Bookmap CVD Explained: How Cumulative Volume Delta Works
Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) shows whether buyers or sellers are hitting the market harder. Bookmap makes CVD more accurate than most platforms because it uses real executed orders—not estimates or chart-based reconstructions. If you want to know who is actually in control, this is where to look.
What CVD Measures
CVD tracks the difference between aggressive buy orders and aggressive sell orders. Every executed market order affects the line:
- Market Buy → CVD goes up
- Market Sell → CVD goes down
Bookmap pulls this directly from the tape, so the line reflects the actual fight between buyers and sellers.
Types of CVD in Bookmap
Bookmap generally uses one standard version of CVD, but you can view it in different formats:
- Standard CVD – cumulative net delta
- Per-instrument CVD – each chart has its own CVD
- CVD with bubble context – best for divergence reading
We already covered bubble behavior in Bookmap Volume Bubbles if you need a refresher.
How to Read CVD
1. Rising CVD
Buyers are hitting aggressively. If price follows, the trend is confirmed.
2. Falling CVD
Sellers are hitting harder. If price follows, downward pressure is real.
3. Flat CVD
Low aggression. Market is balanced or waiting for a catalyst.
CVD Divergences
Bookmap CVD divergences are cleaner than standard chart divergences because they’re based on real trades.
Bullish Divergence
- Price makes new lows
- CVD refuses to make new lows
Indicates seller exhaustion.
Bearish Divergence
- Price makes new highs
- CVD pushes weaker highs or stalls
Indicates buyer exhaustion.
CVD + Liquidity
CVD means nothing without liquidity context. Combine it with the heatmap:
- Rising CVD + liquidity pulling → strong upward pressure
- Falling CVD + liquidity vanishing below → strong downward pressure
- Divergence + stacked liquidity → potential reversal area
If you need a refresher on liquidity behavior, read Bookmap Liquidity Behavior.
Order Flow Confirmation with CVD
CVD is best used as confirmation, not prediction. It should line up with:
- executed volume clusters
- pulling or stacking liquidity
- DOM imbalance changes
- bubble streaks from momentum players
If one of these conflicts with CVD, the weaker signal is ignored.
Common Mistakes With CVD
- Expecting CVD to predict reversals by itself
- Ignoring liquidity when reading the delta line
- Using too short a time window, causing noise
- Confusing CVD with footprint delta (different tool)
Final Thoughts
CVD is one of the cleanest ways to see real buying and selling pressure on Bookmap. Use it to confirm direction, spot exhaustion, and filter fake breakouts. When CVD lines up with liquidity shifts and volume bubbles, you’re seeing the actual intention of traders—not just the price path.