The ICT IPDA Quarterly Shift Framework is a powerful tool for anticipating major market moves in crypto (and all markets) 💎
The Interbank Price Delivery Algorithm (IPDA) — as taught by ICT — uses specific time-based ranges to hunt liquidity and drive price.
Here's the core breakdown in simple terms:
Lookback Calibration (20-40-60 Standard)
- 20-day lookback (excludes Sundays/trading days): Focuses on recent liquidity pools
- 40-day lookback : Intermediate range for building context
- 60-day lookback: Longer-term view — often the key for bigger shifts
These periods help spot where smart money has pooled orders (highs/lows) in the past.
Quarterly Reset Cycles & Shifts
Markets tend to reset or shift direction every ~3 months (quarterly):
- Winter Reset → Spring Shift (Dec–Mar)
- Spring → Summer/Fall (Mar–Jun)
- And so on...
These seasonal tendencies combine with SMT divergences (Smart Money Technique) on higher timeframes to predict upcoming changes.
The 60-Day Calculation Rule (Casting Forward)
[Days since last major shift] + [Cast-forward days] = 60
This helps forecast when the algo might target beyond the current range — sweeping old highs/lows often signals a violent impulse move 🚀
Price Range Quadrants in the 60-Day Window
- Divide the range: 50% midpoint, 25%, 12.5% levels (based on candle bodies)
- Price chopping inside = consolidation
- Expansion beyond (sweeping extremes) = strong bullish/bearish impulse
Pro tip: When price reaches the edge of the 60-day range and shows rejection or displacement + MSS (market structure shift), watch for a quarterly shift — it often flips the trend.
How do you use IPDA ranges in your trading? Drop your thoughts or favorite setup below! 👇
This post is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Always do your own research. Avoid leverage or futures trading and focus on spot trading only.
