What the Crypto Fear & Greed Index measures
How the index is built, how to read it, and why it is a sentiment gauge rather than a trading signal.
Updated 14 Sept 2026 · Beginner · 2 min read
In short
- The Crypto Fear & Greed Index by alternative.me scores market sentiment from 0 (extreme fear) to 100 (extreme greed), once a day.
- It combines volatility, momentum and volume, social media, Bitcoin dominance and search trends.
- It describes the mood of the market. It does not predict prices.
Where it comes from
The index is published daily by alternative.me and focuses on Bitcoin and the wider crypto market. Wardcrest shows the latest value and its recent history on the Fear & Greed page, credited to its source.
What goes into it
According to alternative.me, the index weighs these inputs:
- Volatility (25%): current volatility and drawdowns compared with recent averages. Unusual swings read as fear.
- Market momentum and volume (25%): strong buying volume in a rising market reads as greed.
- Social media (15%): the pace and tone of crypto discussion.
- Surveys (15%): polls, which alternative.me has paused.
- Bitcoin dominance (10%): A rising share for Bitcoin is read as a move towards relative safety.
- Search trends (10%): changes in search interest in crypto terms.
How to read it
Low values mean the inputs look like a fearful market: sharp falls, high volatility, fading interest. High values mean the opposite. The label, from “Extreme Fear” to “Extreme Greed”, is the publisher’s own band for the number.
Some people read it the other way round, following the old advice to be fearful when others are greedy. Extremes often coincide with turning points in hindsight, but the index can also stay at an extreme for weeks while a trend continues.
Using it alongside other data
- Compare it with what prices actually did on the markets page.
- Look at how it changed over a few weeks rather than at a single day’s value.
- Remember it is Bitcoin-centric: individual coins can move against the general mood.