Understanding Technical Charts for BTCUSD
When first opened, a BTCUSD technical chart displays six months of daily price activity. Each candlestick or bar represents the open, high, low, and close (OHLC) prices, with real-time data visible via mouse hover.
Key components:
Volume bars: Color-coded to reflect daily market sentiment:
- 🟢 Green = Price increase vs. previous day
- 🔴 Red = Price decrease
- 🔵 Blue = Unchanged price
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Customizing Chart Settings
Adjust these parameters below your chart (requires Barchart account for template saves):
Basic Display Options
| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Bar Type | OHLC Bars, Candlesticks, Line, or Area |
| Volume | Toggle volume visibility |
| Time Frame | Intraday/Daily/Weekly/Monthly frequency |
| Commodity Contracts | Nearby Futures or Continuation charts |
Advanced Scaling
- Linear Scale: Standard price intervals
- Logarithmic Scale: Better for volatile assets like Bitcoin
Creating Spread Charts
Spread charts enable comparative analysis of cryptocurrency pairs or custom calculations:
Expression Examples:
(BTC*1 + BTC*2)/2 // Average of two BTC contracts
2*ETH - BTC // ETH weighted against BTC
(^BTCUSD + ^ETHUSD)*0.5 // Combined index Common Crypto Spread Types
- BTC-ETH Ratio
- Stablecoin Arbitrage Pairs
- Futures Calendar Spreads
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Comparison Charts
Overlay up to 3 symbols (e.g., BTCUSD vs. gold vs. S&P500) with:
- Absolute price comparison
- Percentage change mode
Technical Indicators
Available studies (limits vary by account tier):
- Moving averages
- RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands®
- Volume-weighted price trends
Note: Free accounts cap at 8 indicators; paid tiers allow 25.
FAQ
Q: How do I read Bitcoin candlestick charts?
A: Green candles show price rising from open to close; red indicates drops. Wicks represent intra-period volatility.
Q: What’s the difference between nearby and continuation futures charts?
A: Nearby uses the next expiring contract; continuation fixes a specific month (e.g., always December).
Q: Can I compare cryptocurrencies with traditional assets?
A: Yes—Barchart supports BTCUSD vs. stocks, commodities, or forex pairs.
Q: Why use logarithmic scaling for crypto?
A: It normalizes extreme price swings, making long-term trends clearer.
Q: How far back does historical BTCUSD data go?
A: Depends on the provider—typically 5+ years for daily charts.