How to Read TensorCharts: Order Book, Heatmap and Executed Trades
A heatmap, an order book ladder and an executed-trades layer each show something different. Read them together and in the right order.
Short answer
Read TensorCharts-style screens in three layers: the order-book ladder shows current resting orders, the heatmap shows how those resting orders evolved over time, and executed-trade markers or tape show what actually traded. A level matters when resting size persisted on the heatmap and executed volume then hit it; it was likely absorbed if trades printed and the level held, pulled if it disappeared before price arrived, and consumed if trades ate through it. Confirm venue and market before reading any of it.
Three layers, three questions
| Layer | Answers | Does not answer |
|---|---|---|
| Order-book ladder | Where is liquidity right now? | Whether it will stay |
| Heatmap | Did liquidity persist or flicker? | Who placed it |
| Executed trades | Who aggressed, how much? | Intent behind resting orders |
Four outcomes at a level
| Heatmap before | Trades at level | Price after | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persistent size | Large volume | Holds | Absorbed |
| Persistent size | Large volume | Breaks | Consumed |
| Size vanishes early | Little | Passes | Pulled |
| Little size | Large volume | Stops anyway | Hidden or replenished liquidity |
Reading mistakes to avoid
Treating brightness as commitment. Large resting orders can be cancelled in milliseconds. A band that has persisted for hours is stronger evidence than one that appeared a minute before price arrived.
Ignoring the other side of the book. A bid wall matters relative to asks above it. If asks are thin, price can lift away; if asks are heavy, the wall may simply reflect a balanced, sticky range.
Mixing venues. A heatmap of one venue's book and a tape from several venues describe different markets. Match them.
Calling the outcome early. Absorbed, consumed and pulled are only knowable after price interacts with the level. Record the classification after the fact and count how often each outcome follows similar setups; that count is the useful output of heatmap reading.
What to verify in the product
Cross-check the same level with ChartsPod's heatmap, order book and footprint.
Open the live chart in ChartsPodRead identity, then the book, then its history, then executed trades, and classify levels only after you see what traded.
Related: TensorCharts vs ChartsPod: Compare Crypto Heatmap Coverage, TensorCharts Heatmap Filters: Colour Intensity vs Actual Liquidity.
See How to Read TensorCharts on live data in the free ChartsPod terminal.
Open the ChartsPod terminalQuestions readers ask
Is a bright heatmap band a support level?
Only evidence of resting size at the time. Check whether it persisted and what happened when trades arrived.
What does 'pulled' liquidity mean?
Resting orders cancelled before price reached them.
Which exchanges does TensorCharts cover?
Not verifiable in our research; check the live product.
Sources and methodology
TensorCharts' site could not be read directly by our tools on 17 October 2026; its public interface presents an order-book heatmap, tape, CVD and volume profile tools. This guide explains how to read those tool types and what to verify in the live product; it does not state TensorCharts' venues, retention or prices.
- TensorCharts public interface — heatmap, tape, CVD and profile tools; verify in product.
- Bookmap: crypto order-flow analysis — heatmap product for crypto.
- ChartsPod: product overview, pricing and FAQ — free terminal, venues, modules, no order placement; checked 17 Oct 2026.
This article explains research tools and workflows. It is not financial advice, does not recommend buying or selling any asset and does not predict prices. Crypto derivatives carry a risk of rapid and total loss of margin.
CHARTSPOD EDITORIAL EDITION · RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ONLY · NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE.