Why TradingView for crypto?
TradingView runs in the browser and works across every device without installation. The free plan includes full charting, a massive indicator library, and access to thousands of community scripts built by other traders. It handles every crypto asset, every exchange pair, and every timeframe you'd need.
Both retail and professional traders use TradingView as their primary charting tool. The platform supports multi-timeframe layouts, custom alerts, and Pine Script for building custom indicators. It's not a crypto-only platform — it covers stocks, forex, and commodities too — which means the indicator library is enormous and constantly updated.
- Cross-device: browser, iOS, Android — same charts everywhere
- Free plan with full charting capability
- 100,000+ community scripts in the public library
- Price alerts, indicator alerts, and webhook support
- Multi-timeframe layout for simultaneous chart analysis
TradingView account setup
Create a free account at TradingView.com. No credit card required. Once logged in, open a chart by searching any symbol — start with BTC/USD or TOTAL (total crypto market cap).
First things to configure: set chart type to Candlestick (right-click the chart → Change chart type). Set your default timeframe using the toolbar at the top. Save your layout using the cloud icon — this preserves your indicators and settings across sessions.
The chart panel has five main areas: the symbol search bar at top left, the timeframe toolbar, the indicator bar, the drawing tools on the left side, and the alert bell in the upper right. Spend 10 minutes clicking each to understand what's available before adding complexity.
Multi-timeframe analysis (MTF)
Multi-timeframe analysis means reading charts at multiple timeframes before making any decision. The logic: higher timeframes give context; lower timeframes give timing.
- Weekly: Identifies the primary trend direction. Is price in a macro uptrend, downtrend, or range? This is the frame that matters most.
- Daily: Shows key structural levels — prior highs and lows, range boundaries, areas where price has previously reversed.
- 4H / 1H: Used for entry timing once the trend and key levels are established from higher timeframes.
Never start your analysis on the 1-minute or 5-minute chart. Short timeframes show constant noise with no context. Always establish the bigger picture before drilling down.
Key levels on TradingView
Key levels are price areas where the market has previously shown a significant reaction — prior highs, prior lows, range midpoints, and zones where price consolidated before a large move. These areas often act as support or resistance when revisited.
To mark them in TradingView: use the horizontal line tool (shortcut: H) and draw across prior swing highs and lows. Lock the lines once placed (right-click → Lock) so you don't accidentally move them while scrolling the chart.
Focus on structure, not precision. A level isn't a single pixel — it's a zone. If multiple prior reactions cluster near the same area, that zone is significant.
Indicators to add first
Start with three and only add more if you can explain what question each new indicator answers.
- Volume: Always. Confirms whether a price move has participation behind it. High volume on a breakout = conviction. Low volume rally = suspect.
- RSI (14-period): Momentum check. Overbought above 70, oversold below 30. More useful for spotting divergence than as a standalone signal.
- Moving average (50 EMA or 200 SMA): Trend filter. Price above the 200 SMA is generally bullish context. Use one — not both at the same time initially.
Two to three indicators is enough for most analysis. More indicators create contradiction and delay decisions without improving accuracy.
The weekly workflow
The YouTube Crypto Show uses TradingView every week to walk through five charts: TOTAL, TOTAL2, TOTAL3, BTC.D (Bitcoin dominance), and ETH/BTC. Each gets two to three minutes. The goal is one sentence per chart: what is it doing and what does it mean for positioning.
This workflow takes 15-20 minutes once a week. It establishes the macro context — whether the broad crypto market is expanding, contracting, or rotating — before looking at individual assets. Start with the weekly timeframe for each chart, then drop to daily for confirmation.
Write down your read. One sentence per chart. This forces clarity and creates a reference point for the week ahead.
TradingView alerts
Alerts in TradingView trigger a notification when a specified condition is met — a price crossing a level, an indicator reaching a value, or a trendline being touched. They let you step away from charts and get notified only when something meaningful happens.
To set an alert: right-click any price level on the chart and select "Add Alert," or click the bell icon in the top toolbar. Set the condition, the price, the frequency (once or every time), and the notification method (email, pop-up, mobile push).
After each weekly chart review, set two to three alerts at the key levels you've identified. When an alert fires, return to the chart and reassess — don't react to the alert alone.