MACD crossover
MACD measures the gap between a fast and a slow moving average. When the MACD line crosses its signal line, momentum is shifting. Crosses below zero (for longs) or above zero (for shorts) catch the turn early.
Watch it play out
Replay plays a setup this strategy already finished and stops so you can call it. Live watches for the next one on Bitcoin (BTC-USD, 1-minute candles). Either way a setup is marked only when a candle closes, then it's locked and plays out to its target or its stop. Nothing to trade here.
How the live chart applies the rules
- 1-minute candles. The chart runs every strategy on 1-minute Bitcoin candles from Coinbase, whatever timeframe the strategy page suggests. Times are New York time.
- Closed candles only. Levels, triggers and stops are read when a candle closes. Entry is that candle's close.
- One setup at a time. While a setup is playing out, the same strategy doesn't start another.
- Sensible risk only. A setup counts only if its stop is between a quarter and 6 times the average candle range (ATR 14) from entry (wider for session-range strategies), and its target is at least 0.75R away.
- How a setup ends. At its target or its stop. If one candle touches both, the stop counts. A setup also ends at any exit its page names, and after 120 candles (longer for trend and session strategies) if nothing is hit.
- Replays. A replay plays the latest setup this strategy finished on the live chart's recent history, sped up. It's the same setup the live chart confirmed, with the same entry, stop and result. If the strategy hasn't finished one recently, the replay uses example candles and says so.
- The trading day. A day runs 6:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET, like futures. VWAP restarts at 6:00 PM, and "yesterday" means the last full trading day.
How MACD crossover works
- 1Where's the level?
- The MACD line (12, 26) and its 9-period signal line.
- 2What's the trigger?
- A candle closes with MACD crossing above the signal line while both are below zero (the reverse for shorts).
- 3Where is it wrong?
- Beyond the extreme of the last 5 closed candles.
- 4Where does it end?
- 2 times the risk.
- Markets
- Futures, Stocks, Forex, Crypto
- Timeframes
- 5m to 1d
- Sessions
- Any
- Also called
- MACD signal cross
What it means
MACD measures the gap between a fast and a slow moving average. When the MACD line crosses its signal line, momentum is shifting. Crosses below zero (for longs) or above zero (for shorts) catch the turn early.
How it is confirmed without repainting
MACD and its signal are read on closed candles only, so a cross that disappears mid-candle never counts.
When it fails
Flat markets, where MACD hugs zero and crosses back and forth.
Education only. Prop Firm Duel does not provide trade signals or financial advice. This page explains how the strategy is commonly defined. Past results never guarantee future results.
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