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Bitcoin options market turns bearish as $60,000 put dominates

CoinDesk4h agoUpdated 3h ago
Bitcoin options market turns bearish as $60,000 put dominates
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Bitcoin traders are turning bearish for August as the $60,000 put option becomes the most active bet on crypto exchange Deribit, accumulating $1.17 billion in open interest. The pivot follows a $10 billion options expiry that erased previous massive positions in $70,000 and $72,000 calls following the recent Fed meeting. Seasonal trends also point to potential downside, as Bitcoin historically averages a 7.51% median drop during the month of August.

Key takeaways

  • 1The $60,000 Bitcoin put on Deribit rose to $1.17 billion in open interest.
  • 2A $10 billion options expiry cleared top bullish call positions at $70,000 and $72,000.
  • 3Historical market data shows Bitcoin experiences a median drop of 7.51% during August.

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Why it matters

A shift toward put options indicates growing hedging activity among institutional derivatives traders. This repositioning suggests reduced confidence in immediate upside momentum, signaling potential downside volatility for retail crypto markets heading into historically weak seasonal trading periods.

Discussion

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