Charting crypto on TradingView: the basics

Crypto trades around the clock and moves fast. To chart it well on TradingView, two things matter most: picking the right symbol source and knowing spot from perpetual futures — otherwise the price you chart may not match the book you trade.

Searching symbols and choosing a feed

Type BTCUSD or ETHUSDT and you'll see the same pair listed by different exchanges. Prices differ slightly between venues, so pick the exchange you actually trade on so the chart matches your order book. Symbols with .P or labeled Perpetual are futures contracts.

Spot vs perpetuals

Spot reflects immediate buying and selling; perpetuals carry funding rates and can trade at a basis to spot. Don't mix them in one analysis: use spot for the broad trend, or the exact contract symbol if you trade perps.

Working with 24/7 volatility

• Confirm direction on higher timeframes before acting on small ones;
• Lean on support/resistance and volume for context;
• Set alerts on key levels instead of watching all night.