Orderflow Pivots: Identifying Shift Points in Market Control
Orderflow pivots are the exact moments when control flips from buyers to sellers or sellers to buyers. These shifts happen before structure breaks, before indicators react, and before retail even notices something changed. If you learn to spot them, you can position ahead of major reversals instead of chasing them.
What an Orderflow Pivot Actually Is
An orderflow pivot is the first point of real absorption or aggression that interrupts the prior trend’s momentum. It’s where the dominant side starts losing efficiency and the opposing side steps in with coordinated force.
- Buyers stop lifting offers
- Sellers stop hitting bids
- Resting liquidity begins absorbing
- Counter-aggression suddenly prints
You often see this just before a failed breakout, because the pivot forms before the trap springs.
How Orderflow Pivots Show Up on the Tape
Orderflow pivots create very specific signatures:
| Pivot Type | Signature | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption Pivot | Large passive orders stopping the move | Trend weakening |
| Aggression Pivot | Sudden opposite-side hitting the book | Control flipping |
| Liquidity Pivot | Stop clusters firing early | Momentum turning |
Why Orderflow Pivots Precede Structure Breaks
Structure breaks happen after control flips — not before. Orderflow pivots are the flip. Price structure only reacts afterward. That’s why traders who ignore orderflow are always late.
This is the same reason midpoint retests matter (see midpoint mechanics) — they highlight whether the pivot is real.
How to Trade Orderflow Pivots
You’re not trying to guess. You’re waiting for confirmation that the pivot holds.
- Identify the absorption or aggression shift
- Mark the origin of the pivot
- Wait for displacement in the new direction
- Enter on the first pullback to the pivot
This method front-runs the trend without gambling on blind reversals.
The Bottom Line
Orderflow pivots reveal who’s actually in control — long before price confirms it. If you can read these shifts early, you stop fighting the tape and start trading alongside the real players.