A Golden Cross happens when a short-term moving average rises above a long-term moving average.
Most common combo:
50-day moving average crosses above
200-day moving average
Meaning
Momentum is turning bullish
Buyers are gaining control
Often seen as a medium to long-term uptrend signal
Picture a fast train overtaking a slow freight train and staying ahead. 🚄
A Death Cross is the opposite:
50-day moving average crosses below
200-day moving average
Meaning
Momentum turns bearish
Sellers dominate
Often linked with prolonged downtrends
Here, the fast train loses steam and slips behind. 🛑
Apple (AAPL), 2019
After the 2018 sell-off, AAPL formed a Golden Cross in mid-2019
Result: A strong multi-year rally followed
S&P 500, April 2020
After the COVID crash
Golden Cross appeared as stimulus kicked in
Marked the start of a historic bull run
S&P 500, March 2020
Death Cross appeared during the COVID panic
Confirmed bearish momentum already in motion
Important note: the Death Cross came after a big drop. These signals confirm trends, they rarely predict the very start.
Crypto loves drama, so these crosses appear more often.
Golden Cross – May 2020
Occurred before the 2020–2021 bull market
BTC later surged from around $9k toward $60k+
Death Cross – June 2022
During the crypto winter
Confirmed the bearish phase after the crash from all-time highs
Golden Cross – July 2020
ETH began a strong uptrend
Later exploded during DeFi and NFT cycles
Death Cross – January 2022
Signaled weakening momentum
Aligned with the broader crypto downturn
XRP often shows false crosses due to sideways action
Golden Crosses during low volume periods frequently failed
Lesson: crosses work best in trending markets, not ranges
Golden Cross – 2019
Preceded the rally toward $2,000+
Investors fled to safety as global uncertainty grew
Death Cross – 2013
Confirmed the end of the post-2008 gold bull run
Silver tends to exaggerate gold’s moves
Golden Crosses often lead to sharp rallies
Death Crosses can be brutal and fast
Silver is caffeine-fueled gold. ☕⚡
Golden Cross and Death Cross are:
Lagging indicators
Best used with:
Volume
RSI
Support and resistance
Macro context
Bad habit: buying immediately on a Golden Cross
Better habit: waiting for pullbacks and confirmation