Bitcoin and Ethereum Under Pressure Amid Friday’s Options Expiry

Varinder Singh
June 23, 2022
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Bitcoin Ether Strategy

Friday’s Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) options expiry will be one of the biggest quarterly expiry seen in recent times. Around 103,000 Bitcoin contracts with a notional value of $2.1 billion and almost 1.1 million Ethereum contracts with a notional value of 1.2 billion set to expire on June 24. In total, 3.3 billion in options open interest will expire.

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Bitcoin and Ethereum Prices Could Break Record Low Levels

The max pain price for Bitcoin is $20,500, with most traders making bullish calls for prices above $60,000. Max pain is the price at which the largest number of options holders face financial loss. The BTC Put to Call ratio is 0.57, with calls of 66013 and puts of 37495. Currently, the BTC price is trading near the $20,500 level.

 Bitcoin (BTC) Options Open Interest
Bitcoin (BTC) Options Open Interest By Expiration. Source: Deribit

Moreover, the Deribit Implied Volatility Index for BTC indicates that volatility has jumped to 114% after the crypto market crash on June 13. Before the crash, the volatility was below 60%.

 Bitcoin (BTC) Volatility Index
Bitcoin (BTC) Volatility Index. Source: Deribit

The Bitcoin (BTC) has been finding resistance at the $21,500 level and has failed every time it tries to break above the descending channel. Currently, the trend is sideways, with the Bitcoin price continuously diving below $20k.

If Bitcoin fails to breakout, then the bearish pressure will become strong due to expiry, which could push prices below the $17k level. In fact, the bearish sentiment is strong due to regulatory pressure and miners’ selloffs. Traders can expect higher volatility before and on the expiry day.

On the other side, the max pain price for Ethereum (ETH) is $1800. With Ethereum’s price currently trading at $1,100, the ETH price could dive to $800 as the put-to-call ratio of options is 0.43, with calls of 750,859 and puts of 321,012.

Ethereum (ETH) Options Open Interest
Ethereum (ETH) Options Open Interest. Source: Deribit

Moreover, the ETH volatility has jumped to 164%, from 75% on June 12. Currently, the ETH price is trading sideways in a range and the next resistance is at $1250.

If bulls fail to show strength, bears are likely to push prices to next the support level at $800.

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BTC Price Trading Under the 200-WMA

The Bitcoin price is still trading under the 200-week moving average (WMA). Historically, Bitcoin price generally rebounds from the 200-WMA. Also, Bitcoin has rebounded quickly if it had fallen below the 200-WMA. The general sentiment is Bitcoin price should rebound this time too from the bottom.

Analysts believe the next support level is near the $13k. If the BTC price falls again below the latest low of $17,708, the possibility of falling to $13k is higher as there is no support for BTC before it.

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Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
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Why Trust CoinGape

CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights Read more…to our readers. Our journal analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.

About Author
About Author
Varinder has over 10 years of experience and is known as a seasoned leader for his involvement in the fintech sector. With over 5 years dedicated to blockchain, crypto, and Web3 developments, he has experienced two Bitcoin halving events making him key opinion leader in the space. At CoinGape Media, Varinder leads the editorial decisions, spearheading the news team to cover latest updates, markets trends and developments within the crypto industry. The company was recognized as Best Crypto Media Company 2024 for high impact and quality reporting. Being a Master of Technology degree holder, analytics thinker, technology enthusiast, Varinder has shared his knowledge of disruptive technologies in over 5000+ news, articles, and papers.
Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
Ad Disclosure: This site may feature sponsored content and affiliate links. All advertisements are clearly labeled, and ad partners have no influence over our editorial content.