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What is EMA (Exponential Moving Average)?
An EMA is a type of moving average that gives more weight to recent prices, making it more responsive to new information than a Simple Moving Average (SMA).
Full Explanation
The Exponential Moving Average (EMA) is a moving average that places greater weight on the most recent data points, making it react faster to price changes than a Simple Moving Average (SMA). Common EMA periods in crypto: 9 (short-term), 20 (medium), 50 (medium-long), 200 (long-term trend). When a shorter EMA crosses above a longer EMA, it's a "golden cross" (bullish signal). When it crosses below, it's a "death cross" (bearish). Price staying above the 200 EMA generally indicates a bullish trend.
Example
A "golden cross" occurs when the 50-day EMA crosses above the 200-day EMA — this happened before Bitcoin's major rallies in 2020 and 2023.
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Last updated: 2026-03-21
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