CRT (Candle Range Theory) Scanner
Candle range theory (CRT) reads two candles at a time. This scanner checks every closed candle on 16 futures markets for the CRT pattern and alerts you the moment the sweep is confirmed, which is when the sweeping candle closes back inside the range.
What is candle range theory?
In CRT a single candle sets a range: its high and its low. The next candle then sweeps one side of that range, pushing beyond its high or its low, and closes back inside it. The sweep takes the liquidity resting beyond the extreme, and the close back inside suggests the move was rejected.
A sweep of the low is read as bullish, and a sweep of the high as bearish. Many CRT traders then watch the middle of the range as a level, and the opposite side of the range as a target.
Bullish and bearish CRT examples
The box is the range set by the first candle. The blue line marks the sweeping candle, where the alert fires.
Bullish CRT sweep confirmed
Bearish CRT sweep confirmed
How our CRT scanner decides what counts
- The candle after the range candle takes out one side only. A candle that takes out both the high and the low is ignored, because the direction is ambiguous.
- The sweeping candle must close back inside the range. A close beyond the range means no CRT.
- The direction is the opposite of the side that was swept: a swept low is bullish, a swept high is bearish.
- Closed candles only. The alert is sent when the sweeping candle closes, once per pattern.
CRT versus a liquidity sweep of a level
A CRT sweeps the range of the single candle before it. The liquidity sweep scanner watches for sweeps of bigger, more widely watched levels: the previous 1 hour, 4 hour and day highs and lows, and the Asia and New York session highs and lows. The two are separate alerts, so you can follow either or both.
Reading CRT alerts with care
Sweeps of a single previous candle happen constantly on small timeframes, and most lead nowhere. Higher-timeframe ranges carry more weight for many traders, which is why the timeframe filter matters. The scanner reports the pattern. It does not measure how often it works.
Setting up CRT alerts
Choose "CRT" as the alert type. Higher-timeframe ranges carry more weight for many traders, so the 1 hour and 4 hour charts are a common place to start, with the smaller charts added later.
Because a CRT sweep only needs two candles, small timeframes produce a lot of them. Filtering by timeframe and direction is the easiest way to keep the number manageable.
- Choose the alert type: CRT.
- Pick your markets and timeframes.
- Set a direction if you trade one side only.
- Choose email, Discord or both.
- Press Send test.
The alert this scanner sends
| Alert | Sent when |
|---|---|
| CRT sweep confirmed | A candle sweeps one side of the previous candle's range and closes back inside it. |
Frequently asked questions
What is CRT in trading?
Candle range theory. One candle sets a range, and the next sweeps its high or low and closes back inside. Traders read the sweep as liquidity taken and rejected.
Is a swept low bullish or bearish?
Bullish. A sweep of the low that closes back inside the range is read as liquidity taken and rejected. A swept high is read as bearish.
What if a candle sweeps both sides?
It is ignored. Taking out both the high and the low does not give a clear direction.
When does the CRT alert fire?
When the sweeping candle closes back inside the range, not when the sweep first happens, so the alert is never withdrawn.
What timeframes does the CRT scanner cover?
The 1, 3, 5, 15 minute, 1 hour and 4 hour charts on 16 futures markets.
How is CRT different from a liquidity sweep?
A CRT sweeps the high or low of the single candle before it. A liquidity sweep is a sweep of a named level: the previous 1 hour, 4 hour or day high or low, or the Asia or New York session extremes. Each has its own alert and scanner.
Learn more and use it on a chart
- ICT trading concepts for futures — Market structure, fair value gaps and liquidity explained for futures traders.
- Open the charting page — The chart tools, including fair value gap and inverse FVG drawing, live here.
Related scanners
- Liquidity Sweep Scanner — Free live liquidity sweep scanner for 16 futures markets. Alerts when price sweeps the previous 1H, 4H, day, Asia or NY session high or low.
- Rejection Block Scanner — Free live rejection block scanner for 16 futures markets. Alerts when a block forms, is retested, or price returns to the rejection wick or its 50%.
- Breaker Block Scanner — Free live breaker block scanner for 16 futures markets. See when price retests a failed order block that has flipped, and set up alerts for it.
- Fibonacci Retracement Alerts — Free live scanner for Fibonacci retracement touches on 16 futures markets, including the 61.8% to 88.8% OTE zone, with alerts you can set up.
- Live futures chart scanner — every alert type, updated as candles close.
Alerts are informational and are not trading advice. They show that a pattern was detected, not where price will go, and patterns often fail. Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss.