Money Flow Index (MFI)
Overview
The Money Flow Index is a volume-weighted RSI that measures buying and selling pressure by incorporating both price and volume data. It oscillates between 0 and 100, with readings above 80 considered overbought and below 20 considered oversold. Because it includes volume, MFI often provides earlier reversal signals than standard RSI, making it particularly effective for identifying exhaustion moves.
Key Concepts
Oscillates 0-100 with overbought (80+) and oversold (20-) zones. Volume-weighted calculation makes it more sensitive than standard RSI. Positive money flow: volume on up periods. Negative money flow: volume on down periods. Divergences between MFI and price are powerful reversal signals. Default period is 14.
Entry Signals
Enter long when MFI drops below 20 and then crosses back above it with a bullish reversal candle. Buy on bullish divergence — price makes a lower low while MFI makes a higher low. Look for MFI failure swings (fails to reach overbought, pulls back, then makes a higher high) as continuation signals. Enter when MFI confirms a price breakout by rising above 60 from neutral territory.
Exit Signals
Exit longs when MFI exceeds 80 and begins to turn down, especially with a bearish reversal candle. Close positions on bearish divergence — price makes a higher high while MFI makes a lower high. Take profits at MFI extremes during parabolic moves. Trail stops while MFI remains above 50, exit when it breaks below.
Best Timeframes
15M, 1H, 4H, Daily
Pro Tips
MFI's advantage over RSI is its volume weighting — this makes overbought and oversold readings more meaningful because they reflect actual capital flow rather than just price movement. MFI divergences at major support or resistance levels are among the most reliable reversal signals available. Use the 14-period default for swing trading; shorten to 7-10 for intraday work.
More Topics in This Category
VWAP Strategies
Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) represents the average price an asset has traded at throughout the session, weighted by volume. It serves as a dynamic intraday fair-value benchmark used by institutional traders to gauge execution quality. For retail traders, VWAP acts as a powerful support/resistance level and trend filter — price above VWAP suggests bullish intraday bias, while price below suggests bearish bias.
Volume Spread Analysis (VSA)
Volume Spread Analysis examines the relationship between price spread (the range of a candle), closing position within that spread, and the accompanying volume to determine the intentions of institutional market participants. Developed from the work of Richard Wyckoff and refined by Tom Williams, VSA identifies accumulation, distribution, and supply/demand imbalances by reading the story that volume and price action tell together.
Accumulation/Distribution Line
The Accumulation/Distribution Line measures the cumulative flow of money into and out of an asset by examining where price closes within its range relative to volume. Unlike OBV, which only considers whether the close is up or down, the A/D Line weights volume by the close's position within the bar's range, giving a more nuanced picture of buying and selling pressure.
Anchored VWAP
Anchored VWAP (Volume-Weighted Average Price) allows traders to calculate the average price weighted by volume from any specific point in time, such as a major high, low, earnings event, or market open. Unlike the standard session VWAP that resets daily, anchored VWAP persists from the chosen anchor point, revealing the average cost basis of all participants who traded since that event and creating dynamic support and resistance levels.