Beginner’s Guide: Making Sense of Crypto Charts

Anthony Lynch
3 min readSep 14, 2023

I’m sure you’ll agree that when you first start learning about blockchain and cryptocurrencies, it can feel like a lot to take in. It’s no surprise that experts and enthusiasts often say you should DYOR. Because they know that in this field, making quick decisions without thinking things through can lead to bad outcomes.

For me, the most challenging part of getting into cryptocurrencies was understanding crypto charts. Sure, the idea of making a lot of money from crypto trading is exciting, and that’s why many people, like me, get interested in cryptocurrencies in the first place. But when you’re faced with these complicated charts and numbers, it can get really confusing.

Thankfully, over time, I’ve gained a better grasp of this. However, if you’re new to the world of cryptocurrencies and find it challenging to interpret crypto charts, allow me to help you understand them quickly and easily, so you don’t have to struggle like I did while learning.

At its core, crypto charts are like roadmaps for the crypto market. They show you how the price of a cryptocurrency has moved over time. Think of the x-axis as a timeline, with time passing from left to right, and the y-axis as the price, indicating how high or low the value is. This foundational structure is the same across various types of crypto charts, making it easier to understand once you grasp the concept.

How I Got Good at Reading Charts and How You Can Too!

Types of Crypto Charts

Crypto charts come in three main types: Line charts, candlestick charts, and OHLC charts. Learning about different crypto charts is important because it helps you pick the best way to look at cryptocurrency prices. Each chart type shows prices in a different way, and knowing them all makes you better at understanding the market. This knowledge lets you adapt to different situations when you’re trading cryptocurrencies, making you a more skilled trader and increasing your chances of doing well.

Choosing the Right Timeframe

Now, the timeframe you choose for your chart matters a lot. Are you a short-term trader looking for quick price movements? Or are you a long-term investor interested in broader trends? Different timeframes help you see different things, so pick the one that fits your trading style 😉.

Using Technical Indicators

To make better sense of charts, traders use technical indicators. You may call it a special tool that helps you understand if the market is happy or nervous. Some popular ones include Moving Averages, RSI, MACD, and Bollinger Bands. They sound complex, but I promise you, they’re like your crypto compasses.

Support and Resistance Levels

Here’s another important tip: support and resistance levels. Think of support as a trampoline that makes prices bounce up, and resistance as a ceiling that stops prices from going higher. Knowing these levels can help you decide when to jump in or out of a trade.

To sum it up, learning how to read crypto charts is a basic skill you must learn well in order to succeed in the crypto world. It helps you make better choices, handle risks, and improve your chances of doing well in this quickly changing market. So, start by learning about these charts, practice what you’ve learned, and remember that experience and continued learning will help you the most in your crypto trading journey.

Good luck with your trades!

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