Record $14B Bitcoin Options Expiry Looms as Market Looks Highly Levered-Up

Key Points

  • A significant options expiry event is set to occur on Deribit, with 146,000 bitcoin options contracts valued at nearly $14 billion expiring, marking the largest expiry event ever on the platform.
  • The expiry includes $4 billion worth of BTC options expiring "in the money," potentially causing market volatility as positions are squared off or rolled over.
  • The put-call open interest ratio for the expiry is 0.69, indicating a higher open interest in calls, suggesting leverage is skewed to the upside.
  • BTC has dropped over 10% to $95,000 since the Fed's decision, increasing the risk of magnified losses for traders with leveraged bullish bets.
  • Market sentiment shows a more bearish outlook for ETH compared to BTC, with a significant drop in implied volatility for ETH calls.

Summary

As the year draws to a close, the crypto market is bracing for a significant options expiry event on Deribit, where 146,000 bitcoin options contracts, valued at nearly $14 billion, are set to expire. This event, the largest of its kind on Deribit, represents 44% of the total open interest for all BTC options across different maturities. Additionally, $3.84 billion worth of ETH options will also expire, with ETH having dropped nearly 12% to $3,400 since the Fed meeting. The expiry includes $4 billion worth of BTC options expiring "in the money," which could lead to market volatility as traders decide whether to square off or roll over their positions. The put-call open interest ratio indicates a bullish skew, but with BTC's recent price drop, traders with leveraged bullish bets face increased risk. Market sentiment leans more bearish for ETH, with a significant decrease in implied volatility for ETH calls, suggesting a less optimistic outlook for Ethereum's native token compared to Bitcoin.

coindesk
December 24, 2024
Crypto
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