Order blocks
An order block is the candle a strong move started from. Traders watch it as a zone where the same buying or selling may show up again.
Free plan · Sign in with MT4 or MT5 · Windows 10 and 11
On a real chart
How Arka Terminal marks it
- 01The swing path through confirmed highs and lows.
- 02Breaks of structure, where a close cleared a swing.
- 03Each break's starting candle, boxed as an order block with its volume.
XAU/USD 30m candles, Sep 28, 2026 to Sep 30, 2026. Every drawing is Arka Terminal's AI Structure Analysis of these candles. Nothing is placed by hand.
The shape
Where an order block comes from
The last down candle before an impulse that breaks a swing high. Price later returns to it.
How to read it
01
It needs a break
A block only counts if the move from it broke structure. A move that breaks nothing leaves no block.
02
Bullish blocks sit below price
A bullish block is the low point of the leg that broke a swing high. A bearish block is the mirror.
03
A close through it ends it
When a candle closes past the far side of the block, the block is spent.
04
Fresh blocks carry more weight
The first return to a block is the one traders watch most. Each later visit uses it up.
Common mistakes
Calling any candle a block
A down candle before a rise is common. Without a break of structure, it is just a candle.
Entering at the first touch blind
A block is an area. Wait for price to react there, with a stop beyond the block.
Keeping dead blocks
A block that price has closed through no longer marks anything. Remove it.
In Arka Terminal
One switch in the structure panel
- From each break
- For every BOS or CHoCH, the terminal finds the lowest candle of the leg (the highest for a bearish break) and boxes its range.
- Gone on a close
- A block is dropped once a candle closes through its far side.
- Volume on the box
- The three nearest blocks are drawn. Each label shows its candle's volume and its share of the three.
- Free on every plan
- The analysis runs on your PC. It uses no AI credits.
- Ask about it
- Arka Copilot reads the switches you have on and answers with the same prices the chart shows.
Order blocks, marked on your own chart
- Free on every plan
- Sign in with your MT4 or MT5 account
- Nine structure switches, no AI credits
Questions
What is an order block in trading?
The candle a strong move started from, where that move broke a swing. Traders watch it for a reaction when price returns.
Is there an order block indicator for MT5?
Arka Terminal marks order blocks automatically on its charts once you sign in with an MT4 or MT5 account. It is free on every plan.
What is the difference between an order block and a fair value gap?
The block is the candle the move started from. The gap is the empty range the move left behind it.
When is an order block invalid?
When a candle closes past its far side. The terminal removes it at that point.
Related terms
Market structure
Candles
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