Volume Weighted RSI (VW RSI)

The Volume Weighted RSI (VW RSI) is a momentum oscillator designed for TradingView, implemented in Pine Script v6, that enhances the traditional Relative Strength Index (RSI) by incorporating trading volume into its calculation. Unlike the standard RSI, which measures the speed and change of price movements based solely on price data, the VW RSI weights its analysis by volume, emphasizing price movements backed by significant trading activity. This makes the VW RSI particularly effective for identifying bullish or bearish momentum, overbought/oversold conditions, and potential trend reversals in markets where volume plays a critical role, such as stocks, forex, and cryptocurrencies.

Key Features

Volume-Weighted Momentum Calculation:

The VW RSI calculates momentum by comparing the volume associated with upward price movements (up-volume) to the volume associated with downward price movements (down-volume).
Up-volume is the volume on bars where the closing price is higher than the previous close, while down-volume is the volume on bars where the closing price is lower than the previous close.
These volumes are smoothed over a user-defined period (default: 14 bars) using a Running Moving Average (RMA), and the VW RSI is computed using the formula:
\text{VW RSI} = 100 - \frac{100}{1 + \text{VoRS}}
where
\text{VoRS} = \frac{\text{Average Up-Volume}}{\text{Average Down-Volume}}
.
Oscillator Range and Interpretation:

The VW RSI oscillates between 0 and 100, with a centerline at 50.
Above 50: Indicates bullish volume momentum, suggesting that volume on up bars dominates, which may signal buying pressure and a potential uptrend.
Below 50: Indicates bearish volume momentum, suggesting that volume on down bars dominates, which may signal selling pressure and a potential downtrend.
Overbought/Oversold Levels: User-defined thresholds (default: 70 for overbought, 30 for oversold) help identify potential reversal points:
VW RSI > 70: Overbought, indicating a possible pullback or reversal.
VW RSI < 30: Oversold, indicating a possible bounce or reversal.
Visual Elements:
VW RSI Line: Plotted in a separate pane below the price chart, colored dynamically based on its value:
Green when above 50 (bullish momentum).
Red when below 50 (bearish momentum).
Gray when at 50 (neutral).
Centerline: A dashed line at 50, optionally displayed, serving as the neutral threshold between bullish and bearish momentum.
Overbought/Oversold Lines: Dashed lines at the user-defined overbought (default: 70) and oversold (default: 30) levels, optionally displayed, to highlight extreme conditions.
Background Coloring: The background of the VW RSI pane is shaded red when the indicator is in overbought territory and green when in oversold territory, providing a quick visual cue of potential reversal zones.
Alerts:
Built-in alerts for key events:
Bullish Momentum: Triggered when the VW RSI crosses above 50, indicating a shift to bullish volume momentum.
Bearish Momentum: Triggered when the VW RSI crosses below 50, indicating a shift to bearish volume momentum.
Overbought Condition: Triggered when the VW RSI crosses above the overbought threshold (default: 70), signaling a potential pullback.
Oversold Condition: Triggered when the VW RSI crosses below the oversold threshold (default: 30), signaling a potential bounce.
Input Parameters
VW RSI Length (default: 14): The period over which the up-volume and down-volume are smoothed to calculate the VW RSI. A longer period results in smoother signals, while a shorter period increases sensitivity.
Overbought Level (default: 70): The threshold above which the VW RSI is considered overbought, indicating a potential reversal or pullback.
Oversold Level (default: 30): The threshold below which the VW RSI is considered oversold, indicating a potential reversal or bounce.
Show Centerline (default: true): Toggles the display of the 50 centerline, which separates bullish and bearish momentum zones.
Show Overbought/Oversold Lines (default: true): Toggles the display of the overbought and oversold threshold lines.
How It Works
Volume Classification:
For each bar, the indicator determines whether the price movement is upward or downward:
If the current close is higher than the previous close, the bar’s volume is classified as up-volume.
If the current close is lower than the previous close, the bar’s volume is classified as down-volume.
If the close is unchanged, both up-volume and down-volume are set to 0 for that bar.
Smoothing:
The up-volume and down-volume are smoothed using a Running Moving Average (RMA) over the specified period (default: 14 bars) to reduce noise and provide a more stable measure of volume momentum.
VW RSI Calculation:
The Volume Relative Strength (VoRS) is calculated as the ratio of smoothed up-volume to smoothed down-volume.
The VW RSI is then computed using the standard RSI formula, but with volume data instead of price changes, resulting in a value between 0 and 100.
Visualization and Alerts:
The VW RSI is plotted with dynamic coloring to reflect its momentum direction, and optional lines are drawn for the centerline and overbought/oversold levels.
Background coloring highlights overbought and oversold conditions, and alerts notify the trader of significant crossings.
Usage
Timeframe: The VW RSI can be used on any timeframe, but it is particularly effective on intraday charts (e.g., 1-hour, 4-hour) or daily charts where volume data is reliable. Shorter timeframes may require a shorter length for increased sensitivity, while longer timeframes may benefit from a longer length for smoother signals.
Markets: Best suited for markets with significant and reliable volume data, such as stocks, forex, and cryptocurrencies. It may be less effective in markets with low or inconsistent volume, such as certain futures contracts.
Trading Strategies:
Trend Confirmation:
Use the VW RSI to confirm the direction of a trend. For example, in an uptrend, look for the VW RSI to remain above 50, indicating sustained bullish volume momentum, and consider buying on pullbacks when the VW RSI dips but stays above 50.
In a downtrend, look for the VW RSI to remain below 50, indicating sustained bearish volume momentum, and consider selling on rallies when the VW RSI rises but stays below 50.
Overbought/Oversold Conditions:
When the VW RSI crosses above 70, the market may be overbought, suggesting a potential pullback or reversal. Consider taking profits on long positions or preparing for a short entry, but confirm with price action or other indicators.
When the VW RSI crosses below 30, the market may be oversold, suggesting a potential bounce or reversal. Consider entering long positions or covering shorts, but confirm with additional signals.
Divergences:
Look for divergences between the VW RSI and price to spot potential reversals. For example, if the price makes a higher high but the VW RSI makes a lower high, this bearish divergence may signal an impending downtrend.
Conversely, if the price makes a lower low but the VW RSI makes a higher low, this bullish divergence may signal an impending uptrend.
Momentum Shifts:
A crossover above 50 can signal the start of bullish momentum, making it a potential entry point for long trades.
A crossunder below 50 can signal the start of bearish momentum, making it a potential entry point for short trades or an exit for long positions.
Example
On a 4-hour SOLUSDT chart:
During an uptrend, the VW RSI might rise above 50 and stay there, confirming bullish volume momentum. If it approaches 70, it may indicate overbought conditions, as seen near a price peak of 145.08, suggesting a potential pullback.
During a downtrend, the VW RSI might fall below 50, confirming bearish volume momentum. If it drops below 30 near a price low of 141.82, it may indicate oversold conditions, suggesting a potential bounce, as seen in a slight recovery afterward.
A bullish divergence might occur if the price makes a lower low during the downtrend, but the VW RSI makes a higher low, signaling a potential reversal.
Limitations
Lagging Nature: Like the traditional RSI, the VW RSI is a lagging indicator because it relies on smoothed data (RMA). It may not react quickly to sudden price reversals, potentially missing the start of new trends.
False Signals in Ranging Markets: In choppy or ranging markets, the VW RSI may oscillate around 50, generating frequent crossovers that lead to false signals. Combining it with a trend filter (e.g., ADX) can help mitigate this.
Volume Data Dependency: The VW RSI relies on accurate volume data, which may be inconsistent or unavailable in some markets (e.g., certain forex pairs or futures contracts). In such cases, the indicator’s effectiveness may be reduced.
Overbought/Oversold in Strong Trends: During strong trends, the VW RSI can remain in overbought or oversold territory for extended periods, leading to premature exit signals. Use additional confirmation to avoid exiting too early.
Potential Improvements
Smoothing Options: Add options to use different smoothing methods (e.g., EMA, SMA) instead of RMA for the up/down volume calculations, allowing users to adjust the indicator’s responsiveness.
Divergence Detection: Include logic to detect and plot bullish/bearish divergences between the VW RSI and price, providing visual cues for potential reversals.
Customizable Colors: Allow users to customize the colors of the VW RSI line, centerline, overbought/oversold lines, and background shading.
Trend Filter: Integrate a trend strength filter (e.g., ADX > 25) to ensure signals are generated only during strong trends, reducing false signals in ranging markets.
The Volume Weighted RSI (VW RSI) is a powerful tool for traders seeking to incorporate volume into their momentum analysis, offering a unique perspective on market dynamics by emphasizing price movements backed by significant trading activity. It is best used in conjunction with other indicators and price action analysis to confirm signals and improve trading decisions.