volume gap on ETH’s 4-hour chart just above where the price was consolidating. While others were expecting the price to continue upward based on momentum indicators, I set a short position at that invisible ceiling. When the price rejected exactly at that level, I understood the power of this tool. I’ve written more about this technique in another article if you want to dig deeper.
You know that feeling when you see price approaching a major resistance level and you’re trying to decide: “Is this the real breakout or just another fake-out?” Daily volume has become my lie detector for these moments.
Last month, I was watching SOL approaching a major resistance level that had rejected price three times before. Everyone in my trading group was calling for another rejection, but I noticed something different this time — volume was steadily increasing with each green candle. I took a calculated risk and entered a long position just before the breakout. When the volume spiked even higher as price pushed through resistance, I knew my analysis had been correct. That single trade paid for two months of expenses.
The flip side is equally valuable — seeing price approach resistance on declining volume has saved me from countless failed breakout trades that would have triggered my stop loss.
Here’s how I use it:
- Increasing volume levels: A key signal when expecting a breakout. When volume rises as price approaches a resistance level, it often indicates enough momentum to push through.
- Low volume levels: Typically suggest a likely bounce (or rejection) from the level rather than a breakout.
- Volume alerts: I set alerts for significant volume increases, which can signal potential trading opportunities developing.
One of the most stressful things about trading is feeling like you need to be glued to charts 24/7. I solved this problem by setting up an extensive alert system on TradingView that sends webhooks to my phone.
Here’s a confession: I used to set alerts exactly at key levels, which meant I’d often get the notification when the action was already happening. The result? Rushed decisions and sloppy entries. The game-changer was when I started setting alerts about 2–3% before the actual level.
A particularly valuable feature I utilize is setting alerts directly on the Daily Volume indicator. When volume starts to increase significantly before an important resistance level, I get an immediate notification on both my phone and laptop. This early warning system has been crucial for preparing potential breakout trades, giving me time to analyze other conditions before price even reaches the critical level. Often, increasing volume is the first signal of an impending strong move, so getting this alert early provides a significant timing advantage.
Now when my phone buzzes, I have time to open my laptop, assess the situation, and check my criteria without that adrenaline-fueled panic. This simple change reduced my impulsive trading mistakes by at least 50%.
The critical strategy I employ is setting alerts slightly before the actual level is reached. This buffer provides me with valuable preparation time to:
- Analyze chart patterns thoroughly
- Review my trading checklist
- Make calculated decisions without rushing
- Prepare order parameters in advance
After a particularly rough trading month where I ignored my own rules and paid the price, I created a custom indicator that displays my trading checklist directly on my chart. Think of it as the pre-flight checklist pilots use — if enough items aren’t checked, the plane simply doesn’t take off.
My checklist includes about 20 conditions like:
- Is price approaching the level gradually (good) or in a vertical move (caution)?
- Do I see healthy accumulation patterns below resistance?
- Has there been a recent false breakout that might have cleared out weak hands?
- Am I trading with or against the larger trend?
- How deep was the last pullback? (Shallow pullbacks often signal stronger momentum)
The most valuable part? This checklist forces me to be honest with myself and prevents FOMO-based decisions. When bitcoin made that massive run last year, I watched many traders jump in at local tops because they were afraid of missing out. My checklist kept me patient, helping me identify safer entry points during healthy consolidations.
I learned about liquidation levels the hard way. Before using Coinglass, I’d often be confused when price would approach a level, briefly punch through it, then violently reverse. It was only later I realized these moves were triggered by clusters of stop losses and liquidation levels.
Now, checking liquidation data on Coinglass is a standard part of my pre-trade routine. Just last week, I was considering a short position on BTC as it approached resistance, but Coinglass showed a massive cluster of short liquidations just above that level. Instead of shorting immediately, I waited. Sure enough, price pushed slightly higher, triggered those liquidations causing a brief spike, and then reversed — giving me a much better entry for my short position.
This knowledge about liquidations clusters allows me to:
- Avoid entering positions just before potential liquidation cascades
- Set more appropriate stop-loss levels
- Anticipate volatility that others might not see coming
I check Cryptometer’s Volume Flow once a day, usually with my morning coffee. It’s like getting a daily intelligence briefing on where money is moving in the crypto ecosystem.
One of my best trades came from noticing a sudden large flow from stablecoins into a mid-cap altcoin right before it was scheduled to test a major resistance level. The combination of increased capital flow with my technical setup created the perfect storm for a breakout trade that yielded a 27% return in just three days.
I don’t make trades based solely on volume flow, but when it aligns with my technical analysis, it adds another layer of confidence to my decisions.
My process with CryptoMeter involves:
- Checking volume flows once daily to spot unusual activity
- Monitoring coins receiving substantial inflows
- Evaluating whether these flows coincide with approaching resistance/support levels
- Looking for trading opportunities when high fund flows align with my technical analysis
The crypto market is like a family — when Bitcoin throws a tantrum, everyone feels it. Understanding these relationships has saved me countless times.
During volatile periods, I check correlation data using CoinMetrics Correlation Charts or Crypto-Correlation to see which coins are dancing to their own beat versus following the market leaders.
Last quarter, while most altcoins were highly correlated to Bitcoin’s movements, I noticed a few assets maintaining independence. This insight allowed me to diversify my trading into coins that wouldn’t all crash simultaneously if Bitcoin took a dive — a decision that protected my portfolio during the subsequent market correction.
This information helps me:
- Identify which coins are closely following BTC and ETH movements
- Find potential diversification opportunities
- Understand market sentiment across different asset classes
- Anticipate how market-wide movements might affect specific trades
For execution, I switch between three platforms depending on what I’m trading:
- Bybit — My go-to for futures trading with its intuitive interface and reasonable fees.
- Binance — When I need access to more obscure trading pairs or the highest liquidity
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR) — For those times when I want exposure to traditional markets or crypto-related stocks
Each has its quirks, and I’ve learned their strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Bybit’s take-profit interface feels more intuitive for my strategy, while Binance’s depth of liquidity gives me confidence when trading larger positions.
Looking back, what transformed my trading wasn’t any single magical indicator or platform — it was developing a systematic approach using these tools together. The alerts notify me of opportunities, the checklist keeps me disciplined, volume analysis confirms my suspicions, and correlation data helps me understand the bigger picture.
I still take losses — that’s just the reality of trading. But these tools have dramatically improved my win rate and, more importantly, helped me better manage risk. My average winners are now larger than my average losers, and that math works out well over time.
If you’re struggling with consistency in your trading, I encourage you to build your own systematic approach. It doesn’t have to mirror mine exactly — find the tools that resonate with your trading style and psychology. The key is having a repeatable process that takes some of the emotion out of trading decisions.
These tools have given me that edge, and I hope they can do the same for you.
What tools are essential in your trading arsenal? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments.
Feel free to connect with me if you want to discuss trading strategies, market analysis, or anything crypto-related. Let’s navigate the exciting world of cryptocurrency together!
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