How do you calculate the MAVOL indicator?

The MAVOL indicator measures average trading volume over time, helping crypto traders confirm trends, spot breakouts, and assess momentum strength.

Aug 03, 2025 at 05:28 pm

Understanding the MAVOL Indicator in Cryptocurrency Trading

The MAVOL indicator, short for Moving Average of Volume, is a technical analysis tool used widely in the cryptocurrency market to assess the average trading volume over a specific period. Unlike price-based indicators, MAVOL focuses solely on volume, offering insights into market activity and potential trend strength. Traders use MAVOL to confirm price movements, identify breakouts, and detect possible reversals by analyzing volume trends. The core principle behind MAVOL is that increasing volume often validates the sustainability of price trends, while declining volume may signal weakening momentum.

Components Required to Calculate MAVOL

To compute the MAVOL, several key data inputs are necessary. The primary input is the volume data for each trading period—typically daily, hourly, or minute-based, depending on the chart timeframe. Volume refers to the total number of cryptocurrency units traded during a given period. The second essential component is the time period over which the moving average is calculated. Common settings include 7-day, 14-day, or 30-day averages, though traders can customize this based on strategy.

• Collect volume values for each period within the chosen window
• Ensure data consistency—use volume from the same exchange or aggregated sources
• Confirm that the time intervals align with your chart settings (e.g., 1-hour candles require 1-hour volume data)

It's critical to use reliable data sources, such as exchange APIs or trusted charting platforms like TradingView or CoinGecko, to avoid inaccuracies in volume reporting, which can vary significantly across exchanges due to differences in reporting standards or potential wash trading.

Step-by-Step Calculation of MAVOL

The calculation of MAVOL follows a straightforward simple moving average (SMA) formula applied to volume instead of price. Below is the process broken down:

• Select the number of periods (e.g., 10 days)
• Gather the volume values for the last 10 periods
• Add all 10 volume values together
• Divide the sum by the number of periods (10 in this case)

For example, if the daily volumes over 10 days are:
1,200, 1,500, 1,100, 1,800, 1,400, 1,600, 1,300, 1,700, 1,550, and 1,650 (in BTC), the calculation would be:

Sum = 1,200 + 1,500 + 1,100 + 1,800 + 1,400 + 1,600 + 1,300 + 1,700 + 1,550 + 1,650 = 14,800

MAVOL(10) = 14,800 / 10 = 1,480 BTC

This result represents the average daily volume over the past 10 days and appears as a line on the volume chart, smoothing out short-term fluctuations.

Visual Representation and Chart Integration

Most cryptocurrency trading platforms automatically calculate and plot MAVOL on volume sub-charts. When viewing a price chart, volume is usually displayed as vertical bars beneath the price action. The MAVOL line overlays this volume chart, typically in a different color (e.g., yellow or white). This visual aid helps traders quickly compare current volume to historical averages.

• A volume bar rising above the MAVOL line indicates above-average activity, often associated with strong price moves
• A volume bar staying below the MAVOL line suggests lower participation, which may question the strength of a price trend
• Crossovers between volume and MAVOL can signal shifts in market sentiment

Traders often apply multiple MAVOL lines (e.g., 7-day and 21-day) to detect short-term vs. long-term volume trends. For instance, when the 7-day MAVOL crosses above the 21-day MAVOL, it may signal increasing short-term buying pressure.

Customization and Advanced Variants

While the standard MAVOL uses a simple moving average, traders can enhance it by applying other moving average types:

• Exponential Moving Average (EMA): Gives more weight to recent volume data, making it more responsive to sudden changes
• Weighted Moving Average (WMA): Assigns linearly decreasing weights to older data points

To calculate EMA-based MAVOL, the formula differs slightly:

• Choose a smoothing factor (commonly 2 / (N + 1), where N is the period)
• Multiply the current volume by the smoothing factor
• Multiply the previous MAVOL EMA value by (1 - smoothing factor)
• Add the two results to get the new EMA MAVOL

For example, with a 10-period EMA:

Smoothing factor = 2 / (10 + 1) = 0.1818

If today’s volume is 1,900 BTC and yesterday’s EMA MAVOL was 1,480 BTC:

EMA = (1,900 × 0.1818) + (1,480 × (1 - 0.1818)) = 345.42 + 1,210.94 = 1,556.36 BTC

This version reacts faster to volume spikes, which is useful in volatile crypto markets.

Practical Application in Trading Strategies

Traders use MAVOL in conjunction with price action to validate signals. For example:

• During a price breakout, if volume exceeds the MAVOL level, it confirms strong participation and increases the likelihood of a sustained move
• In a downtrend, rising volume above MAVOL may indicate panic selling or accumulation, depending on price context
• Divergences between price and volume (e.g., price rising on volume below MAVOL) can warn of weak trends

Some traders set alerts when volume crosses above or below the MAVOL threshold, using it as a filter for entry or exit points. Algorithmic trading bots can be programmed to monitor MAVOL in real time, executing trades when volume conditions are met.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can MAVOL be used on intraday cryptocurrency charts?

Yes, MAVOL is fully applicable to intraday timeframes such as 1-minute, 15-minute, or 4-hour charts. The calculation method remains identical—simply use the volume data from each intraday period. Shorter timeframes benefit from MAVOL by highlighting sudden surges in trading activity that may precede price movements.

Q: Is there a difference between MAVOL and OBV (On-Balance Volume)?

Yes, MAVOL measures average volume over time, while OBV accumulates volume based on price direction (adding volume on up days, subtracting on down days). OBV is a cumulative indicator tracking money flow, whereas MAVOL only reflects volume magnitude without directional bias.

Q: How do I add MAVOL to my TradingView chart for a cryptocurrency pair?

Click on “Indicators” at the top of the chart, search for “Volume MA” or “Moving Average of Volume,” select it, and choose your preferred period (e.g., 14). The MAVOL line will appear on the volume sub-panel. You can customize the color, thickness, and type (SMA, EMA) in the settings.

Q: Does MAVOL work effectively for low-cap cryptocurrencies?

MAVOL can be used, but caution is advised. Low-cap coins often have sporadic volume and are prone to manipulation, leading to misleading MAVOL signals. It's recommended to combine MAVOL with other indicators and use longer periods to smooth out noise.