What is my edge?
As traders, we have to ask ourselves this question routinely—particularly if changing anything.
My edge identifies the market structure, trend and odds-based trades.
Identification of the market structure comes down to experience in the live market. Backtesting is a must but is no substitute for watching price in our chosen timeframe.
The trend is much talked about but remains elusive to most of us. I found the volume-weighted average price (VWAP) indicator on its session setting invaluable here. If trading a higher timeframe (such as the crypto investment), I like the anchored VWAP.
The shorter the time frame we use, the more we seem embroiled in odds-based trades: stops and targets—reward and risk—and the management of a transaction. So I have reintroduced trend line breaks and a two to one no quibble reward to risk. I’m also interested in the study of volume profiling.
As I’m still, and will be for many weeks yet, in the process of moving home—and making the one we’re moving to livable—I’m limited to an hour or so each evening backtesting the day. I do, however, take at least one day a week to dedicate to the charts.
Staying current in the currency markets is vitally important. But time out is also an opportunity to develop and reflect. Therefore, trading with clarity of method with practised (no mistake) purpose is vital.
Simplification is also a product of my time out. When busy in the game, I can be blind to development creep. That is, I introduce too many markets and systems without objectively examining what works and what doesn’t.
Getting back to an honest reflection of ‘what is my edge’? And only doing what that is.
Crypto.
We’d posted buy levels in Bitcoin and Ethereum—provided again below in British pounds.
Bitcoin provided both entry levels before returning to the all-time high. Those that bought, fundamentally and technically, you will find much information to influence whether you now stay or sell.
Taking at least some profit at this point would be sensible. Investing is a different approach. It’s for the long haul. But taking some, if not all, of the gain now is still advisable, and if we have a pullback in price, I will provide a suitable re-entry level. However, there is a 40 per cent chance that the price will continue higher and you are not on board!
Ethereum gave us only the higher entry-level. So we are only half loaded in Ethereum. It, too, although not at an all-time high, is at a distinct technical level. So the same profit-taking argument above with Bitcoin applies equally to Ethereum.
Bitcoin and Ethereum daily bars priced in British Pounds.