What do BISI and SIBI stand for?
The names describe which side of the market was "overloaded" and which was underrepresented:
| Term | Stands for | Direction | Where the zone is | What we look for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BISI | Buyside imbalance, sellside inefficiency | Bullish FVG | Below price | A long on the pullback into the zone |
| SIBI | Sellside imbalance, buyside inefficiency | Bearish FVG | Above price | A short on the pullback into the zone |
In a BISI, buyers moved through the area with no resistance, and sellers didn't get a chance to place orders there: the price is "inefficient" for selling. A return to the zone gives the market a chance to finish trading it, and often to keep rallying. In a SIBI, everything is mirrored.
How to find and draw the gap itself is covered in detail in Fair Value Gap (FVG).
How we trade BISI and SIBI
Almost every report in our journal starts with a BISI or SIBI: "test bisi 4h," "test sibi 1h," "ff sibi 4h" (a full fill). The logic is the same every time:
- We set the direction from the higher timeframe.
- We only trade BISI long and SIBI short, in that direction.
- We wait for price to reach the zone and for a break of structure on the 3m–15m.
- The stop goes beyond the zone or beyond the extreme of the test; the target is liquidity in the direction of the trade.
The strongest scenario is a chain: the reaction to a 4h BISI creates a 1h BISI, and the entry comes off its test. If the zone lines up with a pullback into OTE or the 0.5 level, there's even more confluence.
Trade from the channel
Higher-timeframe bias up. A test of the 4h BISI; the reaction to it formed a new 1h BISI. Entry on a pullback to 0.5, targeting a new high.
Trade in the journal (RU)Trade from the channel
Higher-timeframe bias down. Price came back into the 1h SIBI, then structure broke down on the 3m: short entry.
Trade in the journal (RU)What happens when a BISI or SIBI doesn't hold?
If price closes with a candle body beyond the opposite edge of the zone, the fair value gap counts as broken. A broken BISI often starts acting as resistance, and a broken SIBI as support. This is called an inversion (iFVG). In our reports, the inversion of a small FVG on the 3m or 15m is a common entry trigger: "15m inversion," "ifvg 3m."
That's why the stop on a BISI or SIBI trade goes beyond the zone with a buffer, not inside it: a deep test to the opposite edge is a normal scenario, while a close beyond it signals that the idea is broken.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the direction: a BISI above price after a drop is no longer support; it's a candidate for an inversion.
- Trading a BISI in a downtrend just because "it's a zone."
- Drawing the zone from candle bodies instead of wicks.
- Entering on the touch without confirmation on a lower timeframe.
FAQ
What's the difference between BISI, SIBI and FVG?
Nothing except the direction. FVG is the general name for a three-candle gap. BISI is a bullish FVG, SIBI is a bearish one. The terms come from ICT and are handy in shorthand like "test bisi 4h".
How do you remember which is BISI and which is SIBI?
Look at the first word. Buyside imbalance: buyers outweighed sellers, price moved up, and the zone was left below. Sellside imbalance: sellers outweighed buyers, price moved down, and the zone is above.
What timeframe should you use for BISI and SIBI?
We take trade zones from the 4h and 1h and context from the daily and weekly. On the 3m–15m, small BISIs and SIBIs serve as entry confirmation inside a higher-timeframe zone.
This material is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice. Trading financial markets carries a high risk of losing capital; past trades do not guarantee future results.