Advanced ICT 2024–25ICT Trading EducationArticle 66 of 100
ICT Venom Model: The 2025 Five-Stage Institutional Delivery Framework
The Venom Model is among the most sophisticated concepts in the 2024–2025 ICT teaching period. It is not a new tool but a new sequencing framework — combining the MMXM delivery model, CRT candle targeting, and SMT divergence confirmation into a five-stage structure that identifies institutional intent with multi-model confluence. Each stage refines the trade setup, so by the time the entry fires, it has passed through the most rigorous ICT filter chain available.
The Inner Circle Traders
Updated July 2026
10 min read
Cluster: Advanced ICT 2024–25
Key Takeaways
- The ICT Venom Model is a five-stage delivery framework introduced in the 2024–2025 ICT teaching period that sequences MMXM, CRT, and SMT divergence into a single high-confluence entry model
- Stage 1: HTF bias and MMXM phase identification — knowing whether the market is in accumulation, manipulation, or distribution at the session level
- Stage 2: CRT reference candle selection — identifying the specific candle whose high and low will be the manipulation targets for the Venom entry
- Stage 3: SMT divergence confirmation — a correlated instrument (e.g., EURUSD and GBPUSD, or NQ and ES) must show divergence at the CRT manipulation extreme to confirm institutional intent
- Stage 4: First Presented FVG entry — after SMT confirmation, the first FVG in the correct zone is the entry; Stage 5: target the CRT opposite extreme or the MMXM distribution target
What is the ICT Venom Model?
The Venom Model is a multi-model confluence framework introduced in the 2024–2025 ICT teaching period. It is not a standalone concept but a structured sequence that combines the MMXM Market Maker Model, Candle Range Theory (CRT), and SMT Divergence into a single five-stage filter chain. A setup only advances to an entry signal when it passes all five stages — making the Venom Model one of the highest-confluence ICT entry frameworks available.
The name reflects its precision and potency: like venom, the model is designed to be highly specific in its targeting, hitting only the highest-probability setups while leaving lower-quality ones untouched. A Venom Model entry that fires has passed through more filters than any standard ICT setup.
Prerequisites
The Venom Model requires solid understanding of three existing ICT concepts before it becomes useful: MMXM (the five-stage market maker delivery cycle), CRT (Reference Candle targeting), and SMT Divergence (correlated instrument disagreement). Study each of these separately before combining them in the Venom framework.
The Five-Stage Filter Chain
Stage 1: HTF Bias and MMXM Phase. Identify the higher-timeframe bias (bullish or bearish) and determine which phase of the MMXM model the market is currently in — Accumulation, Manipulation, or Distribution. This tells you whether the expected next major move is a sweep (Manipulation) or a delivery (Distribution). The Venom Model specifically targets the transition between Manipulation and Distribution.
Stage 2: CRT Reference Candle Selection. Identify the CRT Reference Candle — the specific candle (daily, weekly, or session candle) whose high and low will be the manipulation targets. The RC high is the BSL target for a bearish Venom; the RC low is the SSL target for a bullish Venom.
Stage 3: SMT Divergence at the CRT Extreme. When price sweeps the CRT RC high (for a bearish Venom) or RC low (for a bullish Venom), a correlated instrument must show SMT Divergence at that extreme. If NQ makes a new high and ES fails to confirm with a new high, SMT is present. This divergence confirms that the sweep is institutional manipulation rather than genuine bullish continuation.
Stage 4: First Presented FVG Entry. After the SMT divergence confirms the RC extreme sweep, the First Presented FVG that forms in the correct dealing range zone is the entry. Stop is placed above the swept RC extreme (for a bearish Venom).
Stage 5: Target the CRT Opposite Extreme or MMXM Distribution Level. The trade target is either the opposite CRT RC boundary (RC low for a bearish Venom) or the MMXM distribution target — whichever is nearer and more structurally significant.
Stage 3 in Depth: SMT Divergence at the CRT Extreme
Stage 3 is the Venom Model’s defining filter — the element that separates it from a standard CRT or MMXM setup. Without SMT Divergence at the CRT RC extreme, the model does not advance to an entry. This requirement eliminates a significant number of otherwise valid-looking setups and is the primary reason Venom Model entries have higher-than-average follow-through.
SMT Divergence occurs when two correlated instruments diverge at a significant structural extreme. For US equity futures: NQ and ES, or NQ and RTY. For Forex: EURUSD and GBPUSD, or EURUSD and AUDUSD. When NQ makes a new high but ES fails to confirm with a new high (lower high), SMT is present. This divergence signals that one instrument is showing institutional weakness at the extreme — the new high is not being confirmed by the broader market.
At the CRT RC extreme, SMT Divergence is particularly significant because price has just swept a known liquidity pool (the RC high or low). If the sweep is accompanied by SMT, it confirms that the sweep is a stop hunt rather than a genuine breakout — the correlated instrument failing to confirm tells you institutions are not buying the breakout, they are selling into it.
The Complete Venom Model Trade Structure
A complete Venom Model trade follows this sequence:
Price is in the MMXM Manipulation phase (Stage 1). The CRT Reference Candle is identified with its high as the BSL target (Stage 2). Price sweeps above the RC high, clearing the BSL (Stages 1–2 confirmed). At this extreme, the correlated instrument shows a lower high — SMT Divergence (Stage 3 confirmed). Price closes back below the RC high (CHoCH). The first FVG that forms in the premium zone after the CHoCH is the entry (Stage 4). Target is the RC low (Stage 5).
Stop placement: above the swept RC high. Invalidation: price closes above the swept RC high on a higher-timeframe candle — meaning the manipulation interpretation was incorrect and the move is genuine institutional buying, not a stop hunt.
The Venom Model entry is typically confirmed during a kill zone or macro window — the time-and-price requirement applies just as it does to every other ICT entry model. A Venom setup that fires outside a kill zone or macro time is structurally complete but time-misaligned, and should be skipped or treated with reduced confidence.
When to Apply the Venom Model
The Venom Model is not designed for every trade. Its five-stage filter chain means that full Venom setups are less frequent than standard CRT or MMXM setups — the SMT requirement in particular filters out a significant proportion of otherwise valid setups. Expect 1–3 full Venom setups per week on active instruments, not multiple per day.
The model is most useful in the following conditions: transitional moments when the market is shifting from Manipulation to Distribution in the MMXM cycle; at significant RC boundaries (weekly RC extremes have higher Venom significance than intraday RC extremes); and during high-participation kill zones (9:30 AM, London open) when SMT divergence is most meaningful because both instruments are being actively traded with full institutional participation.
Begin by mastering each component model separately — MMXM, CRT, and SMT — before attempting to apply the full Venom sequence. The Venom Model is advanced ICT: it rewards traders who understand all three component models deeply enough to identify when all three are confluent simultaneously.
Applying the Venom Model: A Session-by-Session Process
The Venom Model is applied pre-session. Before the London or New York open, run through the five-stage filter chain as an analysis checklist: Is the quarterly shift bullish or bearish? What is the weekly CRT setup? Where is the daily draw on liquidity? Is there SMT divergence at the expected CRT extreme? What is the FVG entry zone? By the time the kill zone opens, all five questions should be answered. The trade either presents itself within the kill zone parameters or it does not — no improvisation.
The most common adaptation of the Venom Model for live traders: complete stages 1-3 on Sunday evening or Monday morning (quarterly shift, weekly CRT, daily draw). Then during the week, watch specifically for stage 4 (SMT divergence at the CRT extreme) as the trigger. When SMT divergence appears at the expected level during a kill zone, move to stage 5 (FVG entry). This reduces the daily analysis burden while preserving the full filter chain’s selectivity.
When the Venom Model Fails — and What to Do
The Venom Model fails when any stage in the filter chain breaks down. The most common failure: the CRT manipulation occurs on a different day than expected (Tuesday instead of Wednesday/Thursday), invalidating the timing assumption for stages 4 and 5. When this happens, reset the CRT reference candle to the current week’s most recent significant candle and re-run stages 3-5.
A more serious failure: the SMT divergence appears at the CRT extreme but the FVG entry does not produce the expected delivery. This signals that the HTF context (stage 1 quarterly shift or stage 2 weekly CRT) was incorrectly assessed. The correct response is not to enter a second time — it is to go back to stage 1, reassess the quarterly direction, and determine whether the weekly CRT was a genuine manipulation or a continuation of the existing trend.
Watch: ICT Venom Model: The 2025 Five-Stage Institutional Delivery Framework
Original ICT teaching on this concept from the Inner Circle Trader YouTube channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Venom Model replace MMXM and CRT?+
No. The Venom Model is a combination framework that uses MMXM and CRT as inputs. Mastery of MMXM and CRT as standalone models is a prerequisite for applying the Venom. Think of Venom as the advanced synthesis stage, not a replacement for the individual models.
What instruments work best for the Venom Model?+
The SMT requirement means you need two correlated instruments. Best pairs: NQ and ES (US index futures), EURUSD and GBPUSD (major Forex), EURUSD and AUDUSD (correlated currencies), or XAUUSD and DXY. The correlation must be established — randomly pairing unrelated instruments produces meaningless SMT divergence readings.
How significant must the SMT divergence be?+
The divergence must be structural — one instrument makes a swing high (a candle high above the surrounding candles), while the correlated instrument makes a lower high at approximately the same time. Minor tick-level differences do not constitute SMT divergence. The divergence should be visible on the same timeframe you are using for the CRT analysis.
Can the Venom Model be bearish?+
Yes. A bearish Venom: price in MMXM Manipulation phase, RC low is the SSL target, price sweeps below RC low, the correlated instrument fails to make a lower low (SMT), CHoCH forms, first premium FVG entry, target RC high. The structure is identical but inverted — every element flips direction.
Is the Venom Model officially named by Michael Huddleston?+
The Venom Model terminology has appeared in the 2024–2025 ICT teaching community. As with all advanced ICT concepts, exact definitions and rules may vary slightly across different ICT educators who teach this framework. The core principle — multi-model confluence combining MMXM, CRT, and SMT — is consistent across interpretations.
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