Pair Selection Criteria
Pair selection criteria are the rules and metrics used to identify suitable assets for a pairs trading strategy. Effective selection involves filtering for assets that demonstrate a strong, consistent, and cointegrated relationship.
Traders evaluate factors such as historical price correlation, the frequency of mean reversion, and the liquidity of both assets. In crypto, it is also important to consider the underlying protocol, governance structure, and the presence of any shared risk factors.
A good pair should be liquid enough to allow for efficient entry and exit without excessive slippage. Furthermore, the assets should not be so identical that they provide no opportunity for divergence.
The selection process is the first line of defense against strategy failure, ensuring that the statistical foundation is solid.