ACCUMULATION MANIPLUTION DISTRIBUTION EXPLAINED SMCHere i explained how you can use accumulation manipulation distribution trade . As a smart money concept trader you need to under when price is ranging and when is manipulating so you can take advantage of distribution. Using this can maximize your profit and reduce loss.
SMC
How To Do Multi-TimeFrame Analysis With TradingViewHey,
In this video I provide the two key laws that helped me with trading;
1. An imbalance on the higher time-frames is a range on the lower time-frames.
2. A run on the higher time-frames is a trend on the lower time-frames.
From this point of view, I share with you how I analyze the charts from Monthly to Weekly to Daily chart, and how I like to time the next few days of price-action.
The chart I use in this tutorial is GBP/USD.
Kind regards,
Max Nieveld
Dominate Gold the 15-Min Chart with SMC, Breakouts,Sharp Entry'sIntroduction
In the fast-paced world of forex trading, understanding institutional moves is crucial. The 15-minute timeframe provides the perfect balance between actionable signals and structural clarity. By combining Smart Money Concepts (SMC), Change of Character (CHoCH), and Breakouts, you can build a robust strategy to identify high-probability trades with minimal risk.
Why Focus on the 15-Minute Timeframe?
Clarity in Price Action:
Reveals institutional footprints like liquidity sweeps and order blocks.
Less noise compared to lower timeframes (1-5 minutes).
Faster Setups:
Quick entry/exit compared to swing trading on higher timeframes.
Perfect for traders who prefer multiple opportunities within a day.
Scalability:
Can be used for scalping or short-term intraday trading.
Key SMC Concepts Explained
1. Change of Character (CHoCH)
CHoCH is one of the most reliable indicators of a trend reversal.
What is CHoCH?
A shift from a bullish structure (higher highs and higher lows) to a bearish one (lower highs and lower lows) or vice versa.
Indicates a potential reversal or start of a new trend.
How to Identify CHoCH?
Look for a liquidity sweep (stop-hunt) near significant highs or lows.
Wait for the market to break the most recent structural high/low (depending on the direction).
Confirm a new trend by observing a strong impulsive move.
2. Liquidity Zones
Liquidity is where institutions execute their large orders. These areas act as magnets for price action.
Common Liquidity Areas:
Double Tops and Double Bottoms: Retail traders’ stop-loss zones.
Trendline Liquidity: Stops placed along support or resistance trendlines.
Session Highs/Lows: Focus on the Asian session’s range for liquidity traps.
3. Order Blocks (OBs)
Order blocks represent areas where institutions place large orders before a significant move.
How to Use OBs for Entries:
Identify untested OBs near a liquidity zone.
Wait for price to return and mitigate (test) the OB.
Use CHoCH or a breakout confirmation for precise entries.
4. Breakouts
Breakouts often occur after a liquidity sweep and signal continuation. However, combining breakouts with CHoCH gives them much higher reliability.
Key Breakout Tip: A breakout should follow a liquidity grab and lead to a CHoCH for confirmation.
Step-by-Step Strategy: Combining SMC, CHoCH, and Breakouts
Analyze the Higher Timeframe:
Use the 4-hour timeframe to identify the primary trend (bullish or bearish).
Identify Liquidity Zones:
Highlight key areas where liquidity may be resting (double tops/bottoms, Asian session highs/lows).
Wait for a Liquidity Sweep:
Watch for price to grab liquidity above/below these zones.
Look for CHoCH:
Bullish CHoCH: Price breaks a lower high (LH) after sweeping liquidity below a low.
Bearish CHoCH: Price breaks a higher low (HL) after sweeping liquidity above a high.
Confirm with a Breakout:
Wait for price to break a significant level with momentum after CHoCH.
Mark the Order Block (OB):
Identify the last bullish/bearish candle before the impulsive move.
Enter the Trade:
Place a limit order at the OB.
Stop Loss: Just beyond the OB.
Take Profit: Nearest liquidity zone or a 3:1 risk-to-reward target.
Example Trade Setup: Bullish Reversal
Scenario:
4-hour trend is bullish, but the 15-minute chart is showing a pullback.
Steps:
Price sweeps liquidity below a double bottom.
A CHoCH occurs as price breaks a recent lower high (LH).
A 15-minute bullish OB forms near the breakout level.
Entry is placed at the OB.
TP targets the next double top or a key resistance level.
Annotated Chart:
(Include a chart with the liquidity sweep, CHoCH, breakout, OB, and TP levels clearly marked.)
Pro Tips for 15-Minute SMC Trading
Patience is Everything: Wait for liquidity sweeps and CHoCH before entering.
Higher Timeframe Bias: Ensure your trades align with the 4-hour or daily trend.
Use Volume Indicators: Spot strong breakouts with increased volume.
Refine Entry Timing: Use the 5-minute timeframe for precise entries within the 15-minute OB.
Journal Your Trades: Record setups to refine your understanding of CHoCH and SMC.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ignoring Liquidity Sweeps: Jumping into trades before a proper liquidity grab often leads to losses.
Rushing into Breakouts: Many breakouts fail without CHoCH or a clear liquidity sweep.
Neglecting Risk Management: Always set stops and respect your risk limits.
Why This Strategy Works
This approach combines:
The precision of the 15-minute chart.
Institutional trading mechanics (SMC and OBs).
Clear reversal signals (CHoCH).
The momentum of breakouts after liquidity grabs.
Together, they create a strategy that aligns your trades with smart money while minimizing false signals.
Conclusion
The 15-minute timeframe offers a unique opportunity to blend precision and profitability. By mastering CHoCH, liquidity sweeps, and breakouts, you can elevate your trading game and consistently capture high-probability setups.
If you enjoyed this guide, give it a like, share it with your trading community, and follow me for more insights!
Institutional Supply: CAD/JPY shortsHey,
Little bit of a tutorial here to give you a better understanding about my zones.
Of course on my profile you find multiple videos of my trading style.
But if you see something like this shape up, all I do is wait...
I wait for price to reach my supply zone, and show me 4hour confirmation.
This confirmation is explained in other video's and posts.
Study these charts, the zones play out a lot of times.
A true edge.
Kind regards,
Max Nieveld
Profitable SMC Smart MoneyConcept Strategy Explained
I will teach you how to trade liquidity grab, a trap, inducement, order block and imbalance.
I will share with you my Smart Money Concept strategy for trading forex & gold.
We will study a real SMC trading setup that I took on a live stream with my students.
Trend Analysis With Structure Mapping
The first step in our trading strategy will be the analysis of a market trend on a daily time frame with structure mapping.
Analyzing GBPNZD on a daily time frame, we can see that the conditions for a bullish trend are met.
Liquidity Zones Analysis
The second step will be to find liquidity - supply and demand zones on a daily time frame.
According to our rules, here are 3 liquidity zones that I spotted on GBPNZD. We see 2 demand zones and 1 supply zone.
Test of Liquidity Zone
The third step will be to wait for a test of a liquidity zone.
And on that step, we should remember an important rule:
We will wait only for a test of a liquidity zone that ALIGN with the market trend.
It means that we will wait for a test of a demand zone in a bullish trend.
We will wait for a test of a supply zone in a bearish trend.
The only demand zones that meets these criteria on GBPNZD is Demand Zone 1.
It aligns with a bullish trend.
We don't consider Demand Zone 2, because a bearish violation of a Demand Zone 1 will be a Change of Character and a violation of a bearish trend.
And here is how a test of a liquidity zone should look like. The price should simply reach that.
Liquidity Grab & Imbalance
After we identified a test of a significant liquidity zone that aligns with a market trend, we will start analyzing lower time frames.
We will look for a liquidity grab, order block and imbalance on 4H and 1H time frames.
Here is a liquidity grab that is confirmed by a bullish imbalance.
We see a false violation of a liquidity zone, followed by a high momentum bullish candle.
It will be our strong bullish signal.
Order Block Zone
In order to identify the entry point, the next step will be to identify the order block zone.
According to our rules, here is the order block zone on a 4H time frame.
Entry Level
Our entry level will be the level of the upper boundary of the order block zone.
Here is such a level on GBPNZD.
A buy limit order should be set on that level.
Please, note that in that particular case we don't need a 1H time frame analysis, because we have a confirmation signal on a 4H time frame. We will analyse an hourly time frame only when THERE IS NO SIGNAL on a 4H time frame.
Stop Loss & Take Profit
Safe stop loss should be below the lowest low of a bearish movement.
To safely calculate a stop loss in pips for the trade, simply take 0.5 ATR - Average True Range.
For Average True Range indicator , take the default settings - 14 length.
Here is a safe stop loss level on GBPNZD. ATR is 55 pips. Our stop loss for the trade is 28 pips.
Take profit for the trade will be based on the closest 4H liquidity - supply zone.
That is the closest supply zone that I spotted on GBPNZD on a 4H time frame.
Your target level should be a couple of pips below a supply zone.
Look how perfectly the market reached the target!
As you can see, that trading strategy is quite complex and combines different important elements. But what I like about this SMC trading strategy is that it truly makes sense.
The intentions of Smart Money are crystal clear here and the trade execution rules are straight forward.
❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️
How TradingView Helps Me Not Miss TradesHey,
In this video I provide several examples that help me to not miss any trading opportunities and provide me more clarity and confidence in my trading. I share my trading style, the usage of tradingview alerts and multi-timeframe analysis to time it right.
Often traders struggle with missing trades, this is why you might miss them:
- Lack of confidence
- Lack of chart time
- Lack of knowledge
If you solve them one by one, your trading performance can improve fast.
Kind regards,
Max Nieveld
How To Use Multi-Timeframe AnalysisHey,
In this video, I dive into the methods of multi-timeframe analysis, exploring how to use daily, weekly, and monthly charts alongside intraday charts like the 4-hour to gain a clearer picture of price movement.
Multi-timeframe analysis helps you view the same data through different lenses, allowing you to make predictions across various time horizons.
For example, a weekly trend or a monthly move can appear as a complete trend on lower timeframes.
By integrating these perspectives, you can better understand what price action is indicating and make informed decisions.
Kind regards,
Max
How To Setup Your TradingView RightHey,
In this video I show you how my charting setup looks like.
I use the monthly, weekly, daily time-frames in one layout.
I use the 4hour and 1hour time-frame in my other layout.
Then I show you everything I trade for FX in my watch list.
Then I show you my crypto and stock market watch list.
Kind regards,
Max
How NC Zones WorkHey,
Why not share some knowledge while we at it.
I've been trading these zones for many years now..
If you want to understand them, it starts like this;
Look for imbalances (new capital indicator find it for free)
Make sure the imbalance is engulfed.
Draw in a zone.. (Called the imbalance zone)
Now see if this imbalance zone achieved something...
Like taking out a trendline zone.. or taking out a trend.
Happy studying :)
Happy wknd,
Max
Advanced Trend Analysis in SMC Smart Money Concept Trading Forex
In this article, we will discuss how to execute advanced market trend analysis with smart money concept trading.
I will teach you how to identify long-term, mid-term and minor trend and how to apply trend analysis in making predictions and trading.
First, let me briefly remind you the basic rules of a trend analysis in SMC trading.
We say that the market is bullish if there are at least 2 bullish impulses with 2 higher highs and a retracement leg between them with a higher low.
The market is bearish if there are at least 2 bearish impulses with 2 lower lows and a retracement leg between them with a lower high.
If the conditions for a bullish or a bearish trend are not met, we say that the market is consolidating .
Bullish violation of the last higher high in a bullish trend is called a Break of Structure BoS.
Bearish violation of the last higher low in a bullish trend is called a Change of Character CHoCH.
Bearish violation of the last lower low in a bearish trend is called a Break of Structure BoS.
Bullish violation of the last lower high in a bearish trend is called a Change of Character CHoCH.
BoS signifies a trend continuation.
CHoCH signifies a trend violation.
In order to apply these rules on a price chart, we perceive the market movements as the set of impulse and retracement legs.
However, with such a method of analysis a big question arises: what is exactly is the impulse leg, how strong and long it should be. Which price fluctuations can be a part of the impulse and which should be excluded.
Look at the example above. A price action on AUDCAD can be perceived as one single bullish impulse or a combination of 3 bullish impulses and retracements and a combination of multiple impulses and retracements.
Which way of analysis is correct?
The fact is that the price action analysis on each chart is correct . The only difference between them is the perspective .
From a long-term perspective , the entire price movement on the chart is a one single impulse.
From a mid-term perspective , it is the market that is trading in a bullish trend in 3 bullish impulses.
From a short-term perspective , it is the market that is trading in a bullish trend and started to consolidate and trade in sideways for some time, resuming the growth then.
With advanced SMC trend analysis, you should learn to perceive a price chart not only as a combination of impulse and retracement legs, but also as a combination of long-term, mid-term and short-term trends and movements.
Depending on your trading style, such a reasoning can be applied on any time frame.
Look at AUDJPY pair on an hourly time frame.
From a long-term perspective, the pair is trading in a bearish trend.
Studying in details the last bullish impulse, we can perceive it as a minor bullish trend with its confirmed violation after a Change of Character.
Let's discuss another example.
EURNZD is trading in a clear long-term bullish trend on a daily.
Zooming in the chart, we can also analyze the last bullish impulse in a long-term bullish trend as a mid-term bullish trend.
At the same time, if we analyze the recent minor movements, we can spot a confirmed minor bearish trade on the pair.
Why do we need such an in-depth market trend analysis?
Always remember that a global trend is always born from a minor trend. Minor trend analysis will help you to identify local reversal, trend following signals much earlier.
The fact that EURNZD started to trade in a minor bearish trend, being globally bullish, can be an important warning sign for us.
You can see that after some time the pair started to fall rapidly.
A minor bearish trend continued, a mid-term bullish trend was violated and a correction started in a global bullish trend.
Your ability to correctly analyze different market perspectives is essential for making accurate predictions.
The trend analysis rules and events that we discussed are more than enough for successful trading any time frame and any market.
Study trend analysis, learn to identify global, mid-term and minor trend and good luck in your trading.
❤️Please, support my work with like, thank you!❤️
HOW And WHY The Markets MoveIn this video I explain HOW and WHY the markets move.
At it's core, trading is a zero-sum game, meaning that nothing is created. There must always be a counter-party to any trade, after all it is called "trading". Because of this, liquidity is the lifeblood of the market and it is what is required by all participants, albeit more for the larger entities out there. In order for these larger entities to trade, they must do so in stages of buying and selling, and not all in one single position like we do as retail traders. They buy on the way down, and sell on the way up, throughout many different time horizons. Therefore, they require price to be delivered efficiently in order to sustain this working machine.
I hope you find the video somewhat insightful. Regardless of your beliefs, I think it can be agreed that these two principles are what drives the marketplace and it's movements.
- R2F
Two Roads to Profit. A Comparison of ICT/SMC and Advanced VSAHello traders and investors!
When we start engaging in trading and investing, we get acquainted with various methods of forecasting price movements. Gradually, if we have enough persistence, strength, and patience, we choose our own path to profitable trades. Among the most popular approaches, we can highlight the use of various oscillators and channels, Dow Theory, Elliott Waves, Fibonacci levels, supply and demand, Volume Spread Analysis (VSA), market auction theory, and the Inner Circle Trader/Smart Money Concept (ICT/SMC). Many traders combine elements from different approaches into their trading system.
I personally prefer a concept I call Advanced VSA. It’s a comprehensive set of tools that combines ideas from VSA, Dow Theory, and Supply and Demand analysis. The name "Advanced VSA" perfectly captures the essence of the method, as it is fundamentally based on analyzing volume and price spread.
Recently, the ICT/SMC concept has been gaining more and more popularity. Today, I want to explore the similarities and differences between ICT/SMC and Advanced VSA. If there are any inaccuracies in my explanation of ICT/SMC basics, feel free to correct me in the comments. Perhaps after reading this article, you’ll be able to decide which approach resonates more with you and which one you believe will help you in your trading. I hope this will be helpful. Let’s dive in!
Basic Differences
Before diving into the technical details, let's first clarify the key differences between these concepts.
Who Controls Price Movements
The ICT/SMC concept assumes that price movements are controlled by large players, such as market makers, who direct prices in the desired direction. This is similar to a model where one "center of power" determines the market's direction.
In contrast, Advanced VSA is based on the idea that two forces influence price — the Buyer and the Seller. All analysis revolves around the interaction between these two sides, creating a more balanced model where both forces are equally important.
Traded Volume
The ICT/SMC concept does not use traded volume as a part of its analysis.
In Advanced VSA, volume is an important factor. It is considered an integral part of the data that helps to understand market processes and the actions of participants.
Now let’s move on to a detailed comparison of the elements of these concepts.
What They Have in Common
Both concepts teach traders to identify price ranges on the chart where a large player (Market Maker in ICT/SMC) or a Buyer (in Advanced VSA) shows interest in buying, and ranges where the Market Maker or Seller is interested in selling. When the price returns to these ranges, traders can execute buys or sells. We can call these price ranges contextual areas for buying and selling.
Neither concept relies on technical indicators. Instead, they focus on the following key terms for identifying the trade direction and the trade entry point:
Trend
Trend break/half-trend
Trend confirmation
Accumulation/Distribution/Sideways movement/Flat
Contextual areas for buying and selling
The first four terms help determine the direction of the trade, while the fifth helps identify the entry point and the likely target of the trade.
Both methods suggest using higher timeframes to find contextual areas and lower timeframes to find entry points within those areas.
What Are the Differences
The differences between the concepts lie in the interpretation of key terms. For the first four terms (trend, trend break, trend confirmation, accumulation/distribution/Sideways movement), the distinctions are minor and relate mostly to specific interpretations. However, the main differences arise in the rules for identifying contextual areas of interest (buyer, seller, or market maker). Let's look at these differences in more detail.
Difference 1: Use of Volume
In ICT/SMC, contextual areas of interest are determined solely based on price action and candlestick patterns, without taking traded volume into account.
In contrast, Advanced VSA sees volume as an integral part of the analysis. contextual areas of interest are identified by both traded volume and price behavior (candlestick patterns). If there was interest from a buyer, seller in a specific price range, leading to a price change, it's logical to assume that the volume traded in that range should be higher than in previous periods over a similar timeframe.
To illustrate the importance of using all available data for analysis, consider an analogy with choosing the best time for a seaside vacation. If the decision is based only on water and air temperature, while ignoring factors like wind or rainfall, the choice may be misguided. For example, choosing April for its comfortable temperature might result in encountering constant rain and high waves.
Thus, in Advanced VSA, volume plays a crucial role, whereas it is absent in ICT/SMC.
Difference 2: Types of Contextual Areas of Interest
In ICT/SMC, the following types of contextual areas of interest are used: order block, breaker, mitigation block, and rejection block. All of these areas are formed by a specific arrangement of candles on the chart.
In contrast, Advanced VSA operates with a different set of contextual areas of interest: effort, zone, and range (sideways movement). Effort refers to a single candle or bar that indicates significant market activity. Zone is formed by a sequence of candles or bars, taking into account their traded volumes. Range (sideways movement) is defined by a series of consecutive candles/bars where price fluctuates within a limited range, interacting alternately with the upper and lower boundaries of the range. It's only possible to identify which party (buyer, seller, or market maker) controls the range after the price breaks out and confirms the move.
If the volumes align with Advanced VSA's criteria, order blocks and mitigation blocks in ICT/SMC can be considered as zones in Advanced VSA. So, not all order blocks and mitigation blocks will be considered zones in Advanced VSA. The breaker will be discussed separately, and there is no equivalent to the rejection block in Advanced VSA.
Difference 3. Price Attraction Points
In ICT/SMC, concepts such as fair value gap, liquidity void, and liquidity are used to describe price attraction points.
In Advanced VSA, the terms fair value gap and liquidity void are not utilized. Most of the time, these ICT/SMC elements correspond to price interest points in Advanced VSA, such as effort. The term liquidity has the same meaning.
Difference 4. Importance of Levels
In Advanced VSA, levels play an important role in identifying trade opportunities. To understand the significance of levels, let’s first recall the concepts of trend and range (sideways movement). In both ICT/SMC and Advanced VSA, a trend is broken down into components, often referred to as impulses or expansion moves. A range, on the other hand, is characterized by its boundaries and the vectors of price movement between those boundaries.
In Advanced VSA, important trading signals include the defense of a broken level or a price retracement to a level followed by its defense.
In Advanced VSA, the defense of a broken level or the cancellation of a breakout (where the price returns back behind the broken level) followed by a defense of that level is considered a signal for identifying trades. This method helps traders spot potential entry points where either buyers or sellers to protect a key price level, giving more confidence in the direction of the market. The most important levels include the base of the last impulse, the boundaries of a range, and the test level of a zone.
In ICT/SMC, there are no direct equivalents of these elements when it comes to searching for trades. However, breakers and sometimes mitigation blocks serve similar purposes to the levels in Advanced VSA, but the approaches differ. In ICT/SMC, trades are typically executed within the breaker or mitigation block, whereas in Advanced VSA, trades are found when a level is defended: buy trades above the level (supported by buyers), and sell trades below the level (supported by sellers).
Additionally, Advanced VSA allows for trading within ranges, moving from one boundary to the other, as long as the boundaries are defended.
Summary
Despite the shared terms and similar approaches, there are significant differences between the two concepts:
Number of forces influencing price movement: In ICT/SMC, it is believed that price is controlled by a single force, the Market Maker (MM). In contrast, Advanced VSA considers the interaction of two forces—buyers and sellers—as driving price movements.
Use of volume in analysis: ICT/SMC does not take traded volume into account during analysis, while in Advanced VSA, volume is a crucial element for identifying market forces and areas of interest.
Use of levels for trade entries: In ICT/SMC, levels do not play an important role, whereas in Advanced VSA, levels one of the possible places for identifying potential trade setups.
Good luck with your trading and investing!
Smart Money and the why behind it
I have used @TradingView for near enough 10 years now. What I like about the platform is the simplicity and the tools.
I often get asked about things like strategy or other people's techniques - "What do you think of SMC or this guy or that guy"
Look, when it comes to trading - Liquidity is something very little people understand. Gurus talk about it and draw pretty lines but still fail to break it down as to why it's there in the first place.
"Ah it's where the big boys buy or sell"
so to help visualise this lets use some of these tools here on Tradingview.
Look at my first chart here;
What I have done is jumped up a timeframe and placed a volume profile tool on my chart, then simply used the drawing tool to draw a squiggle around the relevant nodes.
I then dropped back to the smaller timeframe and switched on a couple of indicators to help visualise where the liquidity is.
if you look at the lines 15minutes and 30minutes both in green and cast your eyes to the right, can you see they sit just below (as price is coming from above) to those higher volume nodes from that higher timeframe?
Let's use another tool here on TradingView;
This one is called a fixed range volume profile.
the two blue lines extended out are known as the value area high and low. Often this is set to around 70-75% but I like to reduce that a little. The red line is called a PoC or point of control. This basically means the highest transactional point of the range you fixed.
However, if you look over to the left this time you will see two higher volume nodes (mountains) and therefore look at the 15m and 30m lines again with fresh eyes.
In this next image I have increased the range and dragged it over to include more data. I could write full strategies on this tool alone.
The first thing you should notice is the PoC has now jumped up higher. Think logically about this for a second.
We are seeking lower timeframe liquidity down low and the area of interest and value is showing price was accepted up high.
So, after grabbing liquidity, would we anticipate the price to continue down lower or come back to play in the accepted zone?
This is where a lot of newer traders fail, especially when trading smart money concepts "SMC" for short. They fail to understand the bigger picture.
Another little tool in the same box-set is the Timeprice indicator.
Much like session volume this gives a pretty clean view and of course settings can be adjusted. I like the look on this one, it's very modern. But the real value isn't until you zoom in and zoom in and you see why it's called Time - Price. I'll leave that for another post.
But continuing the theme of this post; look at the clusters of the time price indicator and note where the PoC sits on the 15m liquidity level. Then below the 30m liquidity is the lower side of the value area. Are you starting to see a theme?
In this last image; I have simply highlighted liquidity to keep my chart clean.
You will see candles showing the last buys before the selloff. Then a consolidation under the liquidity - this is basically a Wyckoff structure prior to a mark down move.
We then drop into the liquidity pocket and here is where most SMC traders would be jumping long. We see a very nice little rally, then a large fast drop through the liquidity, this hitting many stops and triggering new short positions.
which is why as these shorts get triggered, you anticipate the pullback - to what level? Well look left and the charts will tell you.
I hope this has opened a few eyes - go away and have a play with these indicators on @TradingView and feel free to aks if you have any questions.
Disclaimer
This idea does not constitute as financial advice. It is for educational purposes only, our principle trader has over 20 years' experience in stocks, ETF's, and Forex. Hence each trade setup might have different hold times, entry or exit conditions, and will vary from the post/idea shared here. You can use the information from this post to make your own trading plan for the instrument discussed. Trading carries a risk; a high percentage of retail traders lose money. Please keep this in mind when entering any trade. Stay safe.
BULLISH STRUCTURE SMC How to identify a bullish market structure according to SMC
In a bullish structure, identify the top, the high after the bos is only confirmed as a top when the price scans idm (RECENT PULLBACK)
When there are 2 confirmed highs, the lowest level between the 2 highs will be the bottom (the bottom does not need to be confirmed with an uptrend)
Thanks
Types of Entry Models in SMC ConceptsIn Smart Money Concepts (SMC) trading, there are different types of entry models that traders use to enter the market. These include aggressive entry, actual entry, and order flow entry models. Here’s a simple explanation of each:
1. Aggressive Entry Model (15m): @Manipulation
Entry Criteria: During Liquidity (LQ) Sweeps at Killzones + Stack Entries at Lower Time Frame (LTF, 1m)
Description:
Traders enter trades during significant liquidity sweeps, particularly in key market zones known as killzones (high-activity periods).
They stack their entries by analyzing the 1-minute chart to find optimal entry points.
This approach aims to catch early moves by entering immediately after liquidity has been swept, indicating potential reversals or strong market moves.
Order Type: Market Order(post candle confirmation)
Traders execute a market order as soon as their entry criteria are met on the 1-minute chart, entering the trade immediately at the current market price.
Time Frame: 1 minute (LTF)
2. Actual Entry Model (15m): Post Manipulation
Entry Criteria: At Valid Supply or Demand or Flip Zones
Description:
Traders enter trades at well-defined supply and demand zones or flip zones (areas where the market changes from supply to demand or vice versa).
They wait for the price to reach these significant zones on the 15-minute chart, providing a more confirmed entry point that aligns with market structure and potential reversals.
Order Type: Limit Order
Traders place a limit order on the 1-minute chart at a specific price level they believe the market will reach, ensuring a better entry price.
Time Frame: 1 minute (LTF)
3. Order Flow Entry Model (15m): @Distribution
Entry Criteria: At Unmitigated Order Flow
Description:
Traders look for areas of unmitigated order flow on the 15-minute chart.
Unmitigated order flow refers to price levels where significant orders have not yet been fully absorbed by the market, indicating potential areas of strong buying or selling pressure.
Traders place their entries at these levels, often waiting for a candle confirmation to ensure the validity of the order flow analysis.
Order Type: Limit Order (post candle confirmation)
Traders wait for a candle confirmation on the 1-minute chart before placing a limit
order.
They analyze the order flow and wait for a confirming candle that aligns with their analysis before setting a limit order to enter the trade.
Time Frame: 1 minute (LTF)