ICT Rejection Block Calculator
Identify rejection blocks where wicks penetrate into fair value gaps for ICT-based trade entry signals. Calculate entry, stop loss, and target levels.
ICT Rejection Block Calculator
Calculator
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Formula: Rejection Zone = Candle Body to Wick Extreme | Entry = 50% of Zone | SL = Beyond Wick + Buffer
Worked example — Bearish Rejection Block | Entry: 1.27925 | SL: 1.28090 | TP1: 1.27650 (1.67:1) | TP2: 1.27450 (2.88:1)
Formula
Rejection Zone = Candle Body to Wick Extreme | Entry = 50% of Zone | SL = Beyond Wick + Buffer
The rejection block zone spans from the candle body edge to the wick extreme. Entry is typically at the 50% level of this zone. Stop loss is placed beyond the wick extreme with a 10% buffer of the candle range.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Bearish Rejection Block with FVG Overlap
Problem:A 15-minute candle on GBP/USD: Open 1.2780, Close 1.2770, High 1.2805, Low 1.2765. A bearish FVG exists from 1.2790-1.2810 (the high sits inside this FVG). Current price is 1.2792. Analyze the rejection block.
Solution:Total range: 40 pips (1.2765 - 1.2805) Body: 10 pips (25.0% of range) Upper wick: 25 pips (62.5%) | Lower wick: 5 pips (12.5%) Candle is bearish (close < open) with a dominant upper wick Upper wick into FVG? High 1.2805 is between FVG Low 1.2790 and FVG High 1.2810 = Yes, confirmed overlap Upper wick > 40% + FVG overlap + bearish candle = valid Bearish Rejection Block Rejection zone: 1.2780 (open) - 1.2805 (high) Entry (zone midpoint) = 1.27925 Stop Loss = High + 10% of range = 1.2805 + 0.0004 = 1.28090 (16.5 pip risk) Target 1 = candle Low = 1.27650 (27.5 pips, 1.67:1) Target 2 = Low - 50% of range = 1.27450 (47.5 pips, 2.88:1)
Result:Bearish Rejection Block | Entry: 1.27925 | SL: 1.28090 | TP1: 1.27650 (1.67:1) | TP2: 1.27450 (2.88:1)
Example 2: Bearish Rejection Block on 1-Hour Chart
Problem:GBP/USD 1H candle: Open 1.2780, Close 1.2770, High 1.2810, Low 1.2765. FVG zone 1.2800-1.2815 (the high sits inside this FVG). Current price 1.2790.
Solution:Total range: 45 pips (1.2765 - 1.2810) Body: 10 pips (22.2%) - small = strong rejection Upper wick: 30 pips (66.7%) - dominant rejection wick Lower wick: 5 pips (11.1%) High 1.2810 sits inside FVG (1.2800-1.2815) = confirmed overlap Bearish rejection block: Zone 1.2780 (open) - 1.2810 (high) Entry (midpoint) = 1.27950 SL = High + 10% of range = 1.2810 + 0.00045 = 1.28145 (19.5 pip risk) TP1 = Low = 1.27650 (30 pips, 1.54:1) TP2 = Low - 50% of range = 1.27425 (52.5 pips, 2.69:1)
Result:Bearish Rejection Block | Entry: 1.27950 | Risk: 19.5 pips | R:R TP1: 1.54:1 | TP2: 2.69:1
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ICT Rejection Block and how does it form?
An ICT Rejection Block is a specific candlestick pattern where a long wick penetrates into a fair value gap (FVG) or key level and then quickly reverses, creating a zone of institutional rejection. The rejection block forms when price extends beyond a candle body into an area of interest, collects liquidity, and then closes back within the range, leaving a prominent wick. The body of the rejection candle represents the rejection zone, which acts as a future support or resistance area where institutional orders are likely resting. A bullish rejection block features a long lower wick that penetrates below and a close near the high, while a bearish rejection block shows a long upper wick with a close near the low.
How does a rejection block differ from a regular order block?
While both rejection blocks and order blocks are institutional reference levels, they form through different mechanisms and carry different implications. An order block is typically the last down-close candle before a bullish move or the last up-close candle before a bearish move, representing the candle where institutions established their positions. A rejection block, by contrast, specifically involves a candle with a prominent wick that penetrated into a fair value gap before rejecting, showing that institutions actively defended that price level. Order blocks tend to be more reliable for trend continuation entries, while rejection blocks signal strong rejection of a specific level and often indicate higher-conviction reversal points. Rejection blocks also tend to be respected more precisely because the wick represents an exact institutional reaction.
Why does the wick penetration into a fair value gap make the rejection block more significant?
When a wick penetrates into a fair value gap and then rejects, it confirms two ICT concepts simultaneously, creating a higher-probability trading level. First, the FVG represents an area of inefficient price delivery that the algorithm needs to revisit, confirming that institutional interest exists at that level. Second, the rejection wick shows that when the algorithm did deliver price to that area, it was immediately and forcefully rejected, indicating strong institutional defense. The combination means that institutions both intended to fill the FVG and used the fill as an opportunity to establish or add to positions. This dual confirmation makes rejection blocks with FVG overlap significantly more reliable than either pattern alone, often leading to strong directional moves after the rejection.
What wick-to-body ratio indicates a valid rejection block?
A valid rejection block typically requires the rejecting wick to constitute at least 40 percent of the total candle range, with higher percentages indicating stronger rejection. The ideal rejection block has a wick representing 60 to 70 percent of the total range, with the body comprising 30 percent or less. This extreme wick-to-body ratio demonstrates that price traveled significantly into the rejected area but was pushed back forcefully, indicating strong institutional opposition to that price level. A wick of less than 40 percent is generally considered a normal candle without sufficient rejection force to qualify as a rejection block. The body color should align with the direction of rejection, meaning a bullish rejection candle should close bullish and a bearish rejection candle should close bearish.
Where should the stop loss be placed when trading a rejection block?
Stop loss placement for rejection block trades should be positioned beyond the extreme of the rejecting wick, typically with a buffer of 5 to 15 pips depending on the timeframe and pair volatility. For a bullish rejection block, the stop loss goes below the candle low plus buffer. For a bearish rejection block, it goes above the candle high plus buffer. This placement is logical because if price exceeds the rejection wick extreme, it invalidates the premise that institutions defended that level, meaning the rejection has failed. Some traders use a tighter stop beyond the FVG boundary rather than the wick extreme, which improves the risk-to-reward ratio but increases the probability of being stopped out by minor liquidity sweeps before the expected move occurs.
What timeframes work best for identifying rejection blocks?
Rejection blocks are most reliable on the 15-minute and 1-hour timeframes, which balance sufficient detail to see wick formation clearly while filtering out the noise present on very low timeframes. The 15-minute chart is preferred for intraday trading because rejection blocks at this level often form during killzone transitions and produce moves lasting 2 to 4 hours. The 1-hour timeframe produces rejection blocks that drive price for 1 to 2 trading days. The 4-hour and daily timeframes generate the most powerful rejection blocks that can influence price for a full week or more, but they form less frequently. Lower timeframes like the 5-minute chart produce many rejection candle patterns, but the signal-to-noise ratio is poor, leading to many false signals that do not hold.
How do I identify the optimal entry point within a rejection block zone?
The rejection block zone spans from the candle body edge to the wick extreme, and the optimal entry depends on the trader strategy and risk tolerance. The most conservative entry is at the body edge of the rejection candle, which is the start of the rejection zone. This provides the best risk-to-reward ratio but may not be reached on all retests. The middle of the rejection zone (50 percent of the wick) offers a balanced approach where the entry is likely to be filled while still maintaining a reasonable distance to the stop loss. Aggressive traders enter at the start of the zone, near the candle body, on the first touch without waiting for confirmation. The recommended approach is to set a limit order at the 50 percent level of the rejection zone.
Can rejection blocks fail and what does a failed rejection look like?
Yes, rejection blocks can and do fail, which is why risk management remains essential. A failed rejection block occurs when price returns to the rejection zone, breaks through the body of the rejection candle, and continues beyond the wick extreme with momentum. This failure indicates that the institutional defense seen in the original rejection was either insufficient to hold the level or represented a different type of order activity than initially assumed. Signs that a rejection block may fail include price returning to the zone with strong momentum (large-bodied candles), the higher timeframe trend opposing the rejection direction, and volume increasing on the move against the rejection. When a rejection block fails, the wick extreme becomes a broken structure level that price often retests from the other side.
How should I combine rejection blocks with other ICT concepts for higher probability?
The highest probability rejection block setups combine multiple ICT confluences creating a stack of institutional logic. First, the rejection block should form during a killzone window (London Open, NY Open, or London Close) when algorithmic activity is highest. Second, it should align with the daily or 4-hour order block, creating a nested institutional level. Third, the rejection should occur at or within a fair value gap, confirming the FVG as a point of institutional interest. Fourth, the direction should match the higher timeframe bias and seasonal tendency. Fifth, liquidity should have been swept on the opposite side before the rejection, confirming the Power of Three manipulation phase has completed. When four or more of these five confluences align, the rejection block trade becomes significantly more reliable.
What is the quality score and how should traders use it to filter rejection block setups?
The quality score in ICT Rejection Block Calculator evaluates the overall strength of a rejection block setup by combining multiple factors including FVG overlap, wick-to-body ratio, risk-to-reward ratio, and candle structure. Scores above 70 indicate high-quality rejection blocks where all key criteria are met, including confirmed FVG penetration, a wick exceeding 60 percent of the candle range, a body less than 30 percent, and risk-to-reward of 2:1 or better. Scores between 40 and 70 suggest moderate-quality setups that may be tradeable with additional confirmation from higher timeframe analysis. Scores below 40 indicate weak rejection patterns that should generally be avoided. Traders should establish a minimum quality threshold based on their backtesting results and only take trades that meet or exceed their personal quality standard.
References
Reviewed for accuracy by Daniel Agrici, Founder & Lead Developer · Editorial policy
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