Heikin-Ashi Reversal Strategy
Heikin-Ashi candles smooth noise and highlight trend direction. A shift from a series of bearish HA candles to a bullish one, or vice versa, can indicate a change in momentum. This strategy trades those color flips and uses a percentage stop for protection.
Testing indicates an average annual return of about 145%. It performs best in the crypto market.
The logic calculates Heikin-Ashi values from regular candles. When the HA close crosses above the HA open after a bearish sequence, a long is taken. A cross below after a bullish run opens a short. The stop is placed a fixed percentage away from entry.
The method is simple yet effective during choppy swings when traditional candlesticks are noisy.
Details
- Entry Criteria: Heikin-Ashi candle changes color.
- Long/Short: Both.
- Exit Criteria: Stop-loss.
- Stops: Yes, percentage based.
- Default Values:
CandleType= 15 minuteStopLoss= 2%
- Filters:
- Category: Reversal
- Direction: Both
- Indicators: Heikin-Ashi
- 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>
/// Heikin Ashi Reversal strategy.
/// Computes Heikin-Ashi candles from regular candles.
/// Enters long when HA switches from bearish to bullish.
/// Enters short when HA switches from bullish to bearish.
/// Uses SMA for exit confirmation.
/// </summary>
public class HeikinAshiReversalStrategy : Strategy
{
private readonly StrategyParam<int> _maPeriod;
private readonly StrategyParam<DataType> _candleType;
private readonly StrategyParam<int> _cooldownBars;
private decimal _haOpen;
private decimal _haClose;
private bool? _prevBullish;
private int _cooldown;
/// <summary>
/// MA Period.
/// </summary>
public int MAPeriod
{
get => _maPeriod.Value;
set => _maPeriod.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 HeikinAshiReversalStrategy()
{
_maPeriod = Param(nameof(MAPeriod), 20)
.SetGreaterThanZero()
.SetDisplay("MA Period", "Period for SMA", "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();
_haOpen = default;
_haClose = default;
_prevBullish = null;
_cooldown = default;
}
/// <inheritdoc />
protected override void OnStarted2(DateTime time)
{
base.OnStarted2(time);
_haOpen = 0;
_haClose = 0;
_prevBullish = null;
_cooldown = 0;
var sma = new SimpleMovingAverage { Length = MAPeriod };
var subscription = SubscribeCandles(CandleType);
subscription
.Bind(sma, ProcessCandle)
.Start();
var area = CreateChartArea();
if (area != null)
{
DrawCandles(area, subscription);
DrawIndicator(area, sma);
DrawOwnTrades(area);
}
}
private void ProcessCandle(ICandleMessage candle, decimal smaValue)
{
if (candle.State != CandleStates.Finished)
return;
// Compute Heikin-Ashi values
var newHaClose = (candle.OpenPrice + candle.HighPrice + candle.LowPrice + candle.ClosePrice) / 4;
decimal newHaOpen;
if (_haOpen == 0)
{
// First candle
newHaOpen = (candle.OpenPrice + candle.ClosePrice) / 2;
}
else
{
newHaOpen = (_haOpen + _haClose) / 2;
}
_haOpen = newHaOpen;
_haClose = newHaClose;
var isBullish = newHaClose > newHaOpen;
if (!IsFormedAndOnlineAndAllowTrading())
{
_prevBullish = isBullish;
return;
}
if (_prevBullish == null)
{
_prevBullish = isBullish;
return;
}
if (_cooldown > 0)
{
_cooldown--;
_prevBullish = isBullish;
return;
}
// Reversal detection
var bullishReversal = _prevBullish == false && isBullish;
var bearishReversal = _prevBullish == true && !isBullish;
if (Position == 0 && bullishReversal)
{
BuyMarket();
_cooldown = CooldownBars;
}
else if (Position == 0 && bearishReversal)
{
SellMarket();
_cooldown = CooldownBars;
}
else if (Position > 0 && candle.ClosePrice < smaValue)
{
SellMarket();
_cooldown = CooldownBars;
}
else if (Position < 0 && candle.ClosePrice > smaValue)
{
BuyMarket();
_cooldown = CooldownBars;
}
_prevBullish = isBullish;
}
}
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 SimpleMovingAverage
from StockSharp.Algo.Strategies import Strategy
class heikin_ashi_reversal_strategy(Strategy):
"""
Heikin Ashi Reversal strategy.
Computes Heikin-Ashi candles from regular candles.
Enters long when HA switches from bearish to bullish.
Enters short when HA switches from bullish to bearish.
Uses SMA for exit confirmation.
"""
def __init__(self):
super(heikin_ashi_reversal_strategy, self).__init__()
self._ma_period = self.Param("MAPeriod", 20).SetDisplay("MA Period", "Period for SMA", "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._ha_open = 0.0
self._ha_close = 0.0
self._prev_bullish = None
self._cooldown = 0
@property
def candle_type(self):
return self._candle_type.Value
def OnReseted(self):
super(heikin_ashi_reversal_strategy, self).OnReseted()
self._ha_open = 0.0
self._ha_close = 0.0
self._prev_bullish = None
self._cooldown = 0
def OnStarted2(self, time):
super(heikin_ashi_reversal_strategy, self).OnStarted2(time)
self._ha_open = 0.0
self._ha_close = 0.0
self._prev_bullish = None
self._cooldown = 0
sma = SimpleMovingAverage()
sma.Length = self._ma_period.Value
subscription = self.SubscribeCandles(self.candle_type)
subscription.Bind(sma, self._process_candle).Start()
area = self.CreateChartArea()
if area is not None:
self.DrawCandles(area, subscription)
self.DrawIndicator(area, sma)
self.DrawOwnTrades(area)
def _process_candle(self, candle, sma_val):
if candle.State != CandleStates.Finished:
return
# Compute Heikin-Ashi values
new_ha_close = (float(candle.OpenPrice) + float(candle.HighPrice) + float(candle.LowPrice) + float(candle.ClosePrice)) / 4.0
if self._ha_open == 0:
# First candle
new_ha_open = (float(candle.OpenPrice) + float(candle.ClosePrice)) / 2.0
else:
new_ha_open = (self._ha_open + self._ha_close) / 2.0
self._ha_open = new_ha_open
self._ha_close = new_ha_close
is_bullish = new_ha_close > new_ha_open
if not self.IsFormedAndOnlineAndAllowTrading():
self._prev_bullish = is_bullish
return
if self._prev_bullish is None:
self._prev_bullish = is_bullish
return
if self._cooldown > 0:
self._cooldown -= 1
self._prev_bullish = is_bullish
return
# Reversal detection
bullish_reversal = self._prev_bullish == False and is_bullish
bearish_reversal = self._prev_bullish == True and not is_bullish
sv = float(sma_val)
close = float(candle.ClosePrice)
cd = self._cooldown_bars.Value
if self.Position == 0 and bullish_reversal:
self.BuyMarket()
self._cooldown = cd
elif self.Position == 0 and bearish_reversal:
self.SellMarket()
self._cooldown = cd
elif self.Position > 0 and close < sv:
self.SellMarket()
self._cooldown = cd
elif self.Position < 0 and close > sv:
self.BuyMarket()
self._cooldown = cd
self._prev_bullish = is_bullish
def CreateClone(self):
return heikin_ashi_reversal_strategy()