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Crypto trading checklist: 10 checks before every trade

Crypto never closes and it moves fast. That's exactly why a short, fixed list helps. Here are 10 checks to run before every trade, why each one is there, and a copy-ready version for your notes.

Beginner guide · 8-minute read · Updated 2026-10-21

Why crypto needs its own list

Our general pre-trade checklist works for any market. Crypto adds a few twists:

• It trades 24/7, so there's always a reason to "just check".
• Swings are bigger, so stops are wider and size must be smaller.
• Leverage is a click away on many platforms.
• Safety risks (fake sites, drainers, wrong networks) sit right next to the trade button.

A list turns all that into a routine. Same questions, same order, every time.

The 10 checks

Part 1: the chart

1. What does the bigger chart say?

Start on the daily chart. Is it making higher highs and higher lows, lower highs and lower lows, or going sideways? Trade with that direction, or don't trade. See how to identify a trend.

2. Where did price last turn around?

Mark the last clear turning points. Those are your levels. Our free StructureX chart tool marks them automatically on TradingView, including on the phone app.

3. Did a candle body close past the level?

A tail poking through doesn't count. A candle body closing past it does. In crypto, long tails are common, so this one matters. Use your chosen daily "close" time, often midnight UTC.

4. Can I say the setup in one sentence?

"Price closed above the last turning point on the 4-hour chart, in line with the daily uptrend." If you can't say it simply, it's probably not a setup.

Part 2: the numbers

5. Where's my stop, from the chart?

Put it where your idea is clearly wrong, past the turning point. Not where it "feels" comfortable. See how to set a stop-loss.

6. What's my size?

Risk about 1% of the account. Size = money at risk ÷ stop distance. The position size calculator does it.

7. Is the target at least twice the risk?

If you're risking $20, the first sensible target should be worth $40 or more. If the next turning point is too close for that, skip it. See risk-reward ratio.

8. Leverage: off, or liquidation far past the stop?

Best while learning: no leverage. If you use it, put the trade into the crypto liquidation calculator. The liquidation price must sit well beyond your stop. If not, lower the leverage. More in crypto leverage and perpetuals.

Part 3: the day and the account

9. Any big news, and how's today going?

• Check the economic calendar. US CPI and Fed days move crypto too.
• Two losses today? You're done. That's the daily loss limit.
• Tired, rushed, or trying to win something back? Step away.

10. Is the platform and wallet side safe?

• Right website, opened from your own bookmark?
• Right network for any transfer?
• No wallet approval you don't understand?
• Fees and spread checked? Market orders in thin coins can cost a lot in Slippage.

The copy-ready version

Paste this into your notes or journal.

Any "no"? Write down why, and consider skipping. Logging the skipped trade is useful too. It shows what your rules saved you from, or what they cost you.

Crypto habits that make the list easier

• Pick fixed chart times. Crypto never closes, so you choose when you look. Twice a day is plenty for most people.
• Use price alerts at your levels, instead of watching. TradingView alerts work on the phone.
• Keep trading funds separate from long-term coins and from wallets you use to try new apps.
• Log every trade, and every skip. See how to keep a trading journal.

What the list can't do

A checklist doesn't make a trade win. Good setups still lose, often. What it does is keep each loss the size you chose, and stop the trades you'd regret for reasons other than the chart.

Questions