Uptrick: Arbitrage Opportunity

29 dic 2024

INTRODUCTION
This script, titled Uptrick: Arbitrage Monitor, is a Pine Script™ indicator that aims to help traders quickly visualize potential arbitrage scenarios across multiple cryptocurrency exchanges. Arbitrage, in general, involves taking advantage of price differences for the same asset across different trading platforms. By comparing market prices of the same symbol on two user-selected exchanges, as well as scanning a broader list of exchanges, this script attempts to signal areas where you might want to buy on one exchange and sell on another. It includes various graphical tools, calculations, and an optional Automated Detection signal feature, allowing users to incorporate more advanced data scanning into their trading decisions. Keep in mind that transaction fees must also be considered in real-world scenarios. These fees can negate potential profits and, in some cases, result in a net loss.

PURPOSE
The primary purpose of this indicator is to show potential percentage differences between the same cryptocurrency trading pairs on two different exchanges. This difference is displayed numerically, visually as a line chart, and it is also tested against user-defined thresholds. With the threshold in place, buy and sell signals can be generated. The script allows you to quickly gauge how significant a spread is between two exchanges and whether that spread surpasses a specified threshold. This is particularly useful for arbitrage trading, where an asset is bought at a lower price on one exchange and sold at a higher price on another, capitalizing on price discrepancies. By identifying these opportunities, traders can potentially secure profits across different markets.

WHY IT WAS MADE
This script was developed to help traders who frequently look for arbitrage opportunities in the fast-paced cryptocurrency market. Cryptocurrencies sometimes experience quick price divergences across different exchanges. By having an automated approach that compares and displays prices, traders can spend less time manually tracking price discrepancies and more time focusing on actual trading strategies. The script was also made with user customization in mind, allowing you to toggle an optional Automated-based approach and choose different moving average methods to smooth out the displayed price difference.

WHAT ARBITRAGE IS
Arbitrage is the practice of buying an asset on one market (or exchange) at a lower price and simultaneously selling it on another market where the price is higher, thus profiting from the price difference. In cryptocurrency markets, these price differentials can occur across multiple exchanges due to varying liquidity, trading volume, geographic factors, or market inefficiencies. Though sometimes small, these differences can be exploited for profit when approached methodically.

EXPLANATION OF INPUTS
The script includes a variety of user inputs that help tailor the indicator to your specific needs:
1. Compared Symbol 1: This is the primary symbol you want to track (for example, BTCUSDT). Make sure it's written in all capital and make sure that it's price from that exchange is available on Tradingview.
2. Compare Exchange 1: The first exchange on which the script will request pricing data for the chosen symbol.
3. Compared to Exchange: The second exchange, used for the comparison.
4. Opportunity Threshold (%): A percentage threshold that, when exceeded by the price difference, can trigger buy or sell signals.
5. Plot Style?: Allows you to choose between plotting the raw difference line or a moving average of that difference.
6. MA Type: Select among SMA, EMA, WMA, RMA, or HMA for your moving average calculation.
7. MA Length: The lookback period for the selected moving average.
8. Plot Buy/Sell Signals?: Enables or disables the plotting of arrows signaling potential buy or sell zones based on threshold crossovers.
9. Automated Detection?: Toggles an additional multi-exchange data scan feature that calculates the highest and lowest prices for the specified symbol across a predefined list of exchanges.

CALCULATIONS
At its core, the script calculates price1 and price2 using the request.security function to fetch close prices from two selected exchanges. The difference is measured as (price1 - price2) / price2 * 100. This results in a percentage that indicates how much higher or lower price1 is relative to price2. Additionally, the script calculates a slope for this difference, which helps color the line depending on whether it is trending up or down. If you choose the moving average option, the script will replace the raw difference data with one of several moving average calculations (SMA, EMA, WMA, RMA, or HMA).

The script also includes an iterative scan of up to 15 different exchanges for Automated detection, collecting the highest and lowest price across all those exchanges. If the Automated option is enabled, it compiles a potential recommendation: buy at the cheapest exchange price and sell at the most expensive one. The difference across all exchanges (allExDiffPercent) is calculated using (highestPriceAll - lowestPriceAll) / lowestPriceAll * 100.

WHAT AUTOMATED DETECTION SIGNAL DOES
If enabled, the Automated detection feature scans all 15 supported exchanges for the specified symbol. It then identifies the exchange with the highest price and the exchange with the lowest price. The script displays a recommended action: buy on the lowest-exchange price and sell on the highest-exchange price. While called “Automated,” it is essentially a multi-exchange data query that automates a portion of research by consolidating different price points. It does not replace thorough analysis or guaranteed execution; it simply provides an overview of potential extremes.

WHAT ALL-EX-DIFF IS
The variable allExDiffPercent is used to show the overall difference between the highest price and the lowest price found among the 15 pre-chosen exchanges. This figure can be useful for anyone wanting a big-picture view of how large the arbitrage spread might be across the broader market.

SIGNALS AND HOW THEY ARE GENERATED
The script provides two main modes of signal generation:
1. Raw Difference Mode: If the user chooses “Use Normal Line,” the script compares the percentage difference of the two selected exchanges (price1 and price2) to the user-defined threshold. When the difference crosses under the positive threshold, a sell signal is displayed (red arrow). Conversely, when the difference crosses above the negative threshold, a buy signal is displayed (green arrow).
2. Moving Average Mode: If the user selects “Use Moving Average,” the script instead references the moving average values (maValue). The signals fire under similar conditions but use the average line to gauge whether the threshold has been crossed.

HOW TO USE THE INDICATOR
1. Add the script to your chart in TradingView.
2. In the script’s settings panel, configure the symbol you wish to compare (for example, BTCUSDT), choose the two exchanges you want to evaluate, and set your desired threshold.
3. Optionally, pick a moving average type and length if you prefer a smoother representation of the difference.
4. Enable or disable buy/sell signals according to your preference.
5. If you’d like to see potential extremes among a broader list of exchanges, enable Automated Detection. Keep in mind that this feature runs additional security requests, so it might slow down performance on weaker devices or if you already have many scripts running.

EXCHANGES TO USE
The script currently supports up to 15 exchanges: BYBIT, BINANCE, MEXC, BLOFIN, BITGET, OKX, KUCOIN, COINBASE, COINEX, PHEMEX, POLONIEX, GATEIO, BITSTAMP, and KRAKEN. You can choose any two of these for direct comparison, and if you enable the Automated detection, it will attempt to query them all to find extremes in real time.

VISUALS
The exchanges and current prices & differences are all plotted in the table while the colored line represents the difference in the price. The two thresholds colored red are where signals are generated. A cross below the upper threshold is a sell signal and a cross above the lower threshold is a buy signal. In the line at the bottom, purple is a negative slope and aqua is a positive slope.

LIMITATIONS AND POTENTIAL PROBLEMS
If you enable too many visual elements such as signals, additional lines, and the Automated-based scanning table, you may find that your chart becomes cluttered, or text might overlap. One workaround is to remove and reapply the indicator to refresh its display. You may also want to reduce the number of displayed table rows by disabling some features if your chart becomes too crowded. Sometimes there might be an error that the price of an asset is not available on an exchange, to fix this, go and select another exchange to compare it to, or if it happens in Automated detection, choose a different asset, ideally more widely spread.

UNIQUENESS
This indicator stands out due to its multifaceted approach: it doesn’t just look at two exchanges but optionally scans up to 15 exchanges in real time, presenting users with a much broader view of the market. The dual-mode system (raw difference vs. moving average) allows for both immediate, unfiltered signals and smoother, noise-reduced signals depending on user preference. By default, it introduces dynamic visual cues through color changes when the slope of the difference transitions upward or downward. The optional Automated detection, while not a deep learning system, adds a functional intelligence layer by collating extreme price points from multiple exchanges in one place, thereby streamlining the manual research process. This combination of features gives the script a unique edge in the TradingView ecosystem, catering equally to novices wanting a straightforward approach and to advanced users looking for an aggregated multi-exchange analysis.

CONCLUSION
Uptrick: Arbitrage Monitor is a versatile and customizable Pine Script™ indicator that highlights price differences for a specified symbol between two user-selected exchanges. Through signals, threshold-based alerts, and optional Automated detection across multiple exchanges, it aims to support traders in identifying potential arbitrage opportunities quickly and efficiently. This script makes no guarantees of profitability but can serve as a valuable tool to add to your trading toolkit. Always use caution when implementing arbitrage strategies, and be mindful of market risks, exchange fees, and latency.

ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES
This script is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice or a guarantee of performance. Users are encouraged to conduct thorough research and consider the inherent risks of arbitrage trading. Market conditions can change rapidly, and orders may fail to execute at desired prices, especially when large price discrepancies attract competition from other traders.