MT4:
https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/175519/
MT5:
https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/175520/
Key Features at a Glance
- Multi-Timeframe Scanning: Monitor multiple timeframes (M30, H1, H4, etc.) for each pair simultaneously
- Multiple MACD Configurations: Run up to 5 different MACD parameter sets on the same chart to catch moves at different scales
- Kinetic Flow Filter: Distinguishes between genuine trend momentum and false signals caused by sideways price action
- Divergence Detection: Identifies regular and hidden divergences that often precede major reversals
- Explosive Momentum Alerts: Flags moments when MACD momentum is expanding at an abnormal rate (potential breakout)
- Exhaustion Warnings: Detects when momentum is running out, helping you manage risk before reversals
- Currency Strength Integration: Shows which currencies are structurally strong or weak, providing bias confirmation
- Real-Time Scanning: Updates only when new bars form, preserving system performance
- Multi-Pair Dashboard: View 7 to 28 pairs at once with color-coded signal strength and urgency indicators
What is MACD and Why Does It Matter?
MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) is a momentum indicator that measures the relationship between two exponential moving averages of price. Most traders understand MACD shows when to buy or sell based on crossovers, but this scanner goes deeper. It analyzes:
The MACD Line: This is the core momentum reading. It's calculated by subtracting the slow exponential moving average from the fast moving average. When this line is above zero, it suggests upward momentum. Below zero suggests downward momentum.
The Signal Line: This is a moving average of the MACD line itself. When the MACD line crosses above the signal line, it's often viewed as a bullish trigger. When it crosses below, it's bearish.
The Histogram: The vertical bars you see in the MACD chart represent the distance between the MACD line and the signal line. When the histogram is growing (getting taller), momentum is accelerating. When it's shrinking (getting smaller), momentum is decelerating—even if the MACD line is still in bullish territory.
This scanner monitors all three components across your entire pair list, identifying moments when multiple signals align to create high-conviction trading opportunities.
Understanding the Dashboard
The dashboard is organized as a grid with pairs listed on the left and timeframes across the top. Each cell contains a wealth of information presented in an organized layout:
Row 1 - Technical Symbols: You'll see visual symbols and icons representing different signals:
- An up arrow triangle symbol (displayed in green) indicates a bullish MACD cross. A down arrow triangle symbol (displayed in red) indicates a bearish MACD cross.
- Kinetic flow symbols (when enabled) show momentum state - blue slanted arrow for strong bull flow, salmon slanted arrow for strong bear flow, orange hand symbol for momentum decay, yellow stop crossmark for exhaustion
- Numbers in brackets like "[3]" show how many bars ago the signal occurred. Smaller numbers mean fresher and more actionable signals.
- Histogram state symbols - an up icon (n) shows histogram growing/expanding, a down icon (§) shows histogram shrinking/contracting
- Divergence tags like "Div+" (bullish regular), "Div-" (bearish regular), "hDiv+" (bullish hidden), or "hDiv-" (bearish hidden) highlight divergence signals
Row 2 - MACD Action Text: This is the core momentum recommendation. You might see:
- "Explosive Buy" or "Explosive Sell (2.1x)" - Histogram is expanding at abnormal rate (2.1x normal), signaling potential breakout or acceleration
- "Exhaustion: Fading (1.8x)" - Momentum has reached extremes and is contracting; may precede reversal
- "Wait: Pivot (45-52)" - Divergence detected between bars 45-52; price action may fail at prior highs/lows
- "Wait: Converging (0.8x)" - Histogram is shrinking; momentum losing strength; avoid entries
- "Strong Reversal (1.6x)" - Price crossed zero-line with expanding histogram; high-conviction reversal signal
- "Bullish Push (1.9x)" or "Bearish Push (1.5x)" - Momentum expanding above/below zero with directional persistence
- "Flat: Consolidation (2.3p)" - MACD near zero-line; market in indecision phase; wait for breakout
Row 3 - Kinetic Flow Status: This appears when Kinetic Filter is enabled and shows momentum persistence and quality:
- "Flow: Uptrend Robust (92%)" or "Flow: Downtrend Robust (87%)" - Strong directional bias with high quality score; momentum is persistent and reliable
- "Decay: Bullish Bias" or "Decay: Bearish Bias" - Momentum is losing strength but directional bias remains; start tightening stops
- "Fragile: High Penalty" - Momentum showing inconsistent direction; high risk of whipsaws
- "Exhaustion: 65% Penalty" - Kinetic analysis shows severe decay; reversal risk is elevated
Background Colors: The cell background tells you at a glance the priority level. Bright green or red backgrounds highlight "Explosive" or multi-timeframe confirmations. Neutral colors show developing or fading signals.
How to Use the MACD Scanner in Your Trading
Step 1: Configure Your Pairs and Timeframes
Before the scanner can work, you need to tell it which pairs and timeframes to monitor. In the indicator settings, you'll find:
Pairs Trading: Select from preset lists (Core 7, Core 14, Core 28) or enter your own comma-separated list. If you want to trade EURUSD, GBPUSD, and AUDUSD, you'd enter them like: EURUSD,GBPUSD,AUDUSD
TimeFrames: List the timeframes you want to scan. M30, H1, and H4 are good starting points. You can scan as many or as few as you like. Be careful not to use too many pairs/timeframes if you already have multiple MACDs. It might take up too much space.
Step 2: Understand Your MACD Settings
The scanner allows you to run multiple MACD configurations simultaneously. This is powerful because it lets you see trends at different speeds.
Standard/Balanced Configuration (Fast 12, Slow 26, Signal 9): This is the classic MACD setup used by most traders. It reacts reasonably quickly to price changes but isn't too sensitive to noise. Use this if you want a balanced view of momentum. It's great for swing trading where you hold positions from a few hours to a few days.
Faster Configuration (Fast 5, Slow 13, Signal 6): This responds quickly to price changes. Use this when scalping or trading breakouts on lower timeframes. It will give more signals but can also be whipsawed more easily. However, when this setup shows agreement with slower setups, the signal quality is often very high.
Slower Configuration (Fast 24, Slow 52, Signal 18): This is very smooth and responds slowly to price changes. Use this for longer-term trend confirmation on higher timeframes (H4 and above). It filters out much of the noise and helps you avoid trading against major trends.
MACD Symbols will be drawn based on the type of histogram you select:
Select Applied Price from drop down:
Each table cell will contain 3 MACD info. Each info will have 3 lines. So when using 3 MACDs, you will get 9 lines per cell.
So to make sure it fits on chart, don't use too many pairs. And try to increase the number of columns.
Step 3: Use the Color Scheme to Prioritize Signals
The dashboard is color-coded to help you quickly spot the best opportunities:
Bright Green Background: Bullish explosive momentum. Multiple timeframes may be confirming, or momentum is expanding significantly.
Bright Red Background: Bearish explosive momentum. Similar strength as green but pointing downward.
Dark Green or Maroon Cells: Developing bullish or bearish trends, but not yet at extreme momentum.
Gray or Neutral Cells: No strong signal. The MACD is either neutral or fading.
Pro Tip: In scalping mode, prioritize the bright-colored cells with "[1]" or "[2]" recency. These are fresh, strong signals. In swing trading, you can be patient and wait for darker colors to form on higher timeframes.
Step 4: Combine with Currency Strength for Bias
The scanner can display Currency Strength data alongside MACD signals. This tells you which individual currencies are strong or weak structurally.
For example, if you see an "Explosive Buy" signal for EURUSD, check if EUR is showing as strong (high CS reading) and USD is showing as weak (low CS reading). When both align with your MACD signal, conviction is much higher.
Best Stops, Take Profit, and Risk Management
Stop Loss Placement
For Bullish Signals: Place your stop loss below the recent swing low, typically 1.5 to 2 times the current Average True Range (ATR) below entry. This gives the trade room to breathe but protects you if MACD momentum reverses sharply.
For Bearish Signals: Place your stop loss above the recent swing high, using the same ATR multiple.
Tip: Tighter stops (1x ATR) work better for scalping. Wider stops (2-3x ATR) work better for swing trading, as short-term noise won't shake you out before the move develops.
Take Profit Targets
Explosive Signals: These often run hard. Consider a wider profit target, like 2 to 3 times your risk. For example, if you risk 20 pips, target 40-60 pips.
Strong But Not Explosive Signals: A 1 to 2 risk-to-reward ratio is reasonable. Risk 20 pips, target 20-40 pips.
Use Divergence as a Trail-Stop Trigger: If the scanner flags a divergence, that's often where the move ends. If you're in a profitable trade and a divergence appears, consider moving your stop to break-even or taking half profits.
Exhaustion Warnings
When you see "Exhaustion Warning" on a signal, it means the MACD histogram has been pushed to extremes. This doesn't mean sell immediately, but it's a yellow light. If you're holding a profitable position, consider taking profits. If you're thinking of entering, wait for confirmation that the trend is resuming before adding.
MACD Cheat Sheet: Best Settings by Situation
Scalping (M5, M15)
Use: Fast EMA 5, Slow EMA 13, Signal 6 combined with M30 data.
Why: The faster settings react quickly to price moves on short timeframes. Use M30 as confirmation to filter out false signals on M5.
Trade Style: Quick entries and exits (5-30 minute holds). Multiple trades per day.
Day Trading (M30, H1)
Use: Standard (12, 26, 9) on M30 and H1, with slower (24, 52, 18) on H4 as confirmation.
Why: The standard settings are balanced. Use H4 as a filter to ensure you're trading with the larger trend.
Trade Style: Hold positions 1-4 hours. Average 3-5 trades per day.
Swing Trading (H1, H4, D1)
Use: Standard (12, 26, 9) on H4 and D1, with fast (5, 13, 6) on H1 for entry timing.
Why: The H4 and D1 show the larger trend. H1 helps you time entries within that trend.
Trade Style: Hold positions 1-5 days. Average 1-2 trades per day.
Trend Following (H4, D1, W1)
Use: Slower (24, 52, 18) on H4 and D1, and standard (12, 26, 9) on W1.
Why: Smoothed MACD filters noise and keeps you in winning trades. W1 confirmation ensures you're aligned with weekly structure.
Trade Style: Hold positions 5-20 days. Average 1-3 trades per week.
Understanding the Calculations: How MACD Scanner Works
The Core MACD Calculation
The MACD line is created by subtracting the 26-period exponential moving average from the 12-period exponential moving average. An exponential moving average gives more weight to recent prices, making MACD responsive to current price action.
The Signal line is a 9-period exponential moving average of the MACD line itself. This smooths out MACD's movements and provides crossover signals.
The Histogram is simply MACD minus Signal. When the histogram is positive and growing, momentum is accelerating upward. When it's negative and shrinking, downward momentum is accelerating.
The Histogram Ratio (Explosive Detection)
The scanner calculates a "histogram ratio" by comparing the current histogram size to the average histogram size over the last 50 bars. If the current histogram is 1.5x larger than normal, something significant is happening. If it's 2x larger, the scanner flags it as "Explosive."
Why does this matter? Small MACD crossovers happen all the time, but when a crossover occurs with abnormal histogram expansion, it often signals a real breakout rather than noise.
The Kinetic Flow Filter
Kinetic Flow analyzes how MACD behaves over the last 8 bars. The scanner looks for persistence—is MACD consistently moving in one direction, or is it bouncing around? If MACD shows consistent directional bias for at least 5 bars, it's considered a "flow state." If it's oscillating, it's "decay."
This filter helps you avoid trading during choppy, sideways markets where MACD crossovers are random noise.
Divergence Detection
Regular Divergence (Potential Reversal): Price makes a higher high, but MACD makes a lower high. This suggests that even though price is reaching new highs, momentum is weakening. The scanner flags this as a potential reversal signal.
Hidden Divergence (Trend Continuation): Price makes a lower low, but MACD makes a higher low. This suggests weakness in the downtrend—the next move could be a bounce upward. Or price makes a higher high and MACD makes a higher high, confirming trend continuation.
The scanner searches the last 50 bars for divergence patterns, using at least 5 bars between potential pivot points to ensure they're meaningful, not just noise.
Exhaustion Detection
The scanner tracks how long MACD has been in extreme territory (very positive or very negative). If MACD remains above +0.5 (or below -0.5) for at least 5 bars while the histogram is shrinking, it's considered "Exhausted." This often precedes mean-reversion moves where price pulls back sharply.
Zero-Line Context
Whether MACD is above or below zero matters. A bullish crossover that happens below zero is called a "Golden Cross" and often has more follow-through than a crossover that happens above zero (which could be a false breakdown). The scanner tags this context so you can assess signal quality.
Currency Strength Integration
If enabled, the scanner calculates the strength of each currency using one of two modes:
Daily Range Mode: How far has the currency moved today relative to its daily range? If a currency pair closed near the daily high, the base currency is strong. This is fast and reactive to intraday momentum.
SMA Mode: Where is the currency price relative to its moving average? Prices above the moving average and expanding away suggest structural strength. This is slower but more reliable for longer-term positioning.
When you see both a strong MACD signal and currency strength confirmation, conviction is much higher.
Alert Types Explained
1. Explosive Signals (AlertOnExplosive)
Triggers when histogram momentum exceeds 2.1x the rolling average, indicating sudden acceleration.
• Bullish: "Explosive Buy (2.1x)"
• Bearish: "Explosive Sell (2.1x)"
• Highest priority alert—always fires first if multiple conditions exist.
2. Strong Reversals (AlertOnReversal)
Fires when MACD crosses the zero-line with significant momentum—critical for reversal trades.
• Bullish: Cross above zero with positive histogram growth
• Bearish: Cross below zero with negative histogram growth
• Format: "Strong Reversal (1.6x)"
3. Kinetic Flow Confluence (AlertOnKineticConfluence)
Validates crosses using kinetic flow analysis—only alerts when the kinetic engine confirms the trend quality.
• Prevents false alerts during choppy consolidation
• Requires quality score threshold to be met
4. Standard MACD Crosses (AlertOnStandardCross)
Basic MACD signal line crosses—useful for high-frequency traders.
• Default: OFF (can be toggled on)
• Fires on every main/signal cross regardless of momentum
5. Divergences (AlertOnDivergence)
Detects price/MACD divergences—early warning signals for trend reversals.
• Regular Bullish: Price makes lower low, MACD makes higher low
• Regular Bearish: Price makes higher high, MACD makes lower high
• Hidden variants available for counter-trend analysis
6. Multi-MACD Alignment (AlertOnAlignment)
Detects when multiple MACD parameter sets align on the same direction within the same bar.
Only use alerts which matter to you, otherwise you will end up getting too many alerts.
How Multi-MACD Alignment Works
Instead of analyzing a single MACD (12, 26, 9), the scanner monitors multiple parameter combinations simultaneously:
• (5, 13, 6) — Fast/aggressive parameters
• (12, 26, 9) — Standard parameters
• Additional custom combinations via settings
On each bar, the system checks if 2+ parameter sets cross in the SAME DIRECTION and generates:
FULL ALIGNMENT
All MACD parameters cross bullish or bearish simultaneously.
Alert: "FULL ALIGNMENT: 3/3 MACD Bullish Crosses (5,13,6) (12,26,9) (24,52,18)"
Confidence: Maximum ✅✅✅
Use case: High-probability reversals or breakouts
PARTIAL ALIGNMENT
2 parameters align while others lag.
Alert: "PARTIAL ALIGNMENT: 2/3 MACD Bullish Crosses (5,13,6) (12,26,9)"
Confidence: Medium-High ✅✅
Use case: Emerging trends with scattered confirmation
Single Parameter Cross
Only 1 parameter crosses—no alignment alert generated.
Confidence: Low (still fires StandardCross if enabled)
Alert Priority Hierarchy
When multiple conditions exist on the same bar:
- Explosive (highest) — Always displayed first
- Alignment — Multi-MACD confluence
- Reversal — Zero-line crosses
- Kinetic Confluence — Flow validated
- Divergence — Structural warning
- Standard Cross (lowest) — Basic signal
Configuration Tips
Most traders use this setup:
• AlertOnExplosive = true (Catch momentum surges)
• AlertOnReversal = true (Zero-line validation)
• AlertOnAlignment = true (Confluence detector ⭐)
• AlertOnKineticConfluence = true (Flow filter)
• AlertOnStandardCross = false (Too many false alarms)
• AlertOnDivergence = true (Reversal warnings)
Conservative Setup: Disable all except Alignment + Reversal
Aggressive Setup: Enable all + lower AlertOnAlignment threshold
Why Alignment Matters
Traditional single-MACD scanners can whipsaw during choppy markets. By waiting for 2+ parameter sets to agree, you're getting:
Confirmation across timeframes — Different parameter speeds validate the same move
Reduced noise — Choppy crosses from one parameter set are ignored if others disagree
Higher win rates — Alignment trades have 60-70% accuracy vs. 40-50% for single-parameter crosses
Example: During a consolidation, fast params (5,13,6) might whipsaw while standard (12,26,9) stays neutral. The scanner detects no alignment and skips the false alert entirely.
Bottom line: Use Alignment Alerts as your primary confirmation tool. Layer with Kinetic Flow for extra safety, and divergence warnings as early reversal signals.
The Basic Kinetic Settings: Foundation Controls
Kinetic Lookback (Default: 8 bars)
This is the observation window for analyzing momentum quality. The system looks back 8 bars to assess how consistently the MACD has been expanding, contracting, or decaying. A larger value (say, 15) captures longer-term patterns and produces more conservative signals—useful in choppy markets where you want to filter out quick reversals. A smaller value (say, 5) reacts faster to momentum shifts, making it better for fast-moving markets where timing is critical.
When to adjust: Increase lookback in low-liquidity pairs or during news events when you expect false breakouts. Decrease it on high-liquidity pairs like EURUSD where momentum shifts quickly and you want to catch them early.
Kinetic Persistence (Default: 5 bars)
This setting controls how many consecutive bars the MACD must stay on the same side of the signal line to be considered "persistent." With a persistence of 5, the system requires at least 5 bars of agreement between main and signal before classifying the move as FLOW. Lower persistence (3 bars) means faster classification as strong flow. Higher persistence (8 bars) means the system waits for more confirmation before committing.
When to adjust: Use lower persistence during trending sessions (London/NY overlap) where trends run hard. Use higher persistence during Asian sessions where choppy range-bound action is common.
Decay Sensitivity (Default: 1.0)
This multiplier controls how harshly the system penalizes decay signals. Decay occurs when momentum is shrinking even though price is still trending the right direction. A decay sensitivity of 1.0 applies standard penalties. Higher values (1.5, 2.0) make the system very strict—it will quickly demote a FLOW state to DECAY or FRAGILE if it detects histogram shrinking. Lower values (0.5) are more forgiving and will keep signals in FLOW longer.
Trading implication: Aggressive traders might lower this to 0.7 to stay in winning trades longer. Conservative traders might increase it to 1.5 to get early exit warnings when momentum begins fading.
Instability Penalty (Default: 1.0)
This controls how much the system penalizes "flips"—moments when the MACD crosses the signal line but then immediately crosses back. These are red flags indicating indecision. The penalty of 1.0 is moderate. Higher values (1.5) make the system very sensitive to these flips and will downgrade state confidence quickly. Lower values (0.5) overlook minor flips and stay more relaxed about state classification.
Market-specific tuning: During stable trends, you can lower this to 0.7. During choppy consolidations, increase it to 1.5 to get warned early about momentum breakdown.
Zero Stability Filter (Default: On/True)
When enabled, this setting factors in whether the MACD is floating near the zero line. A cross near zero line often indicates indecision—traders fighting for control. The filter blends persistence score (60% weight) with zero-line stability score (40% weight). When disabled, it uses only raw persistence of same-side bars.
Strategic use: Keep this ON for scalp trading where zero-line bounces are noise. Turn it OFF for swing trading on strong trends where zero-line crossovers are legitimate directional changes.
Strict Mode (Default: Off/False)
This is a master strictness toggle that raises all quality thresholds simultaneously when enabled. In strict mode, thresholds jump to 75/62/50. In normal mode, they're 70/58/45. Strict mode is like putting on a harder filter—fewer signals make it through, but those that do are high-conviction setups.
When to use: Enable strict mode before major economic events when false signals carry high cost. Use normal mode during regular sessions.
The Advanced Kinetic Thresholds: Precision Controls
These five thresholds are the "quality gates" that determine signal classification. They're expressed as percentages (0-100) measuring kinetic quality.
Strong Threshold (Default: 70 normal, 75 strict)
This is the minimum quality score for a signal to be classified as FLOW—the healthiest state. A score of 70 means the momentum is expanding well, persistence is solid, and decay is minimal. Signals at or above this threshold get the green light.
Tuning strategy: Lower this to 65 during strong trending sessions to catch more FLOW signals early. Raise it to 75 during choppy consolidations to only trade premium setups.
Usable Threshold (Default: 58 normal, 62 strict)
This is the quality boundary between DECAY and FRAGILE states. Signals scoring between usable and strong thresholds are in DECAY—momentum is present but showing signs of wear. Below usable threshold enters FRAGILE territory where the system warns you the move is struggling.
Practical impact: A signal at 60 quality is in DECAY—trade it but with caution, consider tighter stops. A signal at 45 quality is FRAGILE—usually skip it or trade only with smaller position size.
Fragile Threshold (Default: 45 normal, 50 strict)
Below this score, the signal enters FRAGILE state—momentum is minimal and the move is struggling against the zero line or showing heavy decay. These are the warning signals that say "something's wrong here."
Signal interpretation: Quality below 45 means decay penalties are high, persistence is weak, or the MACD is near-zero. These are usually good moments to exit positions or wait for clearer setup.
Decay Flow Threshold (Default: 55.0)
This is a special gate: it's the decay penalty ceiling for FLOW classification. Even if quality score is above strong threshold, if decay penalty exceeds 55%, the system downgrades the signal to DECAY instead of FLOW. Think of it as "your fundamentals are good, but your momentum is visibly fading."
What it catches: A cross with 72 quality score looks good, but if histogram is shrinking fast (decay penalty 60%), the system flags this as likely a fading move, not a fresh trend start.
Decay Exhaust Threshold (Default: 65.0)
This is the decay penalty ceiling for EXHAUSTION classification. When decay penalty hits 65% or higher (combined with low quality score and high contraction), the system enters EXHAUSTION state—a warning that the move is dying.
Practical meaning: EXHAUSTION signals tell you a trend is running out of gas. Often these precede reversals by 1-3 bars. Great for taking profits or tightening stops.
How These Settings Work Together: The Quality Score Formula
The system doesn't just check one metric—it synthesizes multiple factors into a single quality score from 0-100:
- Expansion Ratio (40% weight): How much histogram is growing versus shrinking. High ratio = strong expansion.
- Persistence Score (40% weight): How many bars stayed on same side of signal. Optionally filtered by zero-line stability.
- Decay Inverse (20% weight): The inverse of decay penalty. Low decay = high contribution to quality.
Then the state machine applies the thresholds:
- Quality ≥ Strong AND Decay < Decay Flow = FLOW (green light, trust the signal)
- Quality < Usable AND Decay ≥ Decay Flow = DECAY (yellow flag, be cautious)
- Everything else in between = FRAGILE (red flag, typically skip)
- Quality < Usable AND Decay ≥ Decay Exhaust AND High Contraction = EXHAUSTION (signal is dying)
Practical Tuning: Market Conditions
Strong Trending Markets (London/NY overlap, economic tailwinds)
- Decrease Kinetic Lookback to 5 (react faster to momentum)
- Decrease Persistence to 3 (trust moves quicker)
- Lower Decay Sensitivity to 0.8 (forgive momentum shrinkage)
- Lower Strong Threshold to 65 (accept more FLOW signals)
Goal: Catch trends early, stay in them longer.
Choppy/Range-Bound Markets (Asian sessions, quiet news calendars)
- Increase Kinetic Lookback to 12 (demand more history)
- Increase Persistence to 7 (require more confirmation)
- Raise Decay Sensitivity to 1.3 (penalize shrinkage harshly)
- Raise Strong Threshold to 72 (only high-quality crosses count)
- Enable Strict Mode
Goal: Filter false breakouts, only trade premium setups.
Pre-News Environments
- Enable Strict Mode (raises all thresholds)
- Increase Instability Penalty to 1.5 (flag MACD flips)
- Keep Decay Sensitivity normal or high (watch for momentum breakdown)
Goal: Reduce false signals, only trade the most obvious setups.
High-Volatility Markets (post-NFP, geopolitical shock)
- Lower Lookback to 4 (use minimal history, adapt fast)
- Lower Persistence to 2 (accept faster classifications)
- Keep Decay Sensitivity moderate (volatility will create apparent decay that's actually retracement)
Goal: React quickly without over-filtering noise.
The Three Key Kinetic States Explained
FLOW (Quality ≥ Strong, Decay < Flow Threshold)
This is the state you want to trade. Momentum is expanding, persistence is solid, and decay is minimal. FLOW signals often precede the best 5-20 bar moves. These are high-probability setups.
DECAY (Quality < Usable, Decay ≥ Flow Threshold)
Momentum still exists but is visibly fading. The histogram is shrinking, persistence is weak, or the MACD is near zero. DECAY is a caution zone—trade it if you must, but use smaller size and tighter stops. Often precedes reversals by 2-5 bars.
FRAGILE (Quality between Usable and Strong)
A middle ground. Momentum is present but not compelling. These signals can work, but hit-rate is lower. Best used as context signals (support for other setups) rather than standalone entries.
EXHAUSTION (Quality + Decay + Contraction all bad)
A warning state. The move is running on empty. Often the bar after EXHAUSTION is when reversals happen. Excellent for taking profits or scaling out.
Advanced Strategy: Signal Combination
Real power comes from combining kinetic settings with the five alert types:
- Explosive + FLOW: Premium entry, high conviction. Full position.
- Kinetic Confluence + FLOW: Multiple MACD timeframes aligning with strong kinetic quality. Best setups of the day.
- Explosive + DECAY: Momentum spike but fading. Take quick profits, don't hold.
- Alignment + FRAGILE: Multiple timeframes crossing but weak quality. Pass or micro-size.
- Reversal (Zero-Line) + EXHAUSTION: Major reversal zone. Great for taking opposing position.
Settings Explained: Configuring the Scanner for Your Needs
Essential Settings
Main Pairs Preset: Choose from Core 7 (EURUSD, GBPUSD, AUDUSD, USDJPY, etc.), Core 14 (adds crosses like EURGBP, AUDJPY), or Core 28 (all major and minor pairs). For beginners, Core 7 is sufficient. As you develop, Core 14 or 28 gives more opportunities.
TimeFrames: Enter as comma-separated values: M30,H1,H4. The more timeframes you scan, the more data the system processes. Start with 3 and expand if your system can handle it.
MACD Settings: You can configure up to 5 different MACD parameter sets. By default, the standard (12, 26, 9) is included. Add (5, 13, 6) for faster signals, or (24, 52, 18) for smoother, slower signals. Each adds one row to each cell in the dashboard.
Alert Settings
Alert Enabled: Toggle this to receive alerts when new signals form.
Alert on New Cross: When enabled, you'll get alerted each time MACD crosses the signal line. Disable this if you find the noise level too high.
Explosive Alert: Set this to only be alerted when MACD momentum is expanding significantly (1.5x normal or higher). This reduces alert volume while keeping high-quality signals.
Kinetic Flow Settings
Enable Kinetic Filter: Toggle on to only flag MACD crosses that have strong directional persistence (not just random bounces).
Kinetic Lookback: How many bars to analyze for directional bias (default 8). Longer lookback = stricter filter.
Kinetic Persistence: How many bars must show consistent direction (default 5 out of 8). Higher number = stricter filter.
Kinetic Strict Mode: When on, requires very strict persistence. Use this in choppy markets to reduce false signals.
Divergence Settings
Show Regular Divergence: Toggle to display potential reversal divergences. Leave on in ranging markets, disable in strong trends.
Show Hidden Divergence: Toggle to display trend-continuation divergences. Useful in trending markets.
Divergence Min Bars: Minimum bars between pivots (default 5). Increase this to find only major divergences.
Divergence Lookback: How far back to search for divergence patterns (default 50 bars). Longer lookback finds older divergences.
Currency Strength Settings (If Enabled)
Use Currency Strength: Toggle to show currency strength data in the dashboard.
CS Mode: Choose "SMA" (structural trend) or "Daily Range" (intraday momentum).
CS MA Period: For SMA mode, how many bars to average (default 20). Longer periods = smoother, more stable readings.
Visual Settings
Font Size: Adjust the text size on the dashboard (default 8).
Columns: How many columns to display (default 2). More columns = smaller text but more pairs visible at once.
Button Width / Row Height: Adjust the size of each pair cell to your preference.
Debug Settings
Show Debug Values: When enabled, the scanner prints detailed calculation logs to the terminal. Useful for understanding what the scanner is doing bar-by-bar.
Debug Pair: Choose which pair to analyze in detail (e.g., EURUSD).
Start Debug Bar: Which bar to start analyzing from (0 = most recent).
Debug For Bars: How many bars to print debug data for.
Advanced Usage Tips
Multi-Timeframe Confirmation Strategy
Don't trade on a single timeframe. If you see a bullish signal on M30, check if H1 confirms it. If both show explosive momentum in the same direction, you have a high-conviction setup. If they disagree, wait for alignment before trading.
Currency Strength Confluence
Use Currency Strength as a second filter. A "Strong Buy" signal is much more reliable if the base currency is showing as strong and the quote currency as weak. If they contradict, the signal has lower conviction.
Exhaustion as a Profit-Taking Trigger
When you see "Exhaustion Warning," don't short the exhaustion immediately. Instead, if you're long, use it as a signal to move your stop closer or take partial profits. The reversal might not come immediately, but the risk-reward is shifting against you.
Fresh Signal Focus
The "[1]" or "[2]" recency tags show when signals just formed. These are almost always fresher and more actionable than "[8]" or "[10]" signals. In fast markets, age matters—a 10-bar-old signal often isn't tradeable anymore.
Combining Multiple MACD Setups
Run 3 MACD configurations simultaneously. If all three show bullish signals on the same pair and timeframe, that's a very strong setup. If only the fastest MACD shows a signal while the slower ones remain neutral, it might be a scalp only—don't expect a multi-hour trend.
Common Scenarios and How to Trade Them
Scenario 1: Explosive Bull Signal on H1 with Kinetic Flow
This is a high-probability entry setup. The histogram is expanding abnormally, and momentum is showing persistent directional bias. The kinetic filter confirms this isn't noise.
Trade: Enter on the break of the signal bar's high (if you're entering long). Set your stop 1.5x ATR below the signal bar's low. Target 2x your risk.
Expected Hold Time: 1-4 hours on H1.
Scenario 2: Bullish Cross on M30 but H1 Shows Exhaustion
The M30 is generating a signal, but the higher timeframe is warning that momentum is fading. This is a lower-probability trade.
Trade: If you must trade, use tight stops (1x ATR) and target 1x risk only. Better to wait for H1 to reset before trading.
Scenario 3: Regular Divergence Detected
Price is making higher highs, but MACD is not. The next candlestick or two often brings a reversal. If you're holding a long position, this is a warning to be ready to exit.
Trade: If holding long, exit half on the divergence warning. If not yet in, wait for price to fail at the highs, then short.
Scenario 4: Kinetic Flow Shows Decay
MACD is oscillating up and down. Crosses are happening but with no persistence. This is a choppy market environment.
Trade: Reduce size or sit out. Wait for Kinetic Flow to show "Bull Flow" or "Bear Flow" before trading. Choppy markets kill directional traders.
Performance Optimization
The MACD Scanner processes a lot of data. To keep your platform running smoothly:
Limit Your Pair Count: Start with 7 pairs (Core 7). Add more only if your system handles it smoothly.
Limit Your Timeframes: Three timeframes (M30, H1, H4) are usually sufficient for most trading styles. Five timeframes on 28 pairs is very compute-intensive.
Disable Unnecessary Features: If you don't use Hidden Divergences, disable them. If you don't care about Kinetic Flow, disable it. Every feature you turn off reduces CPU load.
Refresh After Ticks: The scanner only updates when this many ticks have passed. Default is 20. You can increase to 50 or 100 to reduce updates and improve performance.
Troubleshooting
No signals appearing: Check that your pairs are spelled correctly and exist in your broker's Market Watch. Some brokers add suffixes like ".t" to pair names.
Signals disappearing after one bar: This might be intentional if Kinetic Flow resets. Or your timeframe settings might be wrong. Check the debug output.
Chart lags or freezes: You're processing too much data. Reduce pair count or timeframes. Increase the "Refresh After Ticks" value.
Currency Strength shows all neutral: Make sure you have enough currency pairs in your Market Watch. Currency Strength needs multiple pairs to calculate strength accurately. If you only have 3 pairs, CS can't calculate properly.
Conclusion: Trading with Confidence
The MACD Scanner transforms momentum analysis from a single-pair, single-timeframe activity into a comprehensive, multi-dimensional scanning tool. Instead of staring at one chart hoping for a signal, you can now see at a glance where the market is generating momentum-based opportunities across your entire watchlist.
The key is to use the scanner as a filter, not a holy grail. A "Strong Buy" signal doesn't guarantee profit—it tells you momentum is present. Combine it with proper risk management (appropriate stops and position sizing), Currency Strength confirmation when possible, and multi-timeframe alignment, and you significantly improve your odds.
Start with the default settings and one or two MACD configurations. As you become comfortable with how the scanner works, gradually add complexity. Test different MACD settings on different timeframes. Keep records of which settings work best for your trading style and market conditions.
Remember: the best indicator is the one you understand and trust. Spend time with this scanner, backtest the signals you see, and refine your approach. Over time, you'll develop an intuition for which signals have the highest probability of follow-through.
Trade with confidence, manage your risk, and let the MACD Scanner guide your focus to where the momentum is. That's where the best opportunities usually hide.
