A wedge is formed by two converging trendlines that both tilt in the same direction. A rising wedge slopes up; a falling wedge slopes down. Unlike a symmetrical triangle, a wedge has a directional tilt — and that's where it gets counterintuitive.

Why they often reverse against the tilt

A rising wedge — higher highs and higher lows, but converging — often resolves downward. The rising structure looks bullish, but the narrowing shows buyers making less progress on each push; momentum is fading even as price grinds up. A falling wedge is the inverse: it slopes down but often breaks up, as sellers lose steam into the apex.

Continuation vs reversal

Context sets the meaning. A falling wedge inside an uptrend is usually a bullish continuation (a pullback resolving up); a rising wedge after a long rally is often a topping reversal. The tilt tells you the near-term drift; the trend it sits in tells you the likely resolution.

A rising wedge looks strong and often ends weak. The narrowing is the tell, not the tilt.

Trading the break

As with all coiling patterns, the wedge compresses volatility toward a decision point — expect an expansion. Wait for a decisive break of the wedge line on volume rather than guessing inside it; wedges produce false breaks, especially the symmetrical-looking ones. The breakout, confirmed, is the trade — not the shape alone.