Trading term

What is Fear & Greed Index (crypto)?

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index is a daily score from 0 to 100, published by Alternative.me since February 2018, that tries to sum up the market's mood. Readings of 25 or below are labelled Extreme Fear and 76 or above Extreme Greed.

It's built from bitcoin's volatility and drawdowns, its trading volume and momentum, social-media activity, bitcoin's share of the crypto market and Google search trends. Half the weight sits on volatility and momentum, so the score mostly restates what the price did over the last few weeks. From 2018 to 2026 its correlation with bitcoin's past 30 days was 0.70; with the next 30 days it was 0.13.

For example

On 25 September 2026 the index read 71, Greed, after bitcoin rose about 8% in a month. Bitcoin was still 32% below its October 2025 record. On the day of that record the index read 71 as well.

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Why it matters to you

It comes with a rule: buy extreme fear, sell extreme greed. Extreme-fear days were cheaper than average in every year from 2018 to 2026, so buying on them lowered the average price paid. But 90 days after an extreme-fear day bitcoin was higher only 44% of the time, against 54% for all days.

⚠ Reading extreme fear as the bottom

Extreme fear usually shows up early. Across 27 episodes since 2018, bitcoin fell a median 24% further after the first extreme-fear day, and only 3 times was that day within 5% of the low.

Frequently asked questions

Is it a good idea to buy when the Fear & Greed Index shows extreme fear?

As a way to spread purchases, it helped: extreme-fear days were cheaper than the year's average in every year from 2018 to 2026. As a timing signal, it didn't: bitcoin was higher 90 days later on 44% of extreme-fear days and 54% of all days, and the first extreme-fear day usually came well before the low.

Does extreme greed mean the top is in?

Not reliably. Bitcoin's October 2025 record close came on a reading of 71, Greed rather than Extreme Greed, and the 53% fall that followed started from there. So did the April and November 2021 records.

Read the full guide

DerivativesHow to Read the Crypto Fear & Greed IndexThe Crypto Fear & Greed Index scores the market's mood from 0 to 100. Eight years of daily readings say it mostly restates the last month's price. Extreme-fear days were cheaper in every year, but they came early: bitcoin fell a median 24% further after the first one, and the tops before the three biggest crashes never read extreme greed.9 min read

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