Crypto crowding — 23 August 2026
Where leverage was most piled into longs (crowded, and historically prone to lag) versus the calm, least-crowded coins — from the score we saved that day, before the outcome was known.
Most crowded todaylongs piled in — historically lag the pack
1XMRIOX 07d funding +0.021%crowded longs→2BNBIOX 27d funding +0.011%crowded longs→3BATIOX 47d funding +0.010%crowded longs→4EOSIOX 67d funding +0.010%crowded longs→5THETAIOX 87d funding +0.010%crowded longs→Least crowded todaythe calm, clean side
1JSTIOX 1007d funding -0.007%not crowded→2ZILIOX 987d funding -0.006%not crowded→3ATOMIOX 967d funding +0.002%not crowded→4XTZIOX 947d funding +0.003%not crowded→5SANDIOX 927d funding +0.003%not crowded→Most wound-up todaythe coiled springs — big funding either way; historically bigger moves, direction unknown
1XMRtension 1007d funding +0.021%longs stretched→2BNBtension 997d funding +0.011%longs stretched→3EOStension 977d funding +0.010%longs stretched→4BATtension 977d funding +0.010%longs stretched→5THETAtension 947d funding +0.010%longs stretched→Tension is the size of 7-day funding with the sign ignored, ranked across all 68 coins scored this day. Coins this wound-up historically moved roughly 10% more than their own usual over the following days — tested on 2019→2026 history including delisted coins. Direction is a coin-flip: a short-loaded spring snapped up (a squeeze) about as often as down. Context, not part of the IOX score. How we validated this →
How to read this: IOX is a crowding rank from 0–100, not a price prediction and not a buy/sell signal. A low score means traders are piling into longs on that coin (the kind of crowded trade that has tended to lag); a high score means longs are not crowded. The edge is small and not yet proven — we are early in the live record (see the live track record for exactly how far along, and how the score is built). Scored 23 August 2026. Not investment advice.