- Despite a minor midweek dip, crypto markets have remained relatively stagnant and sideways over the last few days.
- However, approximately 18,280 Bitcoin options contracts will expire on May 10, which could create some volatility.
- According to Deribit, the nominal value of the BTC contracts expiring this week is approximately $1.15 billion.
Bitcoin options contracts set to expire this week could cause some volatility in the crypto markets, with the nominal value of these contracts standing at approximately $1.15 billion.
Current State of Bitcoin Options
The put/call ratio for this week’s BTC options stands at 0.64. This development means that more long or buy contracts have expired compared to short ones. Long positions with strike prices of $70,000 and $100,000 dominate open interest (OI) with approximately $700 million. According to Deribit, OI for contracts also begins to rise at $50,000 with approximately $360 million. Overall, the open interest for Bitcoin call options is more than double the OI for put options, indicating bullish investor sentiment.
How is the Crypto Market Performing?
The crypto markets gained 2.1% in value during the day, reaching a total market value of $2.45 trillion. However, they have accumulated around this level with very little movement in either direction since mid-April. Bitcoin fell below $61,000 on May 9 but rebounded to $63,000 during the Friday morning Asian trading session. BTC has been in a downtrend since reaching its all-time high in mid-March, losing 15% in value since then. Ethereum prices saw an intraday low of $2,953 but have since rebounded to $3,032.
Conclusion
While the crypto markets have remained relatively stagnant over the past few days, the expiration of Bitcoin options contracts this week could create some volatility. The put/call ratio indicates a bullish sentiment among investors. However, Bitcoin has been on a downtrend since mid-March, and it remains to be seen how the market will react to the contract expirations. As always, investors should conduct their own research before making any investment decisions.