Bitcoin Drops After $1.6B Monthly Options Expiry

The "max pain point" for the July expiry was $35,000.

AccessTimeIconJul 30, 2021 at 11:03 a.m. UTC
Updated Sep 14, 2021 at 1:33 p.m. UTC
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Bitcoin faced selling pressure on Friday after Deribit, the world's largest crypto options exchange by volume and open interest, settled monthly options contracts worth $1.6 billion.

The cryptocurrency slipped from $39,800 to $38,500 after 08:00 UTC (4 a.m. ET), the designated settlement time on Deribit. A total of 41,000 contracts expired, of which 22,000 were calls options, and the rest were put options, according to Deribit data.

While the exact nature of the expiry-related flows is not known yet, prices frequently become more volatile after expiry.

Option expiries have gained prominence this year, with the cryptocurrency gravitating toward the so-called max pain point in the lead-up to settlement, and seeing notable directional activity post-expiry. That point is the strike price at which the most open options contracts expire worthlessly. Sellers, typically institutions, try to push prices closer to the max pain point to minimize their losses.

"There is always additional activity before and just after the expiry, especially for relatively larger ones like the July expiry," Luuk Strijers, chief commercial officer at Deribit, told CoinDesk.

During the bull run, bitcoin consistently saw pullbacks toward the max pain point ahead of expiry and resumed gains following settlement, as seen below.

Bitcoin monthly expiry
Bitcoin monthly expiry

"When BTC was bullish, we'd see a sell-off & volatility increase during expiry week, then pump at expiry," an options and algo trader who goes as Altcoin Psycho tweeted Thursday. "This time, it's been the opposite. If price dumps after expiry, that may be a sign that we go lower."

The overall market mood has been bearish since the beginning of the month, and prices dipped below the critical support of $30,000 on July 20. The cryptocurrency bounced well above the July expiry max pain point of $35,000 earlier this week, and is again facing downward pressure after the expiry.

Data shared by analytics firm Laevitas via Discord shows there has been notable call-option selling at higher strikes after 08:00 UTC.

Bitcoin call selling post expiry
Bitcoin call selling post expiry

Investors typically sell calls, which offer insurance against bullish moves, when the underlying asset is expected to drop or consolidate.

A call option gives the purchaser the right but not the obligation to buy the underlying asset at a predetermined price on or before a specific date. A put option gives the right to sell.

BTCUSD dailies

Bullish flows may return if the cryptocurrency establishes a foothold above the 100-day moving average (SMA) of $40,000. The average has been capping gains since Wednesday.

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CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


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