Which crypto tools matter?
None of them decide for you.
New traders collect dashboards. In practice a handful of tools cover most needs, and each answers one question: how does the market feel, who is getting liquidated, which side is crowded, what are large holders doing. Knowing what each can and cannot tell you beats bookmarking fifty sites.
What market data does the OKX app already have?
| Feature | Where | Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Charts and depth | Coin detail page | Price action and order book |
| Trading data | Futures page data tab | Long/short ratio, open interest, taker volume |
| Funding rate | Perpetual page | Current and past funding, next settlement |
| Price alerts | Coin detail page | Push alerts at your price or % move |
| Announcements | Home screen | Listings, campaigns, maintenance |
For listings, delistings and wallet maintenance, OKX announcements are faster and more reliable than any group chat.
What is the crypto Fear and Greed Index?
It combines volatility, volume, social activity, bitcoin dominance and more into a score from 0 to 100. Common sources include Alternative.me, CoinGlass and CoinMarketCap, each with its own method.
| Score | Mood | Typical market |
|---|---|---|
| 0–24 | Extreme fear | After a crash, capitulation |
| 25–49 | Fear | Weak, cautious |
| 50–74 | Greed | Rising, chasers arrive |
| 75–100 | Extreme greed | Overheated, pullback risk |
On 27 September 2026 CoinGlass showed 69, 'greed', with a 7-day average of 72 (ChainCatcher).
The index describes today's mood; it does not predict tomorrow. Use it as a nudge not to go all-in during euphoria or panic-sell at the bottom, not as a buy or sell signal.
How to read CoinGlass: liquidations and funding
- Liquidations: how many longs and shorts were liquidated in the past hour or day. Big one-sided waves come with sharp moves.
- Liquidation heatmap: price levels where many liquidations cluster, which can accelerate moves when reached.
- Funding rates: the same coin across exchanges. Persistently high funding means crowded longs, and it is the key input for funding rate arbitrage.
- Open interest: total futures positions. Rising price with surging open interest means lots of new leverage.
These numbers help you see risk: use less leverage when the market is crowded and don't rush to buy right after a liquidation wave. They cannot tell you the next candle.
What do whale alerts tell you?
| Alert | Common reading | Caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Large BTC into an exchange | May be about to sell | Could be internal wallet moves or custody shifts |
| Large BTC out of an exchange | Long-term holding | Could simply be a new custody address |
| Large new USDT mint | Money getting ready to buy | There is a lag between minting and buying |
On-chain data is public, but who owns an address and why they moved funds is usually unknown. Trading on single whale alerts is an easy way to be misled.
TradingView and where to get crypto news
TradingView is the go-to charting app, and the free plan is enough for beginners. Practise charting there; place orders on your exchange.
- Prices and supply: CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko;
- News: CoinDesk, The Block and similar outlets, and find the original announcement for anything important;
- Projects: official websites and verified accounts; watch for impersonators.
Paid 'insider' groups and 'early listing tips' are almost always a trap: people with real inside information don't sell it. Listings are confirmed by official exchange announcements only.
Arbitrage, hedging and futures mean more trades, so fees matter more. Enter referral code OK66688 when you sign up and pay 20% less on every spot and futures trade, for good
Crypto market tools
FAQ.
01What is the best app to track crypto prices?
For beginners, the OKX app's charts, trading data and price alerts cover most needs. Add CoinGlass for liquidations and funding, TradingView for charts and CoinMarketCap for coin info.
02What is the crypto Fear and Greed Index?
A 0–100 sentiment score built from volatility, volume, social activity and more. Low means fear, high means greed. It describes mood, not direction.
03How do I read CoinGlass?
Start with liquidations, the liquidation heatmap, funding rates and open interest, and use them to judge crowding and leverage rather than as signals.
04Where can I see funding rates?
On the OKX perpetual page for current and historical rates, and on CoinGlass to compare exchanges.
05Are whale alerts useful?
As background only. Large transfers are often exchange or custodian housekeeping, and outsiders rarely know the real purpose.
Finished this one?
Here is what to read next.
Dual investment, options, crypto loans, arbitrage, oil perpetuals and market tools. Each guide starts with the worst case, then explains how to use it.
What is OKX Dual Investment?
Whether it can lose money, how to pick a target price, why the APR is so high, and whether shark fin protects your principal. Includes a settlement calculator.
Options · Maximum loss for buyersHow do OKX options work?
Calls and puts, the most a buyer can lose, options vs futures, and why expiry days move the market.
Loans · When liquidation happensHow do OKX crypto loans work?
Borrow without selling: loan interest, what LTV means, and how much you can borrow before liquidation gets close.
Arbitrage · Funding rate mathsIs crypto arbitrage real?
Funding rate and cash-and-carry arbitrage, why P2P arbitrage freezes bank accounts, and how to spot 'risk-free' scams.
Oil · Brent and WTI perpetualsCan you trade oil on OKX?
ICE Brent and WTI perpetuals, Brent vs WTI, trading hours and weekend gaps, leverage and availability.
More features, more trades: sign up with OK66688.
20% off every spot and futures fee, for life. It adds up fastest on arbitrage, hedging and oil perpetuals.