Kraken Pro offers a suite of analytics widgets to give you deeper insights into real-time market activity. By dragging and dropping these widgets onto your trading interface, you can monitor everything from aggressor ratios and long/short positions to open interest and funding rates—all in one place.
Whether you’re looking for confirmation of a potential breakout, trying to gauge liquidity, or simply assessing overall sentiment, these widgets can help guide more informed trading decisions.
Adding a widget:
To add a widget to your trading interface, click the "Add Widget" button in the top right corner of the Trade page. Then, simply drag and drop the widget wherever you'd like on your screen.
Analytics widgets:
Aggressor Ratio
What it is:
Aggressor Ratio measures how much trading volume is driven by “aggressive” orders—those that execute immediately, such as Market orders or Limit orders set to cross the spread. By comparing the volume of aggressive buys versus aggressive sells, this widget helps you gauge overall sentiment: whether buyers or sellers are exerting more immediate pressure on the market.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Shows when trades were executed, based on your selected interval.
- •Vertical Axis = Price: Displays the market’s base currency price.
- •Green Bars = Aggressive Buys: Indicates purchases made at (or crossing) the ask price.
- •Red Bars = Aggressive Sells: Reflects sell orders hitting the bid price or lower.
Time intervals
Choose from 1 minute up to 1 week to view short-term fluctuations or long-term momentum. Shorter intervals offer a close-up look at immediate market shifts; longer intervals help identify broader trends and potential turning points.
Practical use:
Placing this Aggressor Ratio widget on your Kraken Pro interface can help you decide if the market’s momentum might favor a particular strategy. For instance, a sustained ratio above 1 could encourage bullish setups, whereas a ratio below 1 may align with a more bearish viewpoint.
Depth Chart
What it is:
Depth Chart provides a visual snapshot of the buy and sell orders currently in the order book, plotted against various price levels. By comparing the size (or quantity) of these orders, you can gauge market sentiment, pinpoint support/resistance zones, and assess how easy (or costly) it might be to fill larger trades.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Price: Displays the market’s base currency price levels.
- •Vertical Axis = Number of Orders: Shows how many open buy or sell orders exist at each price level.
- •Green Line = Buy Orders (Bids): Indicates the cumulative volume of buyers willing to purchase at or below specific prices.
- •Red Line = Sell Orders (Asks): Reflects the cumulative volume of sellers looking to sell at or above certain prices.
Reading the chart
- •Buy vs. Sell Dynamics: A heavier green area compared to red can suggest bullish sentiment (more buy orders), while a larger red area implies bearish sentiment (more sell orders).
- •Support & Resistance Levels: Clusters of large buy orders often act as support—barriers that the price may struggle to drop through. Conversely, clusters of big sell orders can serve as resistance, impeding price advances.
- •Liquidity Insights: If orders are densely concentrated near the current price, the market is considered more liquid. This can mean lower execution costs and less slippage for larger trades.
- •Potential Volatility: A thin order book (few orders on either side) may create higher volatility. Large trades in a low-liquidity environment can cause sharper price swings.
Practical use:
Adding the Depth Chart widget to your Kraken Pro layout can help you quickly assess where the bulk of buyer or seller interest lies. Watching how these lines shift in real time can also provide early clues about impending moves—especially when big changes occur at key price levels. However, remember that large orders can appear or disappear at any time, so it’s wise to corroborate depth-chart signals with other analytics and current market news.
Funding Rate
What it is:
Funding Rate is a periodic payment exchanged between traders in a Derivatives market. Its primary purpose is to keep the price of the perpetual contract aligned with the underlying spot price. When the funding rate is positive, long positions pay short positions; when it’s negative, short positions pay long positions.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Displays the timeframe over which the funding rate is tracked.
- •Vertical Axis = Number: Represents the funding rate value itself.
- •Purple Line = Funding Rate: Tracks how the funding rate fluctuates over time.
Reading the chart
- •Positive Funding Rate (> 0): Indicates that longs are paying shorts, which generally signals bullish sentiment. High positive funding often attracts more short sellers until the perpetual price converges back toward the spot price.
- •Negative Funding Rate (< 0): Shows that shorts are paying longs, typically reflecting bearish market sentiment. In this scenario, a more negative rate may encourage traders to open long positions.
- •Extreme Values: Spikes in either direction can hint at an over-leveraged market, where one side may soon get squeezed. Such conditions often precede corrections or trend reversals.
Practical use:
Placing the Funding Rate widget on your Kraken Pro interface helps you see whether buyers or sellers are more aggressive in the Derivatives market. Sustained high funding rates in either direction may not last indefinitely; a sudden reversion can sometimes mark key turning points. As with any single metric, be sure to cross-reference funding rate insights with price action, volume, and other indicators for a more complete view of market dynamics.
Future Basis
What it is:
Future Basis measures the difference—also known as the basis spread—between a futures contract price and its underlying spot price. A positive basis means the futures price is trading above the spot market; a negative basis means it’s trading below. Tracking this spread can offer insights into market sentiment and potential arbitrage opportunities.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Shows when each basis data point was recorded.
- •Vertical Axis = Future Basis: Reflects how much higher or lower the futures price is compared to spot.
- •Purple Line = Future Basis Over Time: Illustrates how this spread evolves throughout your selected timeframe.
Reading the chart
- •Basis > 0: Futures are priced above the spot market, often signaling that traders expect higher prices in the future or are willing to pay a premium for longer exposure.
- •Basis < 0: Futures are trading below the spot price, suggesting a potential discount or that market participants anticipate a decline in the underlying asset’s value.
- •Historical Trends: Observing how the basis moves over time helps you spot patterns, shifts in market psychology, or changes in supply and demand dynamics.
Practical use:
Placing the Future Basis widget on your Kraken Pro dashboard can help you monitor how closely Derivatives prices track their spot counterparts. Dramatic deviations—positive or negative—may highlight where traders can capitalize on arbitrage or gain insight into prevailing market sentiment. As always, it’s wise to confirm these observations with other data points, like volume or open interest, before making any trading decisions.
Liquidation Volume
What it is:
Liquidation Volume tracks the total value of futures positions force-closed by the exchange when traders don’t have enough margin to maintain their positions. Sharp spikes in this metric can indicate panic-driven selling or buying (depending on whether longs or shorts are liquidated), potentially affecting market price in a short period.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Marks when each liquidation event is recorded.
- •Vertical Axis = Number: Displays the cumulative value of all liquidated futures positions for each interval.
- •Purple Line = Total Liquidation Volume: Reflects how much position value is being liquidated over time.
Reading the chart
- •Overall Liquidation Volume: Higher values may point to increased trader stress and heightened volatility. When margin calls stack up, forced selling or buying can amplify market moves.
- •Spikes in Liquidations: Sudden jumps in liquidation volume can indicate that many traders were on the wrong side of a rapid price swing. This often coincides with fast, sizable price changes and may predict continued turbulence as remaining positions adjust.
Practical use:
By placing the Liquidation Volume widget on your Kraken Pro Trade interface, you can watch for market stress signals—particularly when this metric surges unexpectedly. High liquidation volume can trigger a domino effect of margin calls, accelerating any ongoing trend. Combining liquidation data with other indicators (like volatility measures or order book depth) can provide a fuller picture of potential price swings and help you manage risk more effectively.
Long/Short Ratio
What it is:
Long/Short Ratio compares the number of trader accounts holding long positions against those holding short positions in a given market. This ratio offers a quick snapshot of bullish vs. bearish sentiment over different timeframes. A value above 1 implies there are more long positions than short positions; a value below 1 indicates the reverse.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Shows when each data point for the ratio was recorded.
- •Vertical Axis = Number:Reflects how many traders are currently long relative to short.
- •Purple Line = Long/Short Ratio: Tracks how this ratio changes throughout the selected timeframe.
Reading the chart
- •Above 1: Signals more traders holding long positions than short. A persistently high ratio can point to bullish sentiment, though it may also indicate a risk of a squeeze if many longs get liquidated.
- •Below 1: Indicates a greater number of short positions. This can imply a generally bearish mood, with potential for sudden surges if short sellers exit en masse.
- •Fluctuations Over Time: Watching the ratio move can help you see if momentum is shifting from bullish to bearish or vice versa, especially around major market events.
Practical use:
Adding the Long/Short Ratio widget to your Kraken Pro interface helps you quickly gauge market psychology. For instance, a ratio that climbs sharply might suggest a growing bullish consensus—yet that consensus can unravel quickly if a downside catalyst appears. As with any indicator, it’s best to pair the Long/Short Ratio with complementary data like volume, order book depth, or recent price action to form a well-rounded trading approach.
Open interest
What it is:
Open Interest represents the total number of active (open) positions in a given market—covering both long and short trades. It’s a useful barometer of market participation and can hint at whether new capital is flowing into or out of a particular asset.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Shows the intervals at which open interest is measured.
- •Vertical Axis = Number of Open Positions: Reflects how many contracts or positions remain unsettled at each interval.
- •Purple Bars/Line = Open Interest Over Time: Tracks how this total changes throughout your chosen timeframe.
Reading the chart
- •Increasing Open Interest: Suggests more traders are entering the market—potentially fueling continued price moves if bullish or bearish conviction grows.
- •Decreasing Open Interest: Indicates participants are closing positions or exiting the market. This could signal profit-taking, loss-cutting, or waning enthusiasm.
- •Stable Open Interest: When open interest remains steady, it often implies a balance between new positions and exits—meaning the market may be waiting for fresh catalysts to drive the next move.
Practical use:
Placing the Open Interest widget on your Kraken Pro interface can help you spot when trader engagement is growing or cooling off. For example, a spike in open interest after a significant price change may show that traders expect the move to continue, while a drop might mean the market is losing momentum. Pair open interest data with indicators like volume, order book depth, or funding rates for a more complete picture of market conditions.
Spread
What it is:
Spread measures the gap between the best bid (highest buy order) and the best ask (lowest sell order) at any moment in the market. A narrow spread usually indicates strong liquidity and more efficient trading conditions, while a wider spread can suggest lower liquidity and higher slippage.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Shows when each spread value was recorded.
- •Vertical Axis = Price Difference: Reflects how wide (or narrow) the spread is in the market’s base currency.
- •Purple Line = Spread Over Time: Tracks fluctuations in the bid-ask gap within the chosen timeframe.
Reading the chart
- •Sudden Spikes: A sharp increase in spread can happen around major news events or during off-peak hours when fewer market participants are active.
- •Narrow Spread: Indicates higher liquidity, as buy and sell orders are clustered closer together. In these conditions, transaction costs are typically lower.
- •Wide Spread: Suggests thinner order books, where fewer traders are active or larger gaps exist between buy and sell orders. This can lead to slippage if you place bigger trades.
Practical use:
Adding the Spread widget to your Kraken Pro interface can help you quickly gauge how tight (or loose) the market is at any given time. If spreads are consistently narrow, you might execute trades more confidently, knowing that slippage is likely minimal. Conversely, a persistently wide spread could warn you to adjust position sizing or wait for better trading conditions. As always, combine spread analysis with other indicators—such as depth of market or volume—to get a fuller understanding of market dynamics.
Trade Count
What it is:
Trade Count shows how many individual trades occurred in a given market over each time interval. This metric helps you gauge overall market activity: a high trade count usually indicates more active participation and potentially greater volatility, while a lower trade count suggests a calmer trading environment.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Displays the intervals (e.g., 1m, 5m, 1h) at which trades are tallied.
- •Vertical Axis = Number: Represents how many trades took place in that interval.
- •Purple Line = Trade Count: Tracks the fluctuation in the total number of trades over the selected timeframe.
Reading the chart
- •High Trade Count: Often coincides with higher volatility and stronger market engagement—traders might be reacting to news or sudden price movements.
- •Low Trade Count: Suggests fewer market participants or less incentive to trade, which can coincide with tighter price ranges and reduced volatility.
Practical use:
Adding the Trade Count widget to your Kraken Pro dashboard allows you to spot spikes or dips in trading activity quickly. If you see a sudden jump in the number of trades, it may signal a developing trend or reaction to market news. Pairing trade count with other indicators—like volume or order book depth—can deepen your insight into whether new trades carry significant size or if they’re more of a flurry of smaller orders.
Volatility
What it is:
Volatility measures the degree of variation in an asset’s price over time. High volatility can signal wide price swings—and with it, potentially higher risk and reward—while low volatility often suggests more stable, predictable price movements.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Shows when the volatility readings were captured.
- •Vertical Axis = Number: Reflects how much the price is fluctuating in the market’s base currency.
- •Purple Line = Price Volatility: Tracks the intensity of price changes across your chosen timeframe.
Reading the chart
- •High Volatility: Indicates frequent and/or sharp price movements. Traders may find more short-term opportunities but should also be prepared for rapid market shifts.
- •Low Volatility:
Suggests smaller, more gradual price movements. While it can mean fewer sudden gains, it also reduces the likelihood of abrupt losses.
Practical use:
Placing the Volatility widget on your Kraken Pro interface helps you gauge market risk at a glance. If volatility spikes, you might adjust position sizes or tighten stop-losses. Conversely, in calmer markets, you may opt for longer-term strategies. As with any single metric, consider combining volatility data with other indicators—such as volume or open interest—to get a fuller picture of market conditions.
Volume
What it is:
Volume represents the total amount of an asset traded over a specific period. Higher volume can signal greater market interest and liquidity, whereas lower volume often indicates a quieter market with fewer participants.
Chart key:
- •Horizontal Axis = Date/Time: Shows the intervals (e.g., 1m, 5m, 1h) at which trading volume is recorded.
- •Vertical Axis = Number: Reflects the total amount traded in the market’s base currency during each interval.
- •Purple Line = Total Trading Volume: Tracks how buying and selling activity fluctuates over time.
Reading the chart
- •High Volume: Often corresponds with larger price moves and heightened trader engagement—potentially signaling stronger momentum or reaction to news.
- •Low Volume: Suggests reduced market participation; price changes may be more subdued, but low liquidity can still lead to abrupt price shifts if a single large order enters the market.
Practical use:
Adding the Volume widget to your Kraken Pro layout helps you quickly spot surges or drops in trading activity. Spikes in volume can indicate critical moments—such as breakouts, breakdowns, or reactions to major events. Combining volume data with other metrics (like volatility or order book depth) can help confirm whether a price move is backed by genuine buying/selling interest.