What is MACD?
MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) is a trend indicator built from two exponential moving averages. The MACD line is the 12-period EMA minus the 26-period EMA, and the signal line is a 9-period EMA of that difference. Crossings of the two lines are read as shifts in momentum.
From the Staxo crypto glossary. The examples use Kraken daily candles (UTC), Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026, for the eight coins on Staxo's free plan that are not stablecoins.
How MACD is calculated
MACD has three parts. The MACD line is the 12-period exponential moving average (EMA) of the closing price minus the 26-period EMA. The signal line is a 9-period EMA of the MACD line. The histogram is the gap between the two: MACD minus signal.
When the MACD line is above zero, the faster average is above the slower one: recent prices are higher than the longer trend. When the MACD line crosses above the signal line, momentum is picking up, and when it crosses below, momentum is fading. Because MACD is a difference of prices, it is measured in the coin's own price units, so the raw values of two coins cannot be compared.
On Oct 10, 2026, Bitcoin's daily MACD line stood at $983.81 and its signal line at $1,558: the MACD line was above zero, so the 12-day average was still above the 26-day one, and below its signal line, a sign that momentum was fading.
MACD crossings on the top coins in the last 12 months
| Coin | Crossings | Upward | Downward | One every | Last crossing | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | 28 | 14 | 14 | 13 days | Down, Sep 29, 2026 | Below signal |
| Cardano | 28 | 14 | 14 | 13 days | Down, Oct 8, 2026 | Below signal |
| Dogecoin | 28 | 14 | 14 | 13 days | Down, Oct 1, 2026 | Below signal |
| BNB | 27 | 13 | 14 | 14 days | Down, Sep 26, 2026 | Below signal |
| TRON | 26 | 13 | 13 | 14 days | Down, Sep 26, 2026 | Below signal |
| XRP | 24 | 12 | 12 | 15 days | Down, Sep 30, 2026 | Below signal |
| Ethereum | 20 | 10 | 10 | 18 days | Down, Sep 28, 2026 | Below signal |
| Solana | 20 | 10 | 10 | 18 days | Down, Oct 1, 2026 | Below signal |
Bitcoin had the most crossings, 28, about one every 13 days. Ethereum had the fewest, 20. On Oct 10, 2026 the MACD line of all eight coins sat below its signal line.
Why many MACD crossings are noise
A crossing happens whenever momentum shifts, even a little. In a market that moves sideways the two lines weave around each other and cross back and forth, which traders call a whipsaw. Of Bitcoin's 28 crossings, 11 came within seven days of the previous one, reversing it. Among the other coins, BNB had the highest share: 12 of 27.
MACD also lags. It is built from averages of past closes, so a crossing confirms a turn some days after the price started to turn. That makes it a way to describe the trend you are in, not a forecast of the next move. Many traders only act on a crossing that agrees with the longer trend, for example a 200-day moving average.
How to practice it in Staxo
MACD is a Pro feature in Staxo, drawn under the coin chart with the standard 12, 26 and 9 settings and calculated on the timeframe you pick, from 1D to 1Y. On the free plan you can practice the same idea with RSI, which is free, and with the price chart itself.
With Pro, try this with demo money: for one month, log every MACD crossing on two coins, one calm and one volatile, and note the price each time. Open a small position on some of them and leave others alone. At the end, count how many crossings were followed by a move worth trading and how many reversed within a week. Pro also adds Bollinger Bands, candlestick charts, short selling and leverage.
Free on iPhone and Android, $500 in demo money. Also on Google Play.Also on the App Store.
MACD questions
What is the MACD signal line?
It is a 9-period exponential moving average of the MACD line. Because it is an average of MACD, it moves more slowly, and the points where the faster MACD line crosses it are the crossings traders watch.
What does the MACD histogram show?
The distance between the MACD line and the signal line. Bars above zero mean MACD is above its signal, bars below zero mean it is under. Shrinking bars show the two lines moving toward a crossing.
Try it with $500 in demo money.
Free download, no card. Also on Google Play.Also on the App Store.
Educational content, not investment advice. The examples describe prices from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026 and say nothing about where they go next. Staxo is a simulator: you practice with demo money, never real money.