Short answer
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index is a 0 to 100 daily score of Bitcoin market sentiment published by Alternative.me. It blends volatility, momentum and volume, social media, dominance and trends. Low values mean fear and high values mean greed. Use it as context next to funding and open interest, not as a buy or sell signal.
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Key facts
| Scale | 0 (extreme fear) to 100 (extreme greed) |
| Inputs | Volatility 25%, momentum/volume 25%, social media 15%, surveys 15% (paused), dominance 10%, trends 10% |
| Update | Daily |
| Best use | Context for crowding and risk appetite |
| Not | A timing signal by itself |
How is the index built?
Alternative.me, the publisher, blends several inputs into one daily score. Its index page lists the weights: volatility 25%, market momentum and volume 25%, social media 15%, surveys 15%, dominance 10% and trends 10%. Surveys (15%) are currently paused, and Reddit analysis is not yet in the live index. The publisher does not explain in detail how inputs are normalised or how the paused weight is handled. So read the score as the general tone, not any single metric.
Does extreme fear mean it is time to buy?
Not reliably. Readings can stay extreme for weeks, and markets can keep falling during fear. In the past, extremes have been more useful as a reminder to check sizing and crowding than as entry signals.
If you trade perpetuals, a sentiment reading does not change your liquidation price. Size positions so your margin can survive an extreme reading that lasts for weeks.
How can I combine it with futures data?
Pair the score with funding and open interest. Greed with high funding and rising OI describes a crowded long market. Fear with negative funding describes crowded shorts. The combination matters more than the level. Greed with neutral funding is very different from greed with funding at extremes.
Check the sign first. Positive funding means longs pay shorts. Negative funding means shorts pay longs. Funding paid per interval equals position notional times the funding rate. On most exchanges, the rate, the countdown to the next payment and open interest appear on the contract's info or market-data panel. Check whether the exchange shows the rate as a percent.
In our feed on 2026-10-24, BTC funding was a small positive print (0.0056, the rate as shown on our dashboard). A few smaller contracts printed far below zero. A deeply negative print on one contract, such as ARKUSDT at -2.0, suggests shorts are paying heavily in that market. It says nothing about Bitcoin sentiment and can flip quickly on thin contracts.
What are the weaknesses of a sentiment index?
Inputs and weights can change, and one input is paused today. Social data is noisy. The publisher says the index covers Bitcoin only, so it says little about how other assets feel. Treat it as one input among many.
What should I check before acting on an extreme reading?
Run three checks. First, look at the sign and size of funding on the contract you trade. Second, see whether open interest is rising or falling. Rising open interest means new positions are being added. Third, check how long the reading has held on the history chart (see the history section below).
We never turn the score into a buy or sell rule. It is one line of context in a risk check.
Where can I check the history?
The Alternative.me index page shows a chart of past values and offers an API with history. Look at how long previous extremes lasted. Periods of extreme fear or greed have often persisted far longer than traders expected. That is the main reason to treat the score as a description of mood.
On the history chart, note the dates when the publisher's label changed to Extreme Fear or Extreme Greed and when it changed back. Then compare that window with BTC price over the same dates. This shows whether the extreme was early, late or irrelevant for your timeframe.
FAQ
Who publishes the Crypto Fear & Greed Index?
Alternative.me publishes the widely cited version and hosts it on its own index page.
How often does it update?
Once per day. The API also returns past daily values if you want to check history yourself.
Is a high score bearish?
It signals greed and possible crowding, not a certain reversal.
Does the index cover altcoins?
No. The publisher says it covers Bitcoin only, so read it as a gauge of Bitcoin market sentiment.
Is there a separate index for stocks?
Yes. CNN publishes a Fear & Greed Index for the US stock market. It uses different inputs and is not interchangeable with the crypto version.
Sources
Figures change. Check the primary sources below.