History for this source only (CNN Fear & Greed (equities))
Updated 9/11/2026, 11:59:53 PM
Live prices
Bitcoin and S&P 500 first.
Bitcoin is the crypto lead. S&P 500 is the equity lead. The boards below are the next 20 by market cap (crypto) and a mix of major indexes plus large-cap stocks.
The Fear & Greed Index compresses crowding, volatility, and safe-haven bid into a 0–100 score. Crypto (alternative.me) and U.S. equities (CNN) are different machines: Bitcoin weights social volume and dominance; CNN weights VIX, junk bonds, put/call, and breadth. Treat them as two dashboards, not one mood.
Crypto tape
Greed — take the easy chips off
alternative.me 63 · Greed
56–75 is when social feeds get loud. Trim into strength, raise cash a little, and stop adding risk just because the last five sessions were green. Greed pays the patient, not the late long.
Equity tape
Fear — hunt quality, skip leverage
CNN 33 · Fear
The 26–45 band is caution, not collapse. Prefer balance-sheet strength, BTC/S&P beta you already understand, and avoid new leverage while liquidity is thin. Fear often fades in days; forced selling does not.
How to use both indexes together
Divergence. Crypto greedy / stocks fearful (or the reverse) is a regime split, not a bug. Size the asset class that is fearful, not the one that is already crowded.
Counter-trend. Classic play: add on extreme fear, reduce on extreme greed. That only works with a horizon of weeks, not minutes, and with stops you will actually honor.
Trend-follow. Some desks only add risk when fear is rising through 50 and cut when greed rolls over. That respects momentum instead of calling a top.
This is not advice. Fear & Greed is a crowding gauge. Pair it with liquidity, positioning, and your own constraints. Past readings do not guarantee future returns.