Dark Pool Tracker 101

Tracking darkpool activity and unusual options trades can feel overwhelming for many traders. You might be missing out on large trades, block orders, or unusual volumes that could indicate where the market is heading. The Darkpool Orders feature in the Options Trading Toolbox is designed to solve this problem by putting all this data in one place and even showing it directly on stock charts. 

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to use this feature, understand the different types of darkpool orders, and turn these insights into actionable trading ideas. By the end, you’ll know how to spot major support and resistance levels and get an early look at potential breakouts.

What Are Darkpool Orders?

Definition

Darkpool orders are large trades that happen off the public exchange. They are typically executed by institutions or traders who don’t want the market to know about their positions immediately. Watching these trades can give you an edge, showing where big money is moving before it affects the market price.

Types of Orders

• Block Orders: One big purchase. It’s simple—someone buys a lot of contracts in a single transaction.
• Sweep Orders: A block order split into smaller trades across different strike prices or expiration dates to hide the full size. This can be picked up by the toolbox even if it’s split.
• Unusual Volume: This happens when trading volume suddenly exceeds the existing open interest for a reason that isn’t immediately clear. It signals high activity that could affect price movement.

Accessing the Darkpool Orders Feature

Navigating the Toolbox

Using this feature is simple. Go to the Options Trading Toolbox website and click on Darkpool Tracker. Once there, you’ll see a clear overview of what’s happening in the market.

Understanding the Overview

The Darkpool Tracker shows key metrics, including:

• Total volume – how many contracts were traded
• Transactions – number of trades executed
• Bullish flow – the direction of the trades
• Average premium per trade – for example, on a highly active day it might be around $6.8 million

This overview helps you understand how active the market is and where the largest trades are happening.

Reading and Interpreting Darkpool Data

Viewing Recent Trades

The tracker allows you to see recent trades with details like date, time, strike price, and contract size. For example:

• 3,000 contracts at the 646 put
• 124,000 contracts at the 680 put

This gives you a snapshot of where big money is moving in real time.

Using Historical Data

You can also track data over the last seven days to spot trends. This helps identify which tickers are being targeted repeatedly and provides context for making trading decisions.

Integrating Darkpool Orders with Stock Charts

Viewing Orders on the Chart

One of the most useful features of this tool is its integrated chart. Click on a ticker, like Palunteer, and you’ll see a 15-minute chart over the last 30 days. The chart shows where darkpool orders have occurred. Key trades are marked directly on the graph, making it easy to see:

• Major levels of support
• Areas of resistance
• Potential breakout points

Using Chart Data for Predictions

By analyzing where large orders are placed, you can anticipate market behavior. For example, if several large trades occur at the same strike price, that level may act as strong support or resistance. Understanding this gives you an early edge in trading.

Filtering and Customizing Your View

By Ticker

You can filter by ticker to focus on specific stocks you’re interested in. This ensures you’re not overwhelmed by irrelevant data.

By Order Type

The toolbox allows filtering by the type of order:

• Block – a single large purchase
• Sweep – a split-up large order
• Unusual Volume – volume exceeding open interest

Knowing what each type represents helps you understand why certain trades are appearing and what they might indicate for future price movement.

Using Darkpool Data for Trade Ideas

Once you understand the orders, you can turn them into potential trade ideas. For instance:

• Block orders may signal strong institutional interest and price movement in that direction.
• Sweep orders often indicate someone is trying to hide their large purchase but still suggests major intent.
• Unusual volume could highlight unexpected activity that may result in price swings.

Using these insights, you can make more informed decisions and plan trades around key levels and trends.

Why This Tool Is Valuable

The Darkpool Orders feature in the Options Trading Toolbox is the first free tracker with charts built in. It saves you time by showing all key data in one place and gives you clarity on major market moves without guessing. Whether you’re tracking block trades, sweeps, or unusual volume, this tool helps you spot market trends efficiently and make smarter trading decisions.

The Darkpool Orders feature makes it easy to track large, off-exchange trades and understand their impact on the market. You’ve learned:

• What darkpool orders are and the different types
• How to access and navigate the toolbox
• How to read and interpret the data
• How to see darkpool activity directly on stock charts
• How to use these insights for trade ideas

This tool is free, user-friendly, and provides critical market insights you can’t get anywhere else. Don’t miss out on tracking big trades that can influence stock prices.