GitHub - Crypto Whale Watching App: Track Whale Activity in Cryptocurrency Markets

Introduction

Welcome to the Crypto Whale Watching App, a Python-based Dash application designed to track whale activity in cryptocurrency markets. This tool focuses on identifying large buy/sell orders ("whales") across exchanges, starting with GDAX (now Coinbase Pro). Whether you're a trader, developer, or crypto enthusiast, this guide will walk you through its purpose, functionality, and future potential.

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Key Features

• Real-time whale tracking: Identifies single-price and ladder-price whales.
• Interactive visualizations: Depth charts with algorithmic color-coding for easy whale spotting.
• Customizable updates: Adjust refresh rates (default: 5 seconds).
• Multi-exchange support: Initially optimized for GDAX, with plans to expand.

Why This App Matters

Cryptocurrency exchanges display buy/sell order volumes via depth charts, but they lack context on who is behind these orders. This app solves that by:

• Highlighting single-price whales: Large orders at one price point (e.g., 500 ETH at $1,000).
• Detecting ladder-price whales: Multiple medium-sized orders at incrementing prices (e.g., 10 orders of 50 ETH from $900–$1,000).
• Providing probabilistic insights: Brightest colors indicate higher whale likelihood.

Real-World Analogy

Imagine a coffee shop where:

• A single whale orders 100 lattes at once.
• A sneaky whale orders 5 lattes 20 times in a row.
  Both impact the market similarly—this app helps spot both patterns.

How to Spot Whales

Algorithmic Definitions

1. Single-Price Whales

   • Representation: Bubbles in the visualization.
   • Tooltip Data: Order price, volume, and count.

2. Ladder-Price Whales

   • Representation: Line bars spanning price ranges.
   • Tooltip Data: Order count, volume, price range, and total value.

Visualization Rules

• Threshold: Orders ≥1% of visible order book volume (±5% from market price).
• Color Coding: Bright colors = high whale probability.
• Dynamic Sizing: Bubble sizes scale with order volume.

User Guide

Installation Steps

1. Prerequisites: Python 3.6+ and required modules (pip install -r requirements.txt).
2. Run Locally: Execute python app.py and navigate to 127.0.0.1:8050 in your browser.

UI Features

• Pause/Resume: Freeze live updates to inspect specific data.
• Pair Toggle: Hide/show currency pairs (ETH/USD, BTC/USD, etc.).
• Parameter Customization: Modify volume thresholds or order book ranges in app.py.

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FAQs

Q1: Can I use this app for Binance or other exchanges?
A1: Currently optimized for GDAX, but expansion to Binance/Kraken is planned. Contribute via GitHub!

Q2: How often does the app update?
A2: Default is 5 seconds; adjust in the code for faster/slower refreshes.

Q3: What’s the difference between a whale and normal large orders?
A3: Whales often manipulate prices via concentrated orders. This app flags orders ≥1% of visible book volume.

Q4: Why are some bubbles darker than others?
A4: Darker colors indicate multiple orders at one price—reduced certainty of unilateral whale action.

How to Contribute

Community Support Needed

1. Technical Assistance: Improve code or propose features via GitHub issues.
2. Promotion: Star the repo to help grow the project!

Contribution Rules

• PR Requirements: Detailed descriptions, commented code, and tested integrations.
• Feature Requests: Open an issue for discussion.