Critical Date Set for Bitcoin – Options Market Earthquake Alert

As the year draws to a close, a significant expiration period is underway in the Bitcoin derivatives markets. According to analysts, the expiration of Bitcoin options worth approximately $23.8 billion on December 26th could trigger a “concentrated liquidation and risk repricing” process in the markets.

On-chain data analyst Murphy noted that the options expiring on December 26th include quarterly and annual contracts, as well as numerous structured products. According to Murphy, this will lead to a mass closing and rebalancing of risk positions in the Bitcoin derivatives market at the end of the year.

The analyst stated that prices might remain structurally constrained until the expiration date, but uncertainty would increase significantly afterward.

Options data shows a high accumulation of open positions at the two levels closest to the current Bitcoin spot price. Accordingly, there are 14,674 BTC open positions in put options with a strike price of $85,000 and 18,116 BTC open positions in call options with a strike price of $100,000. It is believed that positions of this magnitude are held not by individual investors, but rather by ETF hedge accounts, Bitcoin treasury companies, large family offices, and institutional investors holding long-term spot BTC.

Put options at the $85,000 level indicate strong demand for hedging against downside risks. Conversely, the high call option volume at the $100,000 level, while seemingly bullish, doesn't directly signal a bull market, according to analysts. Rather, it suggests that long-term capital is foregoing potential returns above this level, preferring more predictable cash flow and manageable risk.

While put options provide downward hedging, the high-level call positions are narrowing the potential price range for Bitcoin. According to the analysis, this option corridor, forming between $85,000 and $100,000, will have a structural impact on the Bitcoin price until December 26th. This structure is defined by implicit resistance at the top, passive support at the bottom, and volatile price movement in the middle.