What is the formula for the Weighted Moving Average?

The Weighted Moving Average (WMA) gives more weight to recent prices, making it ideal for spotting trends in fast-moving crypto markets.

Aug 06, 2025 at 04:08 pm

Understanding the Weighted Moving Average (WMA)

The Weighted Moving Average (WMA) is a technical analysis tool used in the cryptocurrency market to smooth out price data over a specific time period. Unlike the Simple Moving Average (SMA), which assigns equal importance to all data points, the WMA gives greater importance to more recent prices. This makes the WMA more responsive to new information, which is particularly useful in the fast-moving crypto markets where price trends can shift rapidly. The core idea behind WMA is that recent price action is more relevant than older data when predicting short-term movements.

The Mathematical Formula for WMA

The formula for calculating the Weighted Moving Average is:

WMA = (Priceₙ × Weightₙ + Priceₙ₋₁ × Weightₙ₋₁ + ... + Price₁ × Weight₁) / Sum of Weights

In this formula:

• Priceₙ represents the most recent price
• Price₁ is the oldest price in the selected period
• Each price is multiplied by a corresponding weight, with the most recent price receiving the highest weight
• The sum of weights is calculated as the sum of integers from 1 to n, where n is the number of periods

For example, in a 5-day WMA:

• The most recent day gets a weight of 5
• The previous day gets a weight of 4
• This continues down to the oldest day, which gets a weight of 1
• The sum of weights is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15

Thus, the denominator in a 5-day WMA is 15.

Step-by-Step Calculation Example

To illustrate how WMA works in practice, let’s calculate a 5-day WMA for Bitcoin closing prices. Suppose the closing prices for the last 5 days are:

• Day 1: $30,000
• Day 2: $30,500
• Day 3: $31,000
• Day 4: $32,000
• Day 5: $33,000
  

  Using the WMA formula:

  • Multiply each price by its corresponding weight:
    • $33,000 × 5 = $165,000
    • $32,000 × 4 = $128,000
    • $31,000 × 3 = $93,000
    • $30,500 × 2 = $61,000
    • $30,000 × 1 = $30,000
  • Sum the weighted values: $165,000 + $128,000 + $93,000 + $61,000 + $30,000 = $477,000
  • Divide by the sum of weights (15): $477,000 / 15 = $31,800

  Therefore, the 5-day WMA for Bitcoin is $31,800.

  Implementing WMA in Crypto Trading Platforms

  
  Many cryptocurrency trading platforms support WMA indicators natively. To apply WMA on platforms like TradingView or Binance, follow these steps:
• Open the chart for your desired cryptocurrency (e.g., BTC/USDT)
• Click on the "Indicators" button located at the top of the chart
• Search for "Weighted Moving Average" in the indicator library
• Select the WMA indicator and add it to the chart

• Configure the settings:

  • Set the length (number of periods, e.g., 10, 20, or 50)
  • Choose the price source (typically close, but can be open, high, low, or median)
  • Adjust the line color and thickness for visibility
• Click "OK" to apply
  

  Once applied, the WMA line will appear on the price chart, dynamically updating as new candlesticks form. Traders can overlay multiple WMA lines with different periods to identify crossovers, which are often interpreted as potential buy or sell signals.

  Differences Between WMA, SMA, and EMA

  
  While all three—WMA, SMA, and EMA—are moving averages, they differ in how they weight price data:
• SMA treats all prices equally. For a 5-day SMA, each day contributes 20% to the average.
• EMA (Exponential Moving Average) also emphasizes recent prices but uses a smoothing factor that applies exponentially decreasing weights.
• WMA uses a linear weighting system, where weights increase arithmetically from oldest to most recent.
  

  Because WMA assigns strict linear weights, it reacts faster to price changes than SMA but may be slower than EMA depending on the smoothing constant used. In volatile crypto markets, traders often prefer WMA for its balance between responsiveness and simplicity.

  Using WMA for Trend Identification in Crypto

  
  Traders use WMA to identify the direction of market trends. When the current price is above the WMA line, it suggests an uptrend. Conversely, if the price is below the WMA, it may indicate a downtrend. Crossovers between short-term and long-term WMA lines can signal momentum shifts:
• A short-term WMA crossing above a long-term WMA may indicate a bullish trend
• A short-term WMA crossing below a long-term WMA may suggest bearish momentum
  

  For instance, a 10-day WMA crossing above a 30-day WMA on Ethereum’s chart could be interpreted as a buy signal by technical traders. These signals are often combined with volume analysis or other indicators like RSI to confirm validity.

  Frequently Asked Questions

  
  Q: Can WMA be applied to trading volume in crypto charts?
  Yes, WMA can be applied to volume data. By calculating a weighted moving average of trading volume, traders can identify whether volume is increasing or decreasing in a weighted manner, giving more importance to recent volume spikes. This helps assess the strength behind price movements.
  

  Q: How do I calculate WMA in Excel for cryptocurrency prices?
  
  In Excel, list your closing prices in a column (e.g., A1 to A5). In the adjacent column, assign weights (1 to 5). Multiply each price by its weight in a third column. Use the SUMPRODUCT function: =SUMPRODUCT(A1:A5, B1:B5)/15 for a 5-day WMA. Replace 15 with =SUM(1:5) for dynamic calculation.

  Q: Is WMA suitable for day trading cryptocurrencies?
  
  Yes, due to its responsiveness to recent prices, WMA is well-suited for day trading. Shorter periods like 5, 10, or 20 are commonly used. Day traders often combine WMA with support/resistance levels or candlestick patterns for entry and exit decisions.

  Q: What is the sum of weights for a 10-day WMA?
  
  The sum of weights for a 10-day WMA is calculated as the sum of integers from 1 to 10: 1+2+3+...+10 = 55. This value serves as the denominator when computing the weighted average.