The Fear & Greed Index helps predict trends by measuring the overall sentiment of investors in the crypto market.
How it works:
It analyzes several factors, such as volatility, volume, Bitcoin dominance, social media, and searches. The result is a score from 0 to 100:
- 0 to 24: Extreme Fear
- 25 to 49: Fear
- 50: Neutral
- 51 to 74: Greed
- 75 to 100: Extreme Greed
Why it is useful:
- Extreme fear usually occurs at bottoms, when many have sold and the price may be about to rise.
- Extreme greed appears at tops, when the market is overheated and vulnerable to corrections.
Practical application:
Contrarian investors use this index to do the opposite of what most are doing:
- Buy in extreme fear
- Sell or reduce risk in extreme greed
Summary:
The Fear & Greed Index does not predict the market with absolute accuracy, but it is a valuable tool for understanding the emotional climate of participants and making more rational decisions.