Forex

Forex chart patterns: 149 patterns tested on 25 pairs

Forex chart patterns are the same flags, triangles, double tops and candlestick patterns traders use everywhere, applied to currency pairs. The question is whether they behave the same on a market that trades around the clock five days a week. We ran 83 chart patterns and 66 candlestick patterns on the full history of 25 currency pairs, on 1-hour, 4-hour, daily and weekly bars, and compared what followed each one with what follows random bars of the same pairs.

Statistics updated November 5, 2026, from the latest run of our test bench. Historical statistics before fees and slippage. Not investment advice: past results do not predict future ones.

Patterns measured: 149
Currency pairs: 25
Occurrences detected: 3,653,579
Beat chance after all checks: 0

The short answer

On forex alone, no pattern beat chance after all our checks (multiple-testing correction, stability over time, costs) on any timeframe.

Read on each pattern's largest forex sample (mostly 1-hour bars, where we have the most data), 9 patterns are promising but not confirmed, and 13 patterns moved opposite to the textbook or did worse than chance.

Which timeframe works best on forex?

The same patterns, counted on each timeframe of our forex data: how many we could measure, how many show a proven edge on one of our two tests, and how many did worse than chance.

Timeframe	Pairs	Patterns measured	Worse than chance
1-hour	25	102	13
4-hour	25	100	4
Daily	25	129	0
Weekly	25	117	0

Proven edge: the 10-bar move or the 2:1 trade beats random bars of the same assets and survives the multiple-testing correction. Worse than chance includes moves opposite to the textbook. Proven edge counts each pattern once per timeframe, all breakout directions together; pass all checks also counts a result on one breakout direction.

All 149 patterns on forex

Each line reads the pattern on its largest forex sample, and names the timeframe. Filter chart patterns or candlesticks, sort by occurrences, or search a name.

149 of the 149 patterns found on our data (149 tested). Most telling first: proven and promising results, then the patterns named in Where to look, then those that moved opposite to the textbook, then the rest by occurrences. Largest sample shown for each: every asset class with data on the timeframe named under the count pooled, unless the line names one; a pattern page can quote another timeframe, and says which. Verdict: the better of our two tests (10-bar move, 2:1 trade); when neither shows an edge, Worse than chance if either test is (Opposite of the textbook when it is the 10-bar move), otherwise the 10-bar verdict. The 10-bar verdict tests the excess return, not the gap between the two percentages. Bar: excess return over the rest of the market after 10 bars, with its 95% interval, signed so that positive favors the pattern (on a bearish pattern, positive means the asset did worse than its market) and read in the breakout direction named on neutral patterns; gray when the interval includes zero.
		Expected move, 10 bars			Verdict
▼Bearish ABCD	5,866 Forex, 1-hour	50.7% vs 49.2%	+0.01%	0.00 R	Promising 10-bar move
▲Inverted hammer	3,119 Forex, 1-hour	53.7% vs 50.5%	+0.02%	−0.41 R	Promising 10-bar move
▼Bearish 5-0	1,456 Forex, 1-hour	50.8% vs 49.2%	+0.01%	+0.06 R	Promising 2:1 trade
▲Falling wedgeupward breakouts; downward: Weak, below chance	1,299 Forex, 1-hour	51.6% vs 50.5%	+0.02%	+0.05 R	Promising 10-bar move
▼Bearish shark	869 Forex, 1-hour	54.8% vs 49.3%	+0.03%	+0.02 R	Promising 10-bar move
▲Bullish Gartley	857^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	51.6% vs 50.6%	+0.01%	+0.15 R	Promising 2:1 trade
◆Ascending right-angled broadeningdownward breakouts; upward: No clear edge	833 Forex, 1-hour	51.3% vs 49.4%	+0.03%	−0.01 R	Promising 10-bar move
▲Above the stomach	94 Forex, daily	63.8% vs 49.0%	+0.63%	+0.31 R	Promising 10-bar move
▼Pipe top	59 Forex, daily	50.8% vs 49.4%	+0.03%	+0.45 R	Promising 2:1 trade
▲White candle	928,190 Forex, 1-hour	49.6% vs 50.6%	−0.004%	−0.08 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▼Black candle	912,889 Forex, 1-hour	48.3% vs 49.2%	−0.004%	−0.11 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▲Short white line	168,242 Forex, 1-hour	50.0% vs 50.6%	−0.01%	−0.10 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▼Short black line	167,136 Forex, 1-hour	46.7% vs 49.2%	−0.005%	−0.23 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▼Long black line	74,371 Forex, 1-hour	46.3% vs 49.3%	−0.01%	−0.09 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▼Black closing marubozu	73,535 Forex, 1-hour	45.3% vs 49.3%	−0.02%	−0.12 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▲Long white line	72,408 Forex, 1-hour	48.9% vs 50.6%	−0.01%	−0.04 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▲White closing marubozu	67,655 Forex, 1-hour	48.2% vs 50.6%	−0.01%	−0.05 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▼Black marubozu	32,497 Forex, 1-hour	42.1% vs 49.3%	−0.02%	−0.24 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
▲White marubozu	27,101 Forex, 1-hour	48.4% vs 50.6%	−0.01%	−0.07 R	Opposite of the textbook 10-bar move
◆Doji	327,386 Forex, 1-hour	n/a	n/a	−0.06 R	Weak, below chance 2:1 trade
◆Spinning top	198,751 Forex, 1-hour	n/a	n/a	−0.04 R	No clear edge 2:1 trade
◆High wave	193,259 Forex, 1-hour	n/a	n/a	−0.04 R	Weak, below chance 2:1 trade
▼Bearish engulfing	50,944 Forex, 1-hour	48.8% vs 49.2%	−0.001%	−0.08 R	Worse than chance 2:1 trade
▲Bullish engulfing	47,642 Forex, 1-hour	50.2% vs 50.6%	−0.002%	−0.05 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Long-legged doji	32,946 Forex, 1-hour	n/a	n/a	−0.02 R	No clear edge 2:1 trade
▼Bearish belt hold	21,947 Forex, 1-hour	47.7% vs 49.2%	−0.0004%	−0.12 R	Worse than chance 2:1 trade
▲Bullish belt hold	20,581 Forex, 1-hour	50.4% vs 50.6%	−0.001%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Rickshaw man	14,759 Forex, 1-hour	n/a	n/a	−0.03 R	No clear edge 2:1 trade
▼Bearish J-hook	13,862 Forex, 1-hour	46.3% vs 49.2%	−0.01%	−0.09 R	Worse than chance 2:1 trade
▲Bullish J-hook	13,715 Forex, 1-hour	49.6% vs 50.7%	−0.003%	−0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Gravestone doji	10,240 Forex, 1-hour	n/a	n/a	−0.07 R	Weak, below chance 2:1 trade
◆Dragonfly doji	9,724 Forex, 1-hour	n/a	n/a	−0.06 R	Weak, below chance 2:1 trade
▼Bearish key reversal bar	9,521 Forex, 1-hour	49.7% vs 49.1%	+0.002%	−0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Three outside down	9,023 Forex, 1-hour	48.4% vs 49.2%	+0.003%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish key reversal bar	8,647 Forex, 1-hour	49.1% vs 50.5%	+0.001%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Three outside up	8,510 Forex, 1-hour	49.8% vs 50.6%	−0.002%	−0.02 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish hikkake	7,431 Forex, 1-hour	47.4% vs 49.2%	−0.01%	−0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish hikkake	7,120 Forex, 1-hour	48.4% vs 50.6%	−0.01%	−0.02 R	Weak, below chance 10-bar move
▲Bullish ABCD	5,592^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	51.3% vs 50.6%	+0.01%	+0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Measured move up	5,549 Forex, 1-hour	49.4% vs 50.7%	−0.01%	−0.03 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Measured move down	5,526 Forex, 1-hour	49.0% vs 49.2%	−0.01%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Shooting star	4,333 Forex, 1-hour	48.0% vs 49.3%	−0.01%	−0.08 R	Weak, below chance 10-bar move
▲Three rising valleys	4,326 Forex, 1-hour	49.7% vs 50.7%	−0.004%	+0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Three falling peaks	4,157 Forex, 1-hour	49.2% vs 49.3%	−0.01%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Hammer	4,110 Forex, 1-hour	49.5% vs 50.7%	−0.01%	−0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Ugly double bottom	3,451 Forex, 1-hour	48.7% vs 50.6%	−0.004%	0.00 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Ugly double top	3,382 Forex, 1-hour	46.9% vs 49.2%	−0.01%	−0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Hanging man	3,350 Forex, 1-hour	51.8% vs 49.1%	+0.01%	−0.39 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Takuri	2,715 Forex, 1-hour	48.3% vs 50.7%	−0.01%	−0.08 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Falling channelupward breakouts; downward: same verdict	2,495 Forex, 1-hour	49.6% vs 50.6%	−0.003%	0.00 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Rising channeldownward breakouts; upward: same verdict	2,424 Forex, 1-hour	48.3% vs 49.2%	−0.002%	+0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish stalled (deliberation)	1,979 Forex, 1-hour	49.9% vs 49.1%	+0.02%	−0.18 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish Bart Simpson	1,973 Forex, 1-hour	48.7% vs 50.5%	−0.01%	0.00 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish Bart Simpson	1,940 Forex, 1-hour	45.3% vs 49.1%	−0.02%	−0.03 R	Weak, below chance 10-bar move
▼Bearish XABCD^{‡ (groups four patterns listed on their own)}	1,921^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	52.3% vs 49.2%	+0.01%	+0.03 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Double top	1,918 Forex, 1-hour	47.1% vs 49.2%	−0.002%	−0.03 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Double bottom	1,858 Forex, 1-hour	49.6% vs 50.5%	+0.001%	0.00 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Cradle	1,797 Forex, 1-hour	49.3% vs 50.6%	+0.004%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Inverse head and shoulders	1,792 Forex, 1-hour	51.0% vs 50.6%	+0.01%	−0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish XABCD^{‡ (groups four patterns listed on their own)}	1,780^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	52.4% vs 50.6%	+0.01%	+0.07 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish stalled	1,696 Forex, 1-hour	52.0% vs 50.6%	+0.02%	−0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Flat top breakout	1,684 Forex, 1-hour	49.9% vs 50.7%	−0.01%	−0.07 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Head and shoulders	1,669 Forex, 1-hour	47.6% vs 49.3%	−0.01%	−0.03 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Advance block	1,663 Forex, 1-hour	50.1% vs 49.1%	−0.01%	−0.14 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish Wolfe wave	1,638 Forex, 1-hour	50.1% vs 49.1%	+0.003%	0.00 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish Wolfe wave	1,504 Forex, 1-hour	50.3% vs 50.5%	+0.02%	−0.02 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼V top	1,491 Forex, 1-hour	47.9% vs 49.2%	+0.004%	−0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Identical three crows	1,486 Forex, 1-hour	50.2% vs 49.2%	−0.01%	−0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Dead cat bounce	1,463 Forex, 1-hour	47.1% vs 49.2%	−0.02%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲First green day	1,441 Forex, 1-hour	48.6% vs 50.7%	−0.03%	−0.05 R	Weak, below chance 10-bar move
▲Inverted dead cat bounce	1,405 Forex, 1-hour	46.1% vs 50.7%	+0.003%	−0.05 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Symmetrical triangleupward breakouts; downward: Promising	1,345 Forex, 1-hour	50.4% vs 50.7%	−0.01%	+0.02 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲V bottom	1,336 Forex, 1-hour	48.3% vs 50.7%	−0.01%	+0.03 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish 5-0	1,314 Forex, 1-hour	50.2% vs 50.5%	−0.01%	0.00 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Rising wedgedownward breakouts; upward: same verdict	1,278 Forex, 1-hour	49.1% vs 49.2%	+0.004%	−0.02 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Failed head and shoulders	1,188 Forex, 1-hour	50.3% vs 50.7%	−0.01%	−0.05 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Descending triangleupward breakouts; downward: same verdict	1,184 Forex, 1-hour	47.6% vs 50.6%	+0.0002%	+0.02 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bump-and-run reversal bottom	1,107 Forex, 1-hour	49.6% vs 50.7%	+0.0004%	0.00 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Failed inverse head and shoulders	1,103 Forex, 1-hour	49.4% vs 49.3%	−0.01%	−0.05 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bump-and-run reversal top	1,079 Forex, 1-hour	50.7% vs 49.2%	+0.02%	+0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Ascending triangledownward breakouts; upward: same verdict	1,036 Forex, 1-hour	48.6% vs 49.1%	−0.0002%	+0.08 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish Gartley	938^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	53.5% vs 49.2%	+0.02%	+0.09 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Descending right-angled broadeningupward breakouts; downward: same verdict	890 Forex, 1-hour	48.5% vs 50.6%	−0.002%	+0.03 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish shark	849 Forex, 1-hour	54.4% vs 50.6%	+0.01%	+0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Parabolic curve	750 Forex, 1-hour	51.2% vs 49.2%	−0.005%	+0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Rectangledownward breakouts; upward: same verdict	635 Forex, 1-hour	46.8% vs 49.3%	−0.01%	−0.01 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish butterfly	594 Forex, 1-hour	51.1% vs 49.2%	+0.002%	+0.02 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Triple top	573 Forex, 1-hour	46.2% vs 49.2%	−0.02%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish cypher	571 Forex, 1-hour	51.7% vs 49.3%	+0.01%	+0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish butterfly	558 Forex, 1-hour	53.9% vs 50.5%	+0.03%	+0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Triple bottom	525 Forex, 1-hour	50.0% vs 50.5%	−0.01%	−0.10 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish cypher	512 Forex, 1-hour	51.0% vs 50.6%	−0.003%	−0.12 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish bat	429^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	50.6% vs 49.2%	+0.02%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish bat	415^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	49.4% vs 50.6%	−0.02%	−0.07 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Inverted cup with handle	212 Forex, 1-hour	50.0% vs 49.1%	+0.01%	0.00 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Cup with handle	209 Forex, 1-hour	53.6% vs 50.6%	−0.03%	−0.03 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
◆Broadening formationupward breakouts; downward: same verdict	179^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	46.9% vs 50.8%	−0.02%	+0.05 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Three black crows	179 Forex, 1-hour	50.3% vs 49.3%	+0.005%	−0.05 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bear flagdownward breakouts; upward: same verdict	172^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	46.5% vs 49.4%	−0.04%	−0.17 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bull pennantupward breakouts; downward: Not enough data	172^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	51.2% vs 50.7%	−0.03%	−0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bull flagupward breakouts; downward: same verdict	169^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	50.3% vs 50.7%	−0.01%	+0.05 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Diamond bottomdownward breakouts; upward: same verdict	156 Forex, 1-hour	53.5% vs 49.5%	+0.01%	−0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Diamond topupward breakouts; downward: same verdict	154 Forex, 1-hour	45.5% vs 50.7%	+0.005%	−0.07 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bear pennantdownward breakouts; upward: same verdict	144^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	47.2% vs 49.2%	−0.01%	−0.10 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Three white soldiers	142 Forex, 1-hour	54.9% vs 50.3%	+0.003%	+0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish crab	133 Forex, 1-hour	57.1% vs 48.9%	+0.05%	+0.09 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Ascending scallop	127 Forex, 1-hour	43.3% vs 50.8%	−0.01%	−0.09 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Descending scallop	124 Forex, 1-hour	49.6% vs 49.1%	+0.03%	−0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish crab	107 Forex, 1-hour	49.5% vs 50.2%	+0.06%	−0.02 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish three drives	105 Forex, 1-hour	48.6% vs 50.6%	−0.01%	+0.09 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Rounding top	99 Forex, 1-hour	47.5% vs 49.1%	−0.02%	+0.04 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish three drives	93 Forex, 1-hour	58.1% vs 49.1%	+0.04%	+0.13 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish harami	90 Forex, daily	57.3% vs 49.3%	+0.13%	−0.10 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Rounding bottom	83 Forex, 1-hour	39.8% vs 50.5%	−0.08%	−0.13 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish harami	78 Forex, daily	55.1% vs 49.6%	+0.11%	+0.40 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Pipe bottom	75 Forex, daily	52.0% vs 51.0%	−0.10%	+0.06 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish modified hikkake	39 Forex, 1-hour	33.3% vs 49.0%	−0.07%	+0.67 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Bearish alternate bat	35^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	37.1% vs 49.2%	−0.08%	−0.29 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish harami cross	34 Forex, daily	54.5% vs 49.4%	+0.17%	+0.75 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▼Thrusting	34 Forex, daily	60.6% vs 48.9%	+0.38%	−0.19 R	No clear edge 10-bar move
▲Bullish modified hikkake	28 Forex, 1-hour	46.4% vs 50.4%	−0.02%	−0.22 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Bearish harami cross	25 Forex, weekly	40.0% vs 49.6%	+0.45%	+0.20 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Three inside up	20 Forex, daily	70.0% vs 51.3%	+0.33%	+1.00 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Bullish alternate bat	19^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	47.4% vs 50.3%	+0.05%	+0.05 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Cat ears	18^{* (undercounted)} Forex, 1-hour	50.0% vs 49.7%	−0.04%	+0.02 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Extended V top^{† (unverified)}	17 Forex, 1-hour	35.3% vs 49.6%	−0.15%	+0.11 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Three inside down	14 Forex, daily	57.1% vs 49.9%	−0.15%	−0.25 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Extended V bottom^{† (unverified)}	14 Forex, 1-hour	78.6% vs 50.7%	+0.16%	+0.62 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Breakaway gap up	10 Forex, daily	40.0% vs 60.4%	+0.05%	+1.10 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Morning star	10 Forex, daily	40.0% vs 50.5%	−1.13%	+0.29 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Piercing line	10 Forex, daily	60.0% vs 49.0%	+0.10%	+0.50 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Bullish doji star	9 Forex, daily	22.2% vs 50.2%	−0.82%	+0.03 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Bearish doji star	6 Forex, daily	33.3% vs 45.2%	−1.16%	+2.00 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Breakaway gap down	5 Forex, daily	80.0% vs 50.3%	−0.81%	+0.80 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Dark cloud cover	5 Forex, weekly	40.0% vs 48.1%	+0.34%	−0.49 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Stick sandwich	4 Forex, daily	25.0% vs 47.4%	−0.47%	−1.00 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Runaway gap down	3 Forex, daily	0.0% vs 48.5%	−2.28%	−1.00 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Volatility contraction pattern	3 Forex, daily	66.7% vs 52.9%	+0.61%	+1.27 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Homing pigeon	2 Forex, daily	50.0% vs 49.6%	−0.44%	n/a	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼In neck	2 Forex, daily	50.0% vs 49.1%	+0.07%	−1.00 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼On neck	2 Forex, daily	0.0% vs 51.2%	−1.40%	n/a	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Bearish counterattack	1 Forex, daily	0.0% vs 52.4%	−2.20%	n/a	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Evening star	1 Forex, daily	100.0% vs 49.2%	+0.40%	n/a	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Horn bottom	1 Forex, daily	100.0% vs 45.1%	+0.14%	+0.34 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Ladder top	1 Forex, daily	100.0% vs 46.2%	+0.42%	−1.00 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Matching low	1 Forex, daily	100.0% vs 49.1%	+2.42%	−1.00 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Rising three methods	1 Forex, weekly	0.0% vs 59.0%	−2.01%	+2.00 R	Not enough data 10-bar move
▼Bearish three-line strike	1 Forex, weekly	0.0% vs 42.4%	−0.46%	n/a	Not enough data 10-bar move
▲Bullish three-line strike	1 Forex, daily	0.0% vs 55.2%	−0.22%	n/a	Not enough data 10-bar move

Promising: better than chance on one of our two tests, but it did not pass all our checks. It can still be luck. * Undercounted: the count is what our strict rule detected, not every occurrence that formed. † Unverified: the detection was checked on too few cases to be confirmed, so read the whole line with caution. ‡ XABCD groups four harmonic patterns (Gartley, bat, butterfly, crab) that are also counted on their own, so it is not a separate result.

What is different about forex charts

Weekend gaps, and few others. Forex trades around the clock from Monday to Friday, then stops for the weekend. Our intraday results keep the weekend gap in: it is a real risk for any position held over the weekend. Gaps are rare otherwise: across our 10 gap patterns, we counted 23 occurrences on forex, all timeframes together, against 25,920 on 1,675 US stocks.
No central volume. Spot forex has no single exchange, so there is no market-wide volume to confirm a breakout. Our tests use price only, on every market, so the results here do not rely on volume.
Few pairs. Our data covers 25 currency pairs, so rare patterns get small samples: 29 patterns of 149 end up as "not enough data" on forex.
Same rules everywhere. Every pattern uses the same written rule on forex as on stocks or commodities, so a difference between markets comes from the market, not from a different reading.

How we tested

Each pattern is a strict written rule, run on the full price history of 2,368 assets across six markets, using only what was known at the time. What followed each occurrence is compared with what follows random bars of the same assets, on two tests: the move over the next 10 bars against the rest of the market, and a 2:1 trade against the same trade on random dates. A result only counts once it survives a correction for the thousands of tests we run, holds in both halves of the history and outlasts estimated costs. The whole pipeline first runs on random-walk prices, where no pattern can work. Method and data: the full study and open data.

Frequently asked questions

Do chart patterns work on forex?

On forex alone, no pattern beat chance after all our checks (multiple-testing correction, stability over time, costs) on any timeframe. For most patterns, what followed on forex could not be told apart from what follows a random bar of the same pair.

What are the best chart patterns for forex trading?

None passed all our checks on forex. The closest are bearish abcd, inverted hammer and bearish 5-0: promising on one test, not confirmed. Treat them as leads to check, not as setups.

What is the best timeframe for forex chart patterns?

On our data, no timeframe stands out: none shows a proven edge on one test. The comparison by timeframe is above.

Are forex chart patterns different from stock chart patterns?

The shapes are the same and we use the same rules. What changes is the market: forex stops on weekends, has no central volume and offers few pairs. The same patterns on all markets are in our chart patterns cheat sheet.