Long/Short Ratio
The ratio of longs to shorts among the positions of top exchange traders.
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Normal range
What the metric shows
Long/Short Ratio shows which way the crowd is looking. A value of 1 represents equilibrium. Above 1.6 means too many longs, and the market becomes fragile: any downward movement triggers a chain of liquidations.
The metric should be read as a contrarian indicator at the extremes and ignored in the middle of the range. Additionally, the data covers only one exchange — it is a snapshot of sentiment, not the entire market.
How it is calculated
L/S = number of longs / number of shorts (top trader accounts)
How to read the signal
| Zone | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| > 1.6 | The crowd is long — fragile market | |
| 0.8 – 1.6 | Normal range | |
| < 0.8 | The crowd is short — fuel for a squeeze |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this all traders?
No, a cross-section of the exchange's top accounts — exactly what the public API provides.
How reliable is the signal?
Only at the extremes. In the middle of the range, it is noise.