Imbalance Ladder
Advanced order book analyzer that visualizes bid/ask imbalances across the price ladder—showing you where institutional limit orders are stacked and predicting short-term price moves.
What It Does
The Imbalance Ladder brings depth of market (DOM) analysis to TradingView. It visualizes the order book by showing where bid and ask orders are imbalanced—levels with heavy buy orders vs. sell orders signal support/resistance before price even gets there.
This is particularly powerful for scalpers and day traders who need to see where institutional limit orders are sitting. When bid-side imbalance is high, expect buying support; when ask-side imbalance is high, expect selling resistance.
Key Features
Bid/Ask Imbalance Visualization
Color-coded ladder showing bid vs. ask order size at each price level—green for bid-heavy, red for ask-heavy.
Institutional Order Detection
Highlights unusually large limit orders (institutional walls)—these often act as strong support/resistance.
Real-Time Order Book Updates
Refreshes in real-time as orders are added/removed—see institutional positioning as it changes.
Imbalance Ratio Display
Shows the bid/ask ratio at each level—ratios above 2:1 signal strong directional pressure.
Main Settings
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ladder Depth | 20 levels | How many price levels above/below to display |
| Imbalance Threshold | 2:1 | Bid/ask ratio to highlight as significant imbalance |
| Show Large Orders | true | Mark institutional-sized limit orders |
| Update Frequency | Real-time | How often order book data refreshes |
How to Use This Indicator
1. Identify Strong Imbalance Zones
Look for price levels with 2:1 or higher bid/ask imbalance—these act as magnets for price or strong support/resistance.
2. Watch for Institutional Walls
Large limit orders (walls) often prevent price from moving past a level—if the wall is pulled, expect a fast move in that direction.
3. Trade into Bid-Heavy Zones
When price pulls back into a bid-heavy zone (high buy order concentration), enter longs—institutions are providing liquidity to buy.
4. Avoid Ask-Heavy Zones for Longs
Ask-heavy zones (high sell order concentration) act as resistance—avoid taking longs into these areas unless you are scalping the rejection.
Pro Tip: Combine with Time & Sales Pulse
Use the Time & Sales Pulse to see when aggressive orders start hitting imbalanced levels—this confirms the imbalance is being absorbed or broken through.
View Time & Sales Pulse →Installation Instructions
Download the Pine Script file
Click the download button above
Open TradingView Pine Editor
Go to TradingView → Open chart → Pine Editor tab
Paste and save
Paste code → Save → Add to chart
Configure ladder depth
Adjust settings for your preferred view
See Order Book Without Staring at DOM
This indicator shows you order book imbalances, but reading DOM in real-time is exhausting. AI PIPS analyzes order flow and sends you precise entry signals.
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