Market Fear Index

Two crowds, one number. Half comes from the Gold & Silver Fear Index — money running to safety — and half from the Crypto Fear & Greed reading turned upside down (100 minus the score), so that fear points the same way on both sides. When metals rise and crypto falls together, the reading climbs fast.

Behaviour, not headlines. Every other WTM index reads at least some news. This one reads only what investors are doing with real money, which makes it the check on the others: if tension is high and this stays low, the market is not buying the story yet.

Reading it. Same 0–100 scale and zones. Around 50 the two crowds cancel out; above 60 both are frightened; below 40 both are relaxed, which is when risk tends to be under-priced.

Month-by-month timeline → · public API field derived.market_fear · CC BY 4.0 · Informational only, not advice.

What investors are actually doing with their money. The Market Fear Index reads two crowds that rarely agree: safe-haven buyers in gold and silver, and risk-takers in crypto. Half from the Gold & Silver Fear Index, half from the crypto reading inverted so that fear points up.

Why behaviour beats headlines. News can be loud and markets calm. This index ignores what people say and reads what they buy. When metals rise and crypto falls at the same time, fear is real.

How to read it. Around 50 means the two crowds disagree, which is the normal state of the world. A move above 60 means both are scared. A drop below 40 means both are relaxed — historically the moment risk is under-priced.

• Gold and silver strength — the flight-to-safety half.
• Crypto fear — a bitcoin drawdown or liquidation wave (inverted Fear & Greed).
• Volatility spikes — feed both halves at once.
• Relief rallies — crypto bounces pull the score down faster than gold sells off.

Today: 48 — Stable. Markets are steady with light hedging.

Direction: it fell 4 points over the last 7 days and held flat over 30 days. Our record since 23 July averages 50.5, so today sits close to its own normal.

The biggest contribution right now comes from gold silver at 55.

The scale. Under 40 means both crowds are relaxed. 40–54 is the normal tug of war. 55–67 means fear is winning. Above 67 means a broad flight to safety.

September 2026 so far. Average 50.8 over 21 days. Peak 54 on 10 September, low 48 on 3 September. Read the September story →

Last month averaged 49.4, so this month is running higher by 1.4. Every month on record →

How is this different from the VIX?

The VIX prices expected stock volatility for the next month. This index reads real money flows in metals and crypto right now. They usually agree; when they do not, the crowd is often right before the options market.

Why put crypto in a fear index?

Because it is the most sensitive risk asset on earth and trades 24/7. It sells first in a scare and recovers first in relief, which gives the index its speed.

What does a reading of 50 mean?

Balance. Safe-haven buying and risk appetite are cancelling out. Most days sit between 40 and 60; the signal is in the breakouts.

Does it predict crashes?

No. It tells you how afraid the market already is. A very high reading means the fear is priced; a very low reading during bad news is the combination worth respecting.