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PD Arrays & Zones

ICT Liquidity Void — Complete Guide

ICT liquidity void explained — the price range bypassed so fast that two-sided discovery never occurred. LV vs FVG, fill mechanics, bullish vs bearish voids, the 3 formation contexts, AMD fill targeting, and the visual identification test.

Liquidity voids and fair value gaps are both price imbalances, both are eventually filled, and both appear as visible gaps. But they form through different mechanisms, behave differently on retest, and serve different analytical functions. Understanding the distinction is the difference between entering from an institutional zone (FVG) and entering a void that price will sweep through in one candle.

Key takeaways

LV = gap WITHIN a single candle body (bypassed prices). FVG = gap BETWEEN candles (C1/C3 edges). Different formations, different roles.
LVs have minimal institutional backing → fill rapidly (1–3 candles). FVGs have institutional backing → fill moderately with structured reactions.
LV = fill target (AMD distributes to the void). FVG = entry zone (enter from the CE on retracement).
3 formation contexts: high-impact news events (largest), session open transitions (medium), overnight gaps (purest).
Visual test: imbalance between two candle edges = FVG. Imbalance within a single candle body = LV.

What is an ICT liquidity void?

Definition

An ICT liquidity void is a price range through which the market moved so rapidly, and with such thin opposing order flow, that meaningful two-sided price discovery did not occur. It appears as a single large-body candle (or consecutive same-direction candles) that traversed a significant range with no meaningful retracement. The void zone — the range the large candle covered — represents prices that were bypassed rather than traded, creating a draw for price to return and fill with genuine two-sided participation.

Why liquidity voids form — thin market mechanics

Context 1: High-impact news events (CPI, NFP, FOMC)

The largest LV source. A release drives price through 30–80 pips in 2–5 seconds. Opposing limits are swept without participation. The pre-news to post-news settled range is the LV.

Context 2: Session open transitions (London, NYSE)

The surge of institutional flow at session opens produces rapid moves. The London Judas candle frequently creates an LV within its body as it sweeps the Asian range boundary.

Context 3: Overnight gaps (equities, indices)

US indices (ES, NQ) and stocks do not trade continuously. The gap between the prior close and next open = the purest LV — zero trading occurred in the gap range.

Bullish vs bearish liquidity voids

BULLISH LV vs BEARISH LVICT

The void is inside the candle, not between candles. Left: bullish LV — the large bullish candle’s body IS the void zone (prices bypassed on the way up). Fills by bearish retracement into the body range. Right: bearish LV — the large bearish candle’s body IS the void. Fills by bullish rally. Both are AMD fill targets, not precision entry zones.

Why LVs fill — and why they fill faster than FVGs

Markets seek price efficiency — genuine two-sided discovery at all traded levels. The LV is where this discovery was absent. Participants who wanted to transact at those prices place resting orders within the void, drawing price back. LVs fill rapidly (1–3 candles, often a single candle) because the void has no institutional backing — the zone formed because orders were absent. FVGs fill more slowly because the displacement candle’s institutional backing provides resistance at the OB and CE.

LV vs FVG — the definitive comparison

LV vs FVGICT

The visual test settles it. Left: LV — the imbalance is the candle body itself (no gap between candles, the body IS the void). Fills rapidly, minimal backing, use as a fill target. Right: FVG — the imbalance is the gap between C1’s high and C3’s low (three candles, C2 displacement creates the gap). Fills with structured reaction, institutional backing, use as an entry zone at the CE.

The ICT price imbalance family

Fair Value Gap (FVG) — the entry zone

Three-candle pattern. Gap between C1 and C3 edges. Institutional backing from C2 displacement. Enter from the FVG CE on retracement. The primary ICT entry imbalance.

Liquidity Void (LV) — the fill target

Single large candle body. Gap within the body. Minimal backing. Fills rapidly. AMD distributes to the void. Not a precision entry zone without LTF CHoCH confirmation.

Volume Imbalance (VI) — the micro-gap

Gap between two adjacent candle bodies (close-to-open gap). Smallest imbalance type. Most common in lower timeframes. Similar analytical role to FVG but smaller and faster-filling.

Liquidity voids as AMD targets

LVs serve as AMD distribution targets — the void is where the distribution move delivers. On a bullish AMD day where the Judas created a bearish LV within the sweep candle, the bullish distribution fills the void as it rallies through the Judas extreme. On a news event day, the LV from the initial spike is the fill target for the subsequent retracement. Mark all LVs as potential AMD fill destinations in the pre-session analysis.

How to mark a liquidity void on TradingView

Identify the large single-body candle

A candle whose body range significantly exceeds surrounding candles. Minimal wicks (the body IS the move, not the wick).

Draw a rectangle spanning the body range

From the candle’s open to its close (the body edges, not the wicks). Use a lighter, dashed-border style to distinguish from FVG zones.

Label “LV” and extend rightward

The LV zone remains active until price returns and fills the range with genuine two-sided trading. News event LVs may persist across multiple sessions.

Common mistakes

Treating an LV as an FVG entry zone

LVs lack institutional backing. A limit order within the LV will likely be swept through in a single candle. Use LVs as fill targets. For entries within an LV, require a LTF CHoCH confirmation within the zone first.

Confusing LV with FVG on the chart

Apply the visual test: between candle edges (C1 high / C3 low) = FVG. Within a single candle body = LV. The test is definitive in the majority of cases.

Ignoring news event LVs

News spikes produce the largest LVs on the chart. These voids often persist for multiple sessions and become significant fill targets. Always mark the pre-news to post-news range as an LV zone.

Expecting LVs to provide the same structured reaction as FVGs

FVGs produce reactions at the OB boundary and CE because of institutional backing. LVs fill smoothly and rapidly with minimal resistance. Do not expect a “bounce” from the LV boundary the way you would from an FVG CE.

FAQ — ICT liquidity void

What is an LV? +

A price range the market moved through so rapidly that two-sided discovery never occurred. The void is WITHIN a candle body. Price returns to fill it with genuine participation.

LV vs FVG? +

FVG = gap between candles (C1/C3), institutional backing, entry zone. LV = gap within a candle body, minimal backing, fill target. Both imbalances, different roles.

Why do LVs fill faster? +

No institutional backing within the void. The zone formed because orders were absent. The return move encounters minimal resistance. FVGs have C2 backing = slower, structured fill.

Entry zone or target? +

Primarily target. Rapid fill makes precision entries unreliable. Use as an AMD fill destination. Exception: if a LTF CHoCH forms within the LV, enter from the CHoCH.

Conclusion — fill targets, not entry zones

The liquidity void is the imbalance type that most directly reflects the market’s need for efficiency — prices bypassed so rapidly that genuine discovery never occurred. Unlike the FVG, it fills rapidly and is best used as an AMD distribution target. Three habits: distinguish LVs from FVGs using the between-candles vs within-a-candle visual test; mark news event LVs as fill targets for subsequent sessions; and resist using LV zones as entry zones without LTF CHoCH confirmation.

The companion guides: the FVG guide covers the primary entry-zone imbalance; the BPR guide covers the highest-priority FVG overlap; and the volume imbalance guide covers the micro-gap imbalance. Together, the three articles provide the complete ICT price imbalance framework. Or join the mentorship for structured guidance on LV identification and AMD fill targeting.

Lio

Founder & ICT trading educator, LiquiditySweeps.com

Lio has traded ICT and Smart Money Concepts on forex majors and US indices since 2021 and built LiquiditySweeps.com to teach the framework the way it should be learned: in sequence, on real charts, with free live tools instead of paid indicators. Every article on this site follows the same rule — nothing gets published that wouldn’t survive a trade review.

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Quick check

A single large bearish candle drops 50 pips with minimal wicks (body ≥90% of range). Is this a liquidity void or an FVG?

✓ Correct. The imbalance is WITHIN a single candle’s body — the large bearish body IS the void. This is a liquidity void, not an FVG. FVGs are gaps BETWEEN candles (C1 and C3 edges). LVs are gaps within a candle body. Use the LV as a fill target, not a precision entry zone.