Candlestick Patterns Cheat Sheet: 35 Crypto Setups Explained (2026)
This page is a visual candlestick pattern library for crypto traders. Use it as a fast reference for 35+ bullish, bearish, doji, reversal, and continuation setups, with HTML diagrams you can scan in seconds.
Use this page for pattern recognition
If you want the broader beginner lesson on reading crypto charts, indicators, support and resistance, and chart structure, start with How to Read Crypto Charts for Beginners. This page stays focused on candlestick pattern recognition and pattern context.
Table of Contents
- Anatomy of a Candlestick
- Single Candle Bullish Patterns (6)
- Single Candle Bearish Patterns (6)
- The Doji Family (5 types)
- Double Candle Bullish Patterns (5)
- Double Candle Bearish Patterns (5)
- Triple Candle Patterns (8)
- Continuation Patterns (4)
- Crypto-Specific Considerations
- Timeframe Selection Guide
- Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
1. Anatomy of a Candlestick
Every candlestick represents the price action within a specific time period. Whether that period is 1 minute or 1 week, the candle always contains the same four data points:
BULLISH (Green)
Close > Open
BEARISH (Red)
Close < Open
| Component | What It Shows | Trading Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Body (thick part) | Range between open and close price | Large body = strong conviction; small body = indecision |
| Upper Wick (shadow) | Highest price reached | Long upper wick = sellers rejected higher prices |
| Lower Wick (shadow) | Lowest price reached | Long lower wick = buyers defended lower prices |
| Green Candle | Close > Open (bullish) | Buyers controlled the period |
| Red Candle | Close < Open (bearish) | Sellers controlled the period |
Key insight: The relationship between body size and wick length is what creates patterns. A long wick with a small body tells a completely different story than a long body with no wicks. Learning to read this relationship is the foundation of candlestick analysis.
2. Single Candle Bullish Patterns
These patterns appear as a single candle and suggest potential upward price movement. They are strongest when they form at support levels or after a downtrend.
| Pattern | Key Feature | How to Trade It | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer | Small body at top, lower wick 2-3x body length, little/no upper wick | Enter long above hammer high. Stop below hammer low. Best at support. | High |
| Inverted Hammer | Small body at bottom, long upper wick, little/no lower wick | Wait for next candle confirmation (close above inverted hammer body). Less reliable alone. | Medium |
| Bullish Marubozu | Full green body with NO wicks at all | Extreme buying pressure. Continuation likely. Can enter on pullback to body midpoint. | Very High |
| Spinning Top | Tiny body with equal wicks on both sides | Indecision. Only bullish after a downtrend. Needs confirmation. | Low alone |
| Bullish Belt Hold | Opens at session low (no lower wick), closes near high | Gap down open that immediately reverses. Strong if body is large. | Medium |
| Takuri Line | Like a hammer but with even longer lower wick (3x+ body) | Most powerful single-candle reversal signal. Extreme buyer defense. | Very High |
Pro tip: The Hammer is the most reliable single-candle bullish pattern in crypto. In Bitcoin specifically, hammers on the daily chart at known support levels have a success rate above 65% when confirmed by volume.
3. Single Candle Bearish Patterns
Mirror images of bullish patterns. These suggest potential downward movement and are strongest at resistance levels or after an uptrend.
| Pattern | Key Feature | How to Trade It | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shooting Star | Small body at bottom, upper wick 2-3x body, little/no lower wick | Enter short below shooting star low. Stop above the wick high. Best at resistance. | High |
| Hanging Man | Same shape as hammer but appears after an uptrend | Warns that buyers are losing control. Sell if next candle confirms with a close below. | Medium |
| Bearish Marubozu | Full red body with NO wicks | Panic selling. Expect continuation. Short on any retest of the body midpoint. | Very High |
| Bearish Belt Hold | Opens at session high (no upper wick), closes near low | Gap up that immediately sells off. More bearish with larger body. | Medium |
| Gravestone Doji | Open = Close at session low, long upper wick | Complete rejection of highs. Very bearish at resistance. No confirmation needed if wick is 4x+ body. | High |
Critical difference: A Hammer and a Hanging Man look identical -- the difference is context. A long lower wick after a downtrend = Hammer (bullish). The same candle after an uptrend = Hanging Man (bearish). Context is everything in candlestick analysis.
4. The Doji Family (5 Types)
A Doji forms when the open and close are virtually identical, creating a cross-like shape. Dojis represent pure market indecision and are among the most important signals in technical analysis. A Doji after a strong trend is a major warning sign.
| Doji Type | Visual Shape | After Uptrend | After Downtrend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Doji | + shape with equal wicks | Bearish warning | Bullish warning |
| Long-Legged Doji | + shape with very long wicks | Strong reversal signal | Strong reversal signal |
| Dragonfly Doji | T shape (long lower wick only) | Less significant | Very bullish reversal |
| Gravestone Doji | Inverted T (long upper wick only) | Very bearish reversal | Less significant |
| Four-Price Doji | Single horizontal line (dash) | Extremely rare. O=H=L=C. Indicates zero liquidity or a very brief period. |
5. Double Candle Bullish Patterns
Two-candle patterns are more reliable than single candles because they show a shift in momentum between sessions. These bullish patterns appear after downtrends.
| Pattern | Structure | What It Means | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullish Engulfing | Green candle body completely engulfs prior red candle body | Buyers overwhelmed sellers in a single session. The larger the green candle, the stronger the signal. | Very High |
| Piercing Line | Green candle opens below prior red close, closes above the midpoint of the red body | Buyers recovered more than half the prior loss. Less powerful than engulfing. | Medium-High |
| Bullish Harami | Small green candle contained entirely within prior large red candle | Selling pressure is fading. The downtrend is losing steam but may not reverse immediately. | Medium |
| Tweezer Bottom | Two candles with identical lows (first red, second green) | Price tested the same low twice and held. Strong support confirmed. | High |
| Bullish Counterattack | Red candle followed by green candle of similar size that closes at the same level as red's close | Bulls matched sellers exactly. Power equilibrium shifting. | Medium |
6. Double Candle Bearish Patterns
The bearish mirrors of the above. These appear after uptrends and warn of selling pressure taking over.
| Pattern | Structure | What It Means | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bearish Engulfing | Red candle body completely engulfs prior green candle body | Sellers overwhelmed buyers completely. Strongest reversal signal in double-candle category. | Very High |
| Dark Cloud Cover | Red candle opens above prior green high, closes below the midpoint of green body | Sellers pushed back more than half the prior gains. Moderate reversal. | Medium-High |
| Bearish Harami | Small red candle contained within prior large green candle | Buying momentum fading. Potential top forming. | Medium |
| Tweezer Top | Two candles with identical highs (first green, second red) | Price rejected the same high twice. Strong resistance confirmed. | High |
| Bearish Counterattack | Green candle followed by similar-sized red candle closing at same level | Sellers matched buyers. Equilibrium shifting bearish. | Medium |
Volume is king: A Bearish Engulfing pattern on 3x average volume is almost always reliable. The same pattern on low volume is often a fakeout. Always check volume before acting on any double-candle pattern.
7. Triple Candle Patterns
Three-candle patterns are the most reliable candlestick formations because they show the complete cycle: initial trend, hesitation, and reversal. Professional traders weigh these heavily.
| Pattern | Structure | Signal Strength | Crypto Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning Star | 1) Large red 2) Small body/doji (gap down) 3) Large green closing above midpoint of candle 1 | Very Strong Bullish | 85%+ at major support |
| Evening Star | 1) Large green 2) Small body/doji (gap up) 3) Large red closing below midpoint of candle 1 | Very Strong Bearish | 85%+ at major resistance |
| Three White Soldiers | Three consecutive green candles, each opening within prior body and closing at new high | Strong Bullish Continuation | High on daily+ |
| Three Black Crows | Three consecutive red candles, each opening within prior body and closing at new low | Strong Bearish Continuation | High on daily+ |
| Three Inside Up | 1) Large red 2) Small green inside (harami) 3) Green closing above candle 1 high | Confirmed Bullish | Very reliable |
| Three Inside Down | 1) Large green 2) Small red inside (harami) 3) Red closing below candle 1 low | Confirmed Bearish | Very reliable |
| Abandoned Baby (Bull) | 1) Red 2) Doji that gaps below 3) Green that gaps above the doji | Extremely Strong | Rare in 24/7 markets |
| Abandoned Baby (Bear) | 1) Green 2) Doji that gaps above 3) Red that gaps below the doji | Extremely Strong | Rare in 24/7 markets |
Why "gaps" are rare in crypto: Since crypto trades 24/7, true gaps (where candle 2 opens away from candle 1's close) are uncommon on most timeframes. You will see them most on the weekly chart or during extreme volatility events. Morning/Evening Stars without gaps are still valid but slightly less powerful.
8. Continuation Patterns
Not all patterns signal reversals. These formations suggest the current trend will continue after a brief pause. Traders use them to add to existing positions.
| Pattern | Structure | How to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Rising Three Methods | Large green, 3 small declining reds (within the green), then another large green | The small reds are profit-taking, not reversal. Enter long on the 5th candle breakout. |
| Falling Three Methods | Large red, 3 small rising greens (within the red), then another large red | The small greens are dead-cat bounces. Enter short on the 5th candle breakdown. |
| Upside Tasuki Gap | Two green candles with a gap, then a red that enters the gap but doesn't close it | As long as the gap holds, the uptrend continues. Enter on bounce from gap support. |
| Mat Hold | Large green, 2-3 small declining candles, then a large green surpassing the first | Similar to Rising Three but more compact. Strong bullish continuation signal. |
9. Crypto-Specific Considerations
Candlestick patterns were developed for traditional markets with fixed trading hours. Crypto operates differently, so you need to adjust your analysis:
Key Differences in Crypto
24/7 Markets = No Opening Gaps. Traditional gap patterns (Abandoned Baby, Tasuki Gaps) are much rarer in crypto because there is no market close. The exception: weekly candles and tokens listed on a single exchange with downtime.
Whale Manipulation on Low-Cap Tokens. A single wallet can create any candlestick pattern on a token with less than $1M daily volume. Only trust candlestick patterns on assets with deep liquidity: BTC, ETH, SOL, and other top-20 coins.
Daily Close at 00:00 UTC. Unlike stocks with a defined close, crypto uses an arbitrary midnight UTC close. This means "daily" candle patterns can look different depending on which exchange you use if timestamps vary.
Extreme Wicks Are Common. Crypto wicks can be 10-20% in a single candle during liquidation cascades. What looks like a "signal" may just be a flash crash from cascading leveraged positions being closed. Always check funding rates alongside candlestick patterns.
Correlation with BTC. Most altcoin candlestick patterns are dictated by Bitcoin's movement. A perfect Morning Star on an altcoin is meaningless if BTC is in freefall. Always check the BTC chart before trading altcoin patterns.
10. Timeframe Selection Guide
The same pattern on different timeframes has dramatically different implications. Here is how to choose:
| Timeframe | Best For | Pattern Reliability | Noise Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | Scalping only | Very Low (30-35%) | Extreme |
| 5 minute | Scalping | Low (35-40%) | Very High |
| 15 minute | Intraday trading | Medium (45-50%) | High |
| 1 hour | Day trading | Medium-High (50-55%) | Moderate |
| 4 hour * | Swing trading (RECOMMENDED) | High (60-65%) | Low |
| Daily | Position trading | Very High (65-70%) | Very Low |
| Weekly | Long-term investing | Highest (70-75%) | Minimal |
The sweet spot for most crypto traders is the 4-hour chart. It filters out most noise while still giving you multiple candles per day to work with. Use the daily chart for trend direction and the 4H for entry timing. This "multi-timeframe" approach is used by most professional crypto traders.
11. Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
Save this table as your go-to reference when trading:
| Pattern | Type | Candles | Signal | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer | Reversal | 1 | Bullish | +++ |
| Shooting Star | Reversal | 1 | Bearish | +++ |
| Bullish Marubozu | Momentum | 1 | Bullish | ++++ |
| Bearish Marubozu | Momentum | 1 | Bearish | ++++ |
| Doji (any type) | Indecision | 1 | Neutral | ++ |
| Bullish Engulfing | Reversal | 2 | Bullish | ++++ |
| Bearish Engulfing | Reversal | 2 | Bearish | ++++ |
| Piercing Line | Reversal | 2 | Bullish | +++ |
| Dark Cloud Cover | Reversal | 2 | Bearish | +++ |
| Tweezer Bottom | Reversal | 2 | Bullish | +++ |
| Tweezer Top | Reversal | 2 | Bearish | +++ |
| Morning Star | Reversal | 3 | Bullish | +++++ |
| Evening Star | Reversal | 3 | Bearish | +++++ |
| Three White Soldiers | Continuation | 3 | Bullish | ++++ |
| Three Black Crows | Continuation | 3 | Bearish | ++++ |
| Rising Three Methods | Continuation | 5 | Bullish | ++++ |
| Falling Three Methods | Continuation | 5 | Bearish | ++++ |
The Golden Rules of Candlestick Trading
- Context over pattern. The same candle means different things at different locations. Support/resistance is always more important than the pattern itself.
- Volume confirms everything. A reversal pattern on low volume is just noise. High volume = conviction.
- Higher timeframes win. A daily hammer beats a 5-minute hammer every time. Trade the highest timeframe your strategy allows.
- Wait for confirmation. The best traders wait for the next candle to confirm the pattern before entering. Patience prevents fakeouts.
- Combine with other analysis. Candlesticks + RSI + volume + on-chain data = professional-grade analysis. No single tool works alone.
Related Guides
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- How to Read Crypto Charts for Beginners: Candlesticks, Indicators and Patterns (2026 Tutorial)
- How to Read Crypto Candlestick Charts: Complete Beginner's Guide (2026)
- What Are Candlestick Patterns in Crypto? Trading Guide 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a candlestick pattern?
A candlestick pattern is a recognizable shape formed by one or more candles that traders use to infer possible market sentiment. Patterns are grouped into bullish, bearish, continuation, and indecision types.
What does a doji candlestick mean?
A doji forms when the open and close are very close together, producing a small or nonexistent body. It typically signals indecision between buyers and sellers rather than a clear direction.
What is the difference between reversal and continuation patterns?
Reversal patterns suggest the current trend may change direction, while continuation patterns suggest the existing trend is likely to keep going. The context around the pattern, such as the prevailing trend, affects how it is read.
Are candlestick patterns reliable on their own?
Candlestick patterns are signals of probability, not certainty, and can produce false readings. Many traders confirm them with other factors like volume, trend, and support and resistance before acting.