Crypto Options Expiry: $15 Billion in Bitcoin, ETH, and XRP Contracts Close

TLDR

• Over $15 billion in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP options contracts expire on Friday, with 147,000 BTC options worth $13.42 billion set to expire
• Bitcoin’s put-call ratio stands at 0.56 with max pain price at $100,000, while 24-hour data shows bearish sentiment with put/call ratio of 1.12
• Ethereum options worth $1.73 billion expire with put-call ratio of 0.48, indicating bullish sentiment, though max pain price of $3,400 exceeds current trading levels
• Bitcoin-denominated options open interest reaches new all-time high despite USD-denominated values remaining below October peaks
• XRP options worth $15 million expire with put-call ratio of 0.41 and max pain price at $2.30 as trading volume drops 30%

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The crypto market faces a major monthly options expiry on Friday with over $15 billion in contracts set to close. The expiry comes as Bitcoin rebounds more than 10% over the past week despite extreme fear sentiment persisting in the market.

Bitcoin options worth $13.42 billion are set to expire on Deribit, representing 147,000 BTC contracts. The put-call ratio of 0.56 suggests positive sentiment among traders for an uptrend. However, the max pain price sits at $100,000, with puts exceeding calls at both $100,000 and $90,000 strike prices.

Recent 24-hour data tells a different story. Put volume has risen to exceed call volume, with the put/call ratio reaching 1.12. This shift signals bearish positioning and hedging activity among options traders.

Bitcoin currently trades above $91,000 following expectations of a 25 basis point Federal Reserve rate cut in December. Trading volume has declined 30% over the past 24 hours. Deribit data shows open interest clustering around the $100,000 level despite market uncertainty.

Record Bitcoin Options Activity

Bitcoin-denominated options open interest has reached a new all-time high according to Glassnode data. The surge represents a combination of volatility-arbitrage strategies and increased demand for risk management tools. The rise in activity comes amid sharp market volatility in recent weeks.

The USD-denominated version of options open interest remains below its late-October peak. This suggests investors are repositioning their holdings even though overall dollar capital involvement has decreased. Glassnode describes the upcoming expiry as one of the most important in the near term.

Ethereum options worth $1.73 billion expire with 574,000 ETH contracts closing on Deribit. The put-call ratio stands at 0.48, indicating more call bets due to positive sentiment from the recent market rebound. The max pain price of $3,400 exceeds the current trading price of $3,014.

Over the last 24 hours, call volume by expiration exceeds put volume. However, the 24-hour put/call ratio reaches 1.78, showing mixed signals. Deribit analysts describe Ethereum as remaining “a battlefield” following recent deleveraging across crypto markets.

XRP and Market Conditions

XRP options worth $15 million expire with a put-call ratio of 0.41. The max pain price sits at $2.30 as the asset faces selling pressure from whale holders. XRP currently trades at $2.19, down nearly 1% in 24 hours.

Trading volume for XRP has dropped more than 30% over the past day. The 24-hour trading range spans from $2.17 to $2.23. Some analysts predict XRP could move toward $2.60 following a rebound from the bottom of its current channel.

Bitcoin futures open interest shows a steady decline since the massive deleveraging event in October. The pace indicates investors are voluntarily pulling back on risk rather than facing forced liquidations. This creates a leaner leverage base that reduces the likelihood of sharp, liquidation-driven volatility.

Glassnode data shows Bitcoin remains stuck in a range as liquidity shrinks and realized losses surge. The market faces potential selling pressure as futures deleverage and options maintain defensive positioning. Bitcoin needs to break above the $93,000 to $96,000 buyers’ supply cluster to gain upward momentum.

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