> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://terminal.incrypto.ru/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Trade Count Ratio

> Normalized ratio of buy to sell trade count — ranges from -1 to +1.

## Overview

Trade Count Ratio applies the same normalization as Volume Ratio but uses the **number of trades** instead of volume:

```
Trade Count Ratio = (buyTrades - sellTrades) / (buyTrades + sellTrades)
```

The result ranges from **-1** (all trades are sells) to **+1** (all trades are buys). This reveals whether directional activity is driven by many participants or a few large players.

## How It Works

While Volume Ratio tells you the magnitude of buying vs selling, Trade Count Ratio tells you the **breadth**. A high Volume Ratio with a low Trade Count Ratio means a small number of large orders are driving the imbalance — likely institutional activity.

This distinction is critical for understanding the nature of market moves:

* **High trade count + high volume** — Broad-based move with strong conviction
* **Low trade count + high volume** — Few large players driving the move
* **High trade count + low volume** — Many small participants, retail-dominated

## Interpretation

| Scenario                   | Volume Ratio          | Trade Count Ratio | Meaning                             |
| -------------------------- | --------------------- | ----------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| Institutional buying       | High positive         | Near zero or low  | Few large buy orders                |
| Retail panic selling       | Near zero             | High negative     | Many small sell orders              |
| Broad-based rally          | High positive         | High positive     | Everyone buying                     |
| Institutional distribution | Near zero or negative | Near zero         | Large sells absorbed by retail buys |

<Tip>
  Compare Trade Count Ratio with Volume Ratio side by side. When trade count shows buying but volume shows selling, large sellers are disguising their activity among many small retail buys.
</Tip>

## Settings

| Parameter            | Description                                          | Default   |
| -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | --------- |
| `positiveColor`      | Color for positive (buy-dominant) bars               | `#22c55e` |
| `negativeColor`      | Color for negative (sell-dominant) bars              | `#ef4444` |
| `displayMode`        | Visualization style: `line`, `columns`, or `candles` | `columns` |
| `highlightAnomalies` | Highlight statistically unusual readings             | `true`    |
| `anomalyThreshold`   | Standard deviations for anomaly detection            | `2.5`     |
| `anomalyPeriod`      | Lookback period for anomaly calculation              | `30`      |
| `gradientIntensity`  | Scale bar opacity by value magnitude                 | `true`    |

## Display Modes

* **Columns** — Default histogram view. Best for quick visual scanning.
* **Line** — Continuous line connecting ratio values. Good for identifying trends.
* **Candles** — OHLC representation of ratio values per bar.

## Anomaly Detection

When `highlightAnomalies` is enabled, bars that deviate more than `anomalyThreshold` standard deviations from the rolling mean are visually highlighted. Anomalies in trade count ratio often indicate:

* Flash crash or flash rally events
* Coordinated bot activity
* Sudden shift in market participant composition

## Gradient Intensity

With `gradientIntensity` enabled, bar opacity scales proportionally to the absolute ratio value. Near-zero readings fade out, keeping your focus on meaningful imbalances.

<Note>
  Trade Count Ratio is most informative on lower timeframes (1m–15m) where individual trade granularity is preserved. On higher timeframes, aggregation dilutes the signal.
</Note>

## Practical Examples

**Detecting Iceberg Orders**: Price drops sharply, Trade Count Ratio is near zero (few trades), but Volume Ratio is very negative — a single large seller using iceberg orders.

**Retail FOMO Detection**: After a breakout, Trade Count Ratio spikes to extreme positive while Volume Ratio is moderate — many small buyers chasing the move.

**Smart Money Accumulation**: Trade Count Ratio oscillates near zero while price slowly grinds up and Volume Ratio trends positive — large players accumulating quietly.

## Related Indicators

* [Volume Ratio](/en/indicators/metrics/volume-ratio) — Same concept using volume instead of trade count
* [Average Order Size](/en/indicators/metrics/avg-order-size) — Direct measure of order size
* [Whale vs Retail](/en/indicators/metrics/whale-vs-retail) — Explicit size-based segmentation