Donchian Channel Reversal Strategy
Donchian Channels mark recent highs and lows over a chosen period. Prices that pierce those boundaries and then reverse can signal exhaustion. This strategy watches for closes back inside the channel after a brief breakout.
Testing indicates an average annual return of about 157%. It performs best in the crypto market.
If the previous close was below the lower band and the current close moves back above it, a long trade is taken. Conversely, if the prior close was above the upper band and price falls back inside, a short is opened. A percentage stop manages risk in both cases.
By trading only after a failed breakout this approach attempts to capture false moves that quickly retrace.
Details
- Entry Criteria: Price closes back inside Donchian Channel after breaching upper or lower band.
- Long/Short: Both.
- Exit Criteria: Stop-loss.
- Stops: Yes, percentage based.
- Default Values:
Period= 20StopLoss= 2%CandleType= 15 minute
- Filters:
- Category: Reversal
- Direction: Both
- Indicators: Donchian Channel
- Stops: Yes
- Complexity: Basic
- Timeframe: Intraday
- Seasonality: No
- Neural networks: No
- Divergence: No
- Risk level: Medium
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using Ecng.Common;
using StockSharp.Algo.Indicators;
using StockSharp.Algo.Strategies;
using StockSharp.BusinessEntities;
using StockSharp.Messages;
namespace StockSharp.Samples.Strategies;
/// <summary>
/// Donchian Reversal strategy.
/// Enters long when price bounces from the lower Donchian Channel band.
/// Enters short when price bounces from the upper Donchian Channel band.
/// Exits at middle band.
/// Uses cooldown to control trade frequency.
/// </summary>
public class DonchianReversalStrategy : Strategy
{
private readonly StrategyParam<int> _period;
private readonly StrategyParam<DataType> _candleType;
private readonly StrategyParam<int> _cooldownBars;
private decimal _prevClose;
private int _cooldown;
/// <summary>
/// Donchian period.
/// </summary>
public int Period
{
get => _period.Value;
set => _period.Value = value;
}
/// <summary>
/// Candle type.
/// </summary>
public DataType CandleType
{
get => _candleType.Value;
set => _candleType.Value = value;
}
/// <summary>
/// Cooldown bars.
/// </summary>
public int CooldownBars
{
get => _cooldownBars.Value;
set => _cooldownBars.Value = value;
}
/// <summary>
/// Constructor.
/// </summary>
public DonchianReversalStrategy()
{
_period = Param(nameof(Period), 20)
.SetRange(10, 40)
.SetDisplay("Period", "Period for Donchian Channel", "Indicators");
_candleType = Param(nameof(CandleType), TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1).TimeFrame())
.SetDisplay("Candle Type", "Type of candles to use", "General");
_cooldownBars = Param(nameof(CooldownBars), 500)
.SetRange(1, 1000)
.SetDisplay("Cooldown Bars", "Bars to wait between trades", "General");
}
/// <inheritdoc />
public override IEnumerable<(Security sec, DataType dt)> GetWorkingSecurities()
{
return [(Security, CandleType)];
}
/// <inheritdoc />
protected override void OnReseted()
{
base.OnReseted();
_prevClose = default;
_cooldown = default;
}
/// <inheritdoc />
protected override void OnStarted2(DateTime time)
{
base.OnStarted2(time);
_prevClose = 0;
_cooldown = 0;
var donchian = new DonchianChannels { Length = Period };
var subscription = SubscribeCandles(CandleType);
subscription
.BindEx(donchian, ProcessCandle)
.Start();
var area = CreateChartArea();
if (area != null)
{
DrawCandles(area, subscription);
DrawIndicator(area, donchian);
DrawOwnTrades(area);
}
}
private void ProcessCandle(ICandleMessage candle, IIndicatorValue donchianIv)
{
if (candle.State != CandleStates.Finished)
return;
if (!donchianIv.IsFormed)
return;
var dv = (IDonchianChannelsValue)donchianIv;
if (dv.UpperBand is not decimal upper ||
dv.LowerBand is not decimal lower ||
dv.Middle is not decimal middle)
return;
if (_prevClose == 0)
{
_prevClose = candle.ClosePrice;
return;
}
if (_cooldown > 0)
{
_cooldown--;
_prevClose = candle.ClosePrice;
return;
}
// Bounce from lower band = bullish
var bouncedFromLower = _prevClose <= lower && candle.ClosePrice > lower;
// Bounce from upper band = bearish
var bouncedFromUpper = _prevClose >= upper && candle.ClosePrice < upper;
if (Position == 0 && bouncedFromLower)
{
BuyMarket();
_cooldown = CooldownBars;
}
else if (Position == 0 && bouncedFromUpper)
{
SellMarket();
_cooldown = CooldownBars;
}
else if (Position > 0 && candle.ClosePrice >= middle && bouncedFromUpper)
{
SellMarket();
_cooldown = CooldownBars;
}
else if (Position < 0 && candle.ClosePrice <= middle && bouncedFromLower)
{
BuyMarket();
_cooldown = CooldownBars;
}
_prevClose = candle.ClosePrice;
}
}
import clr
clr.AddReference("StockSharp.Messages")
clr.AddReference("StockSharp.Algo")
clr.AddReference("StockSharp.Algo.Indicators")
clr.AddReference("StockSharp.Algo.Strategies")
from System import TimeSpan
from StockSharp.Messages import DataType, CandleStates
from StockSharp.Algo.Indicators import DonchianChannels
from StockSharp.Algo.Strategies import Strategy
class donchian_reversal_strategy(Strategy):
"""
Donchian Reversal strategy.
Enters long when price bounces from the lower Donchian Channel band.
Enters short when price bounces from the upper Donchian Channel band.
Exits at middle band.
Uses cooldown to control trade frequency.
"""
def __init__(self):
super(donchian_reversal_strategy, self).__init__()
self._period = self.Param("Period", 20).SetDisplay("Period", "Period for Donchian Channel", "Indicators")
self._candle_type = self.Param("CandleType", DataType.TimeFrame(TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1))).SetDisplay("Candle Type", "Type of candles to use", "General")
self._cooldown_bars = self.Param("CooldownBars", 500).SetDisplay("Cooldown Bars", "Bars to wait between trades", "General")
self._prev_close = 0.0
self._cooldown = 0
@property
def candle_type(self):
return self._candle_type.Value
def OnReseted(self):
super(donchian_reversal_strategy, self).OnReseted()
self._prev_close = 0.0
self._cooldown = 0
def OnStarted2(self, time):
super(donchian_reversal_strategy, self).OnStarted2(time)
self._prev_close = 0.0
self._cooldown = 0
donchian = DonchianChannels()
donchian.Length = self._period.Value
subscription = self.SubscribeCandles(self.candle_type)
subscription.BindEx(donchian, self._process_candle).Start()
area = self.CreateChartArea()
if area is not None:
self.DrawCandles(area, subscription)
self.DrawIndicator(area, donchian)
self.DrawOwnTrades(area)
def _process_candle(self, candle, donchian_iv):
if candle.State != CandleStates.Finished:
return
if not donchian_iv.IsFormed:
return
upper_val = donchian_iv.UpperBand
lower_val = donchian_iv.LowerBand
middle_val = donchian_iv.Middle
if upper_val is None or lower_val is None or middle_val is None:
return
upper = float(upper_val)
lower = float(lower_val)
middle = float(middle_val)
close = float(candle.ClosePrice)
if self._prev_close == 0:
self._prev_close = close
return
if self._cooldown > 0:
self._cooldown -= 1
self._prev_close = close
return
cd = self._cooldown_bars.Value
# Bounce from lower band = bullish
bounced_from_lower = self._prev_close <= lower and close > lower
# Bounce from upper band = bearish
bounced_from_upper = self._prev_close >= upper and close < upper
if self.Position == 0 and bounced_from_lower:
self.BuyMarket()
self._cooldown = cd
elif self.Position == 0 and bounced_from_upper:
self.SellMarket()
self._cooldown = cd
elif self.Position > 0 and close >= middle and bounced_from_upper:
self.SellMarket()
self._cooldown = cd
elif self.Position < 0 and close <= middle and bounced_from_lower:
self.BuyMarket()
self._cooldown = cd
self._prev_close = close
def CreateClone(self):
return donchian_reversal_strategy()