Technical analysis made easy with bearish chart patterns packed into a cheat sheet, so that you can cut your loss during the bear market.
Is Technical Analysis Useful?
Crypto, as a new asset class, is volatile in nature. Its price fluctuates because it is heavily influenced by supply and demand, and it reflects how the public feels about the asset. This is known as market sentiment — bullish when prices are rising, bearish when prices are falling.
The market is constantly changing. In many cases, it does not matter how you feel about it, it only matters how the market is going to feel about it.
Market sentiment is a critical indicator to predict price movements and make investment decisions. An easy way to gauge market sentiment is by looking at chart patterns. They tend to repeat themselves, and once you are able to recognize them, it becomes easier to strategize your entries and exits.
However, it is important to note that they are NOT a guarantee that the market will move in that predicted direction. It should only serve as a frame of reference for you to feel how the market moves.
Bearish Chart Patterns
These are some of the most common bearish chart patterns you will see in the market. This cheat sheet will help you identify real-time candlestick patterns whenever you’re on Binance, FTX or other crypto exchanges, so that you can spot bearish trends earlier and better prepare your exits to cut loss.
Head and Shoulders (Bearish)
The head and shoulders pattern is regarded as one of the most reliable trend reversal patterns. It is one of the top patterns that generally signals the end of an upward trend. The pattern is most prevalent among two of the largest coin by market cap, Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The pattern occurs when a large peak has two slightly smaller peak on its side, resembling the shape of a head in the middle and the shoulders on the sides.
The only thing you have to know is that all three peaks will fall back to the same level of support, also known as the “neckline.” Once the third peak has fallen back to the support line, it is likely that it will continue into a bearish downtrend. (Alprazolam) Traders would opt to short the market as a result.
But if the tide turns in favor of a bull market, the asset will attract buying pressure, and the price will reverse into a bullish uptrend as a result. This usually happens if the third peak is slightly higher than the first peak.
This is why the head and shoulder pattern is reliable because the result of the market being bullish or bearish is 50/50. There is a possibility the price action would go sideways following the third peak.
Descending Triangle (Bearish)
A descending triangle is a bearish pattern which signifies the continuation of a downtrend, hence “descending” triangle. It happens when the downward-sloping line of lower highs crosses the support line, continuing the downtrend.
This means that the market is dominated by sellers. Typically, traders will also enter a short position during a descending triangle in an attempt to profit from the continuous price drop.
Successively lower peaks are likely to occur and unlikely to reverse. However, it could turn out to be a false breakout in which the price moves sideways for some time after breaking through the support line.
Rising Wedges (Bearish)
A rising wedge occurs when the trend line is sandwiched between two upwardly slanted lines, getting narrower as the support line gets closer to the resistance line. In this case, the line of support is steeper than the resistance.
It may seem like an upward trend but it isn’t. In fact, it is a reversal pattern. A rising wedge is usually indicative that an asset’s price will rise before it drops and breaks through the level of support, as shown in the second picture above.
Generally, the asset’s price will eventually decline more permanently as a result. The rising wedge is difficult to spot because it resembles a bullish consolidation formation — the series of higher highs and higher lows keep the trend inherently bullish.
There are no measuring techniques to estimate the decline. But the next best thing is to look at the trading volume. If volume declines as the price rises, the wedge gets narrower. This marks the exhaustion of the buying trend which is a sign of a bearish reversal. Thus, a break of the support line accompanied by high volume confirms the bearish pattern.
Double Top (Bearish)
A double top is when the price experiences a peak, before retracing back to the support line. It will then climb up once more before dropping more permanently. It resembles an M shape, hence “double top.” Jokingly, the M stands for working at “McDonalds” during the bear market!
It may seem like a bullish trend, but it is in fact a bearish reversal pattern. The buyers push the price higher, creating a series of higher highs and higher lows. However, at a certain point, the buyers cannot extend this bullish trend, and the second peak is registered as an equal high as a result. This is when the sellers target this weakness, pushing the price even lower.
Summary
These are some of the most common bearish patterns you will see in the market. This cheat sheet will help you spot bearish downtrends earlier so that you can exit and avoid loss. However, it is important to note that crypto is volatile in general.
These chart patterns are NOT a guarantee that the market will move in that predicted direction. It should only serve as a frame of reference for you to feel how the market moves.
