Why Crypto Traders Are Suddenly Feeling Bearish—And It’s Not Just the Weather! 🐻💰

Well now, gather ’round, folks, for a tale of woe and wonder in the wild world of Bitcoin options! This Friday, the fourth day of April, a staggering 26,000 contracts are set to expire, with a notional value that would make a banker blush—around $2.1 billion, if you can believe it!

Now, don’t get too excited, as this week’s spectacle is but a modest affair compared to last week’s grand circus of end-of-month and end-of-quarter expirations. It’s like comparing a gentle breeze to a tornado, I tell ya!

As for the spot markets, they’re still reeling from the Trump administration’s latest tariff shenanigans, which hit like a ton of bricks on Wednesday. Traders are about as cheerful as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

Bitcoin Options Expiry

Now, let’s talk numbers, shall we? This week’s options contracts have a put/call ratio of 1.27, which means more folks are betting against the market than for it. It’s like a room full of pessimists at a party—nobody’s dancing! And there’s a max pain point of $85,000, where losses will rain down like confetti at a funeral.

Open interest, or the number of contracts still hanging around like unwanted guests, is dwindling at higher prices. We’ve got about $850 million at the $90,000 and $100,000 strike prices, but it seems traders are losing their nerve and turning bearish faster than a rabbit in a fox den.

Options Expiry Alert!

Last week’s quarterly expiry was hotter than a jalapeño in July, but this week’s setup is as quiet as a church mouse. Still, positioning is key, folks!

At 08:00 UTC tomorrow, a whopping ~$2.5 billion in crypto options are set to expire. $BTC: $2.16B notional | Put/Call: 1.27 | Max Pain: $85K $ETH: $371M…

— Deribit (@DeribitOfficial) April 3, 2025

Now, the fine folks at Greeks Live have declared themselves “predominantly bearish,” expecting more choppy waters ahead. It’s like they’re preparing for a storm while the sun is still shining!

“Traders are positioning for more blood and four more years of chop,” they lamented, with many selling calls at the $87k and $90k to $94k levels for the April 4th expiry. Sounds like a real party, doesn’t it?

With skepticism hanging in the air like a bad smell, one trader quipped that nobody is ready to “bullieve” anymore. Oh, the irony!

And let’s not forget about Ethereum, which has around 204,000 contracts expiring today, valued at a cool $372 million, with a max pain point of $1,850. This brings Friday’s combined crypto options expiry to a staggering $2.5 billion. It’s enough to make a grown man weep!

Crypto Market Outlook

As for the broader market, it’s been a rough week, with a 6.5% decline in total capitalization since last Friday, leaving us with a mere $2.75 trillion. It’s like watching a balloon slowly deflate!

Bitcoin, bless its heart, has fallen below $81,500, only to make a feeble recovery to $83,000 before plummeting again. It’s like a yo-yo with a broken string!

Ethereum, meanwhile, is languishing at bear market lows, dipping below $1,800 once more, trading at levels not seen since October 2023. It’s a sad sight, I tell you!

And as for the altcoins, they’re all feeling the pinch as market sentiment turns as sour as a lemon left out in the sun. Buckle up, folks, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

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2025-04-04 08:03