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NexusTrade guide

Build and backtest BTC 50-day trend

Follow the price above its 50-day average and return to cash when that trend breaks.

As of 2026-10-10

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TL;DR

This Bitcoin strategy buys above its 50 day average and exits at or below it, using 95% of available buying power. In the 2024 simulation, it returned 56.61%, versus 119.27% for Bitcoin buy and hold and 25.30% for SPY. Reported maximum drawdown was 28.77%, with $1,909.24 in trading fees on $10,000 of starting capital. Use the recorded signals and fills to inspect that tradeoff; the displayed year has already been viewed and is a development example.

Follow the example

Step 1 of 3

Read this pair's entry and exit

Read this pair’s entry condition, purchase amount and exit in the saved rules below.

Entry
Saved rule: Price > SMA(50, Day) AND position value = 0
Exit
Saved rule: Price <= SMA(50, Day) AND position value > 0
Allocation
Saved rule: 95% of buying power per entry; sell 100% of held units on exit
Pair
Saved rule: BTC-USD
What you should see

The plain-language purpose matches the saved rules below. Keep the rule, purchase size and exit together when creating your version.

BTC 50-day trend: completed 2024 backtest with SPY and BTC buy and hold25.3K8.9K2024-01-012024-12-31
BTC 50-day trend 2024-12-31, 21:00:00 UTC
15,660.69
SPY buy and hold 2024-12-31, 21:00:00 UTC
12,530.29
BTC buy and hold 2024-12-31, 21:00:00 UTC
21,926.92
BTC 50-day trendSPY buy and holdBTC buy and holdHistorical simulation
Completed 2024 historical simulation. The plotted observations and comparison series are preserved.
Step 2 of 3

Completed 2024 backtest

Explore the completed 2024 simulation below. Compare its recorded return and drawdown with the plotted benchmarks, then follow the captured fills. The original history, fees and execution assumptions remain available below.

What you should see

The exact stored history shown here, with its source's period, comparisons and limits. Opening the walkthrough does not rerun it.

Preview this strategy in Aurora: authored process map
Authored task map. It describes what to inspect; it is not an account screenshot or a measured result.
Step 3 of 3

Preview this strategy in Aurora

Review the provided strategy request without changing its pair or sizing. Ask for a draft preview before any saved candidate or paid test.

What you should see

An inspectable candidate. New dates or a changed rule define another experiment, not the published result.

Choose a step to follow the example. Opening a request lets you review it; it does not submit a job or change your account.

Inspect the recorded trades

  1. Jan 01, 2024

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Buy

    Units (rounded)

    0.22279509

    Submitted price

    $42640.08

    Filled price

    $42640.08

    Fee

    $66.50

  2. Jan 14, 2024

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units (rounded)

    0.22123552

    Submitted price

    $42505.61

    Filled price

    $42505.61

    Fee

    $65.83

  3. Jan 15, 2024

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units (rounded)

    0.00155957

    Submitted price

    $42474.15

    Filled price

    $42474.15

    Fee

    $0.46

  4. Jan 15, 2024

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Buy

    Units (rounded)

    0.21807449

    Submitted price

    $42853.90

    Filled price

    $42853.90

    Fee

    $65.42

  5. Jan 17, 2024

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units (rounded)

    0.21654797

    Submitted price

    $42481.50

    Filled price

    $42481.50

    Fee

    $64.39

  6. Jan 17, 2024

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units (rounded)

    0.00152652

    Submitted price

    $42601.50

    Filled price

    $42601.50

    Fee

    $0.46

  7. Jan 29, 2024

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Buy

    Units (rounded)

    0.21202438

    Submitted price

    $43130.00

    Filled price

    $43130.00

    Fee

    $64.01

  8. Jan 31, 2024

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units (rounded)

    0.21054021

    Submitted price

    $42686.33

    Filled price

    $42686.33

    Fee

    $62.91

Recorded rows in source order; spacing does not represent elapsed time.

Show the table · 8 rows, 7 columns

Scroll sideways to compare all columns. Select a heading to sort.

Jan 01, 2024BTC-USDBuy0.22279509$42640.08$42640.08$66.50
Jan 14, 2024BTC-USDSell0.22123552$42505.61$42505.61$65.83
Jan 15, 2024BTC-USDSell0.00155957$42474.15$42474.15$0.46
Jan 15, 2024BTC-USDBuy0.21807449$42853.90$42853.90$65.42
Jan 17, 2024BTC-USDSell0.21654797$42481.50$42481.50$64.39
Jan 17, 2024BTC-USDSell0.00152652$42601.50$42601.50$0.46
Jan 29, 2024BTC-USDBuy0.21202438$43130.00$43130.00$64.01
Jan 31, 2024BTC-USDSell0.21054021$42686.33$42686.33$62.91

Follow the Filled events by pair, side and time. Compare the submitted price, filled price, fractional quantity and fee. This table shows up to eight orders from the captured excerpt (45 Filled events).

For a percentage fee, multiply the traded notional by 0.007. To follow a position, start with a purchase and inspect subsequent sale quantities, remaining holdings and cash flows. For the weekly accumulation example, follow each purchase and the resulting position value.

The algorithm

  1. Entry

    Price > SMA(50, Day) AND position value = 0

  2. Exit

    Price <= SMA(50, Day) AND position value > 0

  3. Allocation

    95% of buying power per entry; sell 100% of held units on exit

  4. Pair

    BTC-USD

  5. Execution

    Market; fractional units enabled

  6. Starting capital

    $10,000; no additional deposits

Show the table · 6 rows, 2 columns
DecisionSaved rule
EntryPrice > SMA(50, Day) AND position value = 0
ExitPrice <= SMA(50, Day) AND position value > 0
Allocation95% of buying power per entry; sell 100% of held units on exit
PairBTC-USD
ExecutionMarket; fractional units enabled
Starting capital$10,000; no additional deposits

This example trades BTC-USD as a spot Cryptocurrency asset. The saved rules were read back and verified with automated trading off.

Create the same strategy

Ask Aurora to build the rules above, review the preview, then save the draft with automated trading off. Confirm the Cryptocurrency pair, allocation and entry and exit conditions in the saved rules.

In the native Strategies editor, use Buy and Sell actions with the same Cryptocurrency pair. Add the indicator and position-value conditions shown above. The weekly accumulation example uses a single Buy rule with a seven-day DaysSinceOrder condition.

Plan a separate variant and later test

Review the optional next experiment

After reviewing the recorded example, use the prepared request above for the original rules. This optional plan covers a separate variant and a later test.

  1. Create one variant, then test unseen dates

    Ask: "Change only the entry allocation from 95% to 75% of buying power. Show the rule diff and compare both candidates on the 2024 development period with every other setting fixed." After choosing, freeze the rules and select another test period you have not inspected. The displayed 2024 results already make 2024 a viewed development period. Keep any later revisions in a new research cycle.

Create and backtest with Python

Use the Python SDK instead of Aurora

Python SDK 1.42.0. Save the runner below as run_btc_trend_following.py.

Install and download

Shell
python3 -m pip install nexustrade==1.42.0
export NEXUSTRADE_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
curl --fail --output btc_trend_following.py https://nexustrade.io/seo/strategy-examples/btc-trend-following.py

Create, test and inspect

Python
from btc_trend_following import create_btc_trend_following, backtest_btc_trend_following

book = create_btc_trend_following()
completed = backtest_btc_trend_following()
print(completed["result"])

Run

Shell
python3 run_btc_trend_following.py

Python strategy and backtest functions

View complete Python SDK functions

The backtest function submits the 2024 test with SPY as its benchmark, records events and waits for the result. Use a new request key when changing rules, dates or fees.

Python
import nexustrade as nt


def create_btc_trend_following():
    asset = nt.crypto_asset("BTC-USD")
    return nt.portfolio(
        "Public SEO crypto example - BTC 50-day trend",
        [
            nt.strategy(
                "Enter BTC 50-day trend",
                ((nt.Price(asset) > nt.SMA(asset, 50, "Day")) & (nt.PositionValue(asset) == nt.Value(0))),
                nt.buy(asset, 95, "percent of buying power")
            ),
            nt.strategy(
                "Exit BTC 50-day trend",
                ((nt.Price(asset) <= nt.SMA(asset, 50, "Day")) & (nt.PositionValue(asset) > nt.Value(0))),
                nt.sell(asset, 100, "percent of current positions")
            ),
        ],
        initial_value=10000,
        supports_crypto=True,
        supports_fractional_shares=True,
        alerts_enabled=False,
        dividend_policy='cash',
    )


def backtest_btc_trend_following(client=None):
    client = client or nt.NexusTradeClient.from_environment()
    operation = client.create_backtest(
        nt.backtest(
            create_btc_trend_following(),
            start_date="2024-01-01", end_date="2024-12-31",
            interval="Day", baseline_symbol="SPY",
            initial_value=10000, generate_events=True,
            dividend_policy="cash",
            fee_config={"Stock": {"type": "percent", "amount": 0.1},
                        "Cryptocurrency": {"type": "percent", "amount": 0.7},
                        "Option": {"type": "dollars", "amount": 0.65}},
        ),
        idempotency_key="explore-btc-trend-following-2024-spy-v1",
    )
    return client.wait_for_backtest(operation["id"])


# Build locally: book = create_btc_trend_following()
# Run and inspect: completed = backtest_btc_trend_following(); print(completed["result"])

Create and backtest with TypeScript

Use the TypeScript SDK instead of Aurora

TypeScript SDK 1.42.0. Save the runner below as run-btc-trend-following.ts.

Install and download

Shell
npm install nexustrade@1.42.0
npm install --save-dev tsx
export NEXUSTRADE_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
curl --fail --output btc-trend-following.ts https://nexustrade.io/seo/strategy-examples/btc-trend-following.ts

Create, test and inspect

TypeScript
import { createBtcTrendFollowing, backtestBtcTrendFollowing } from "./btc-trend-following";

async function main() {
  const book = createBtcTrendFollowing();
  const completed = await backtestBtcTrendFollowing();
  console.log(completed.result);
}

main().catch((error: unknown) => {
  console.error(error);
  process.exitCode = 1;
});

Run

Shell
npx tsx run-btc-trend-following.ts

TypeScript strategy and backtest functions

View complete TypeScript SDK functions

The same rules, dates and fees are used in both SDKs. The backtest function keeps its request key across retries.

TypeScript
import * as nt from "nexustrade";

export function createBtcTrendFollowing() {
  const asset = nt.cryptoAsset("BTC-USD");
  return nt.portfolio(
    "Public SEO crypto example - BTC 50-day trend",
    [
      nt.strategy(
          "Enter BTC 50-day trend",
          nt.and(
              nt.gt(nt.Price(asset), nt.SMA(asset, 50, "Day")),
              nt.eq(nt.PositionValue(asset), nt.Value(0))
          ),
          nt.buy(asset, 95, "percent of buying power")
      ),
      nt.strategy(
          "Exit BTC 50-day trend",
          nt.and(
              nt.lte(nt.Price(asset), nt.SMA(asset, 50, "Day")),
              nt.gt(nt.PositionValue(asset), nt.Value(0))
          ),
          nt.sell(asset, 100, "percent of current positions")
      ),
    ],
    { initialValue: 10000, supportsCrypto: true, supportsFractionalShares: true, alertsEnabled: false, dividendPolicy: "cash" }
  );
}

export async function backtestBtcTrendFollowing(client = new nt.NexusTradeClient()) {
  const operation = await client.createBacktest(
    nt.backtest(createBtcTrendFollowing(), {
      startDate: "2024-01-01", endDate: "2024-12-31",
      interval: "Day", baselineSymbol: "SPY",
      initialValue: 10000, generateEvents: true,
      dividendPolicy: "cash",
      feeConfig: {
        Stock: { type: "percent", amount: 0.1 },
        Cryptocurrency: { type: "percent", amount: 0.7 },
        Option: { type: "dollars", amount: 0.65 },
      },
    }),
    { idempotencyKey: "explore-btc-trend-following-2024-spy-v1" }
  );
  if (typeof operation.id !== "string") throw new Error("Missing backtest ID");
  return client.waitForBacktest(operation.id);
}

// Build locally: const book = createBtcTrendFollowing();
// Run and inspect: const completed = await backtestBtcTrendFollowing(); console.log(completed.result);

Completed 2024 backtest

BTC 50-day trend: completed 2024 backtest with SPY and BTC buy and hold25.3K8.9K2024-01-012024-12-31
BTC 50-day trend 2024-12-31, 21:00:00 UTC
15,660.69
SPY buy and hold 2024-12-31, 21:00:00 UTC
12,530.29
BTC buy and hold 2024-12-31, 21:00:00 UTC
21,926.92
BTC 50-day trendSPY buy and holdBTC buy and holdHistorical simulation
Show the table · 11 rows, 2 columns

Scroll sideways to compare all columns. Select a heading to sort.

StatusCOMPLETE
Backtest return56.61%
Reported maximum drawdown28.77%
SPY buy-and-hold return25.30%
BTC buy-and-hold return119.27%
Total recorded trading fees$1909.24
Engine closed-trade count32
Starting capital$10000.00
Ending portfolio value$15660.69
Ending cash$15660.69
Ending position value$0.00

This saved algorithm completed a Day backtest from 2024-01-01 through 2024-12-31, with $10000.00 starting capital. The chart includes all 744 exported history points.

Compare the strategy with SPY and BTC buy and hold. Each benchmark invests the full $10000.00 starting balance over the same 2024 period. SPY follows its trading sessions; BTC includes weekends. This algorithm follows its own allocation and entry/exit rules, with 0.7% of traded notional charged on each fill. Explore cash and position values to see how capital was deployed.

Understand this entry with Aurora

  1. BTC-USD price > BTC-USD 50 day SMA

    Left value61,420.7109>Right value60,767.4145ResultTrue
  2. BTC-USD position value = constant

    Left value0=Right value0ResultTrue
Show the table · 2 rows, 5 columns

Scroll sideways to compare all columns. Select a heading to sort.

BTC-USD price > BTC-USD 50 day SMA61,420.7109>60,767.4145True
BTC-USD position value = constant0=0True

At 2024-10-11T13:30:00.000Z, the recorded rule was: BTC-USD last price > 50 Day BTC-USD SMA and Position market value (BTC-USD) = Constant 0. Its overall result was true. Read the individual comparisons below, then ask Aurora to explain how they led to the action.

The signal requested 95 percent of buying power at a submitted price of 61,420.7109. 1 captured Filled order shares this timestamp; Aurora receives those fields with the signal.

Inspect the original signal record

View captured signal JSON
JSON
{
  "eventType": "BuySignal",
  "event": {
    "eventType": "BuySignal",
    "timestamp": "2024-10-11T13:30:00.000Z",
    "signals": [
      {
        "conditionName": "BTC-USD last price > 50 Day BTC-USD SMA and Position market value (BTC-USD) = Constant 0",
        "audit": {
          "type": "minimal",
          "results": {
            "0.0": {
              "isTrue": true,
              "lhsValue": 61420.7109375,
              "rhsValue": 60767.41453125,
              "lhsError": null,
              "rhsError": null,
              "comparison": "greaterThan"
            },
            "0.1": {
              "isTrue": true,
              "lhsValue": 0,
              "rhsValue": 0,
              "lhsError": null,
              "rhsError": null,
              "comparison": "equal"
            }
          },
          "failuresOnly": false
        },
        "isTrue": true,
        "actionName": "Buy",
        "actionMetadata": {
          "buyOrSell": {
            "targetAsset": {
              "name": "BTC-USD",
              "symbol": "BTC-USD",
              "type": "Cryptocurrency",
              "underlyingSymbol": null,
              "optionType": null,
              "expirationDate": null,
              "strikePrice": null,
              "multiplier": null
            },
            "allocation": {
              "type": "percent of buying power",
              "amount": 95
            },
            "price": 61420.7109375,
            "orderType": "Market Order"
          }
        },
        "orderExecution": {
          "type": "Market"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "timestamp": 1728653400000
}

Explore a drawdown period

Scale: 0 to 14.8K USD · zero baseline

Portfolio value

  • 2024-03-13T20:00:00.000Z$14803.09
  • 2024-10-11T13:30:00.000Z$10544.26

Scale: 0 to 460.15 USD · zero baseline

Cash

  • 2024-03-13T20:00:00.000Z$386.43
  • 2024-10-11T13:30:00.000Z$460.15

Scale: 0 to 14.42K USD · zero baseline

Position value

  • 2024-03-13T20:00:00.000Z$14416.67
  • 2024-10-11T13:30:00.000Z$10084.11
Show the table · 2 rows, 4 columns

Scroll sideways to compare all columns. Select a heading to sort.

2024-03-13T20:00:00.000Z$14803.09$386.43$14416.67
2024-10-11T13:30:00.000Z$10544.26$460.15$10084.11

Follow the decline from Mar 13, 2024 to Oct 11, 2024. The table retains the recorded portfolio, cash and position values. The engine reported maximum drawdown of 28.77%.

Test another version

Change one rule or choose a different date range, then compare the resulting curve and trade events with this saved experiment. Explore which trades, fees and periods explain the difference.

Exact captured fill fields

  1. 2024-01-01T14:30:00.000Z

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Buy

    Units

    0.22279508898062086

    Submitted price

    $42640.08

    Filled price

    $42640.08

    Fee

    $66.50

  2. 2024-01-14T21:00:00.000Z

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units

    0.22123552335775648

    Submitted price

    $42505.61

    Filled price

    $42505.61

    Fee

    $65.83

  3. 2024-01-15T14:30:00.000Z

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units

    0.001559565622864384

    Submitted price

    $42474.15

    Filled price

    $42474.15

    Fee

    $0.46

  4. 2024-01-15T21:00:00.000Z

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Buy

    Units

    0.21807448689225667

    Submitted price

    $42853.90

    Filled price

    $42853.90

    Fee

    $65.42

  5. 2024-01-17T14:30:00.000Z

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units

    0.21654796548401087

    Submitted price

    $42481.50

    Filled price

    $42481.50

    Fee

    $64.39

  6. 2024-01-17T21:00:00.000Z

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units

    0.0015265214082458012

    Submitted price

    $42601.50

    Filled price

    $42601.50

    Fee

    $0.46

  7. 2024-01-29T21:00:00.000Z

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Buy

    Units

    0.212024383332541

    Submitted price

    $43130.00

    Filled price

    $43130.00

    Fee

    $64.01

  8. 2024-01-31T14:30:00.000Z

    Pair

    BTC-USD

    Side

    Sell

    Units

    0.21054021264921322

    Submitted price

    $42686.33

    Filled price

    $42686.33

    Fee

    $62.91

Recorded rows in source order; spacing does not represent elapsed time.

Inspect full UTC times and exact fractional quantities

Scroll sideways to compare all columns. Select a heading to sort.

2024-01-01T14:30:00.000ZBTC-USDBuy0.22279508898062086$42640.08$42640.08$66.50
2024-01-14T21:00:00.000ZBTC-USDSell0.22123552335775648$42505.61$42505.61$65.83
2024-01-15T14:30:00.000ZBTC-USDSell0.001559565622864384$42474.15$42474.15$0.46
2024-01-15T21:00:00.000ZBTC-USDBuy0.21807448689225667$42853.90$42853.90$65.42
2024-01-17T14:30:00.000ZBTC-USDSell0.21654796548401087$42481.50$42481.50$64.39
2024-01-17T21:00:00.000ZBTC-USDSell0.0015265214082458012$42601.50$42601.50$0.46
2024-01-29T21:00:00.000ZBTC-USDBuy0.212024383332541$43130.00$43130.00$64.01
2024-01-31T14:30:00.000ZBTC-USDSell0.21054021264921322$42686.33$42686.33$62.91

Exact drawdown measurement

Read the exact snapshot timestamps and measurement comparison

The largest decline between exported snapshots was 28.77%, from $14803.09 at 2024-03-13T20:00:00.000Z to $10544.26 at 2024-10-11T13:30:00.000Z. The reported maximum drawdown is 28.77%. Explore the trades and holdings around those dates.

Continue exploring

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Aurora · AI research assistant

Try this in Aurora

Edit the request, then open it in Aurora. You choose when to send it.