Bitcoin Price Prediction Ahead of Friday’s $18B BTC and ETH Options Expiry

Bitcoin price steadied near $86,300 on Wednesday after gaining more than 6% this week. 

The break comes after profits, and Ethereum stands at approximately $2,751, and XRP price is at $1.576. Bitcoin is around the support level of about $85,000, and Ethereum is around about $3,000.

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Bitcoin and Ethereum Options Expire Today, Friday

Approximately $18 billion in Bitcoin and Ethereum options expire Friday, marking their largest expiry of 2026. Bitcoin accounts for about $15.9 billion across 184,000 contracts, while Ethereum represents $2.1 billion across 777,000 contracts. The settlement raises attention around strike prices and possible hedging activity.

Bitcoin calls total roughly $9.4 billion, compared with $6.5 billion in puts. Calls cluster at $90,000 and $100,000, drawing attention as expiry approaches. Ethereum has more calls than puts, at $1.32 billion versus $813 million. Its call interest stretches from $3,000 to $4,000, above trading levels.

$18,140,000,000 in $BTC and $ETH options will expire this Friday.

Max pain for Bitcoin: $75,000

Max pain for Ethereum: $2,250 pic.twitter.com/FtthIAquoW

— Ted (@TedPillows) September 22, 2026

Bitcoin’s estimated max-pain level stands near $75,000, while Ethereum’s sits around $2,250. These figures describe theoretical options payouts; they do not forecast where either asset will trade Friday. 

For Bitcoin, holding $85,000 would keep the recent advance intact as expiry approaches. A move toward $90,000 could draw attention to the largest upside contracts.

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Bitcoin ETFs Draw $715M as Inflow Streak Reaches Four Days

The U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $715 million on September 22, according to SoSoValue data shared by Wu Blockchain. The result marked their fourth consecutive day of net inflows. Spot Ethereum ETFs drew $162 million, extending their inflow streak to three days.

Together, the two groups took in $877 million during the session. Bitcoin funds accounted for most of that total, drawing more than four times the amount received by Ethereum funds. The figures reflect net subscriptions after investor withdrawals.

Will BTC Price Hold $85k Level?

The BTC Price traded at $85,416, down 0.28% in the latest four-hour candle. Bitcoin remained above $85,000 after a sharp rally earlier this week. 

The four-hour RSI was going down to 61 having moved overbought. Momentum is quite positive, yet the downturn indicates that the rally has waned. The MACD line also slipped below its signal line, producing a negative histogram reading of 165.90.

Bitcoin price outlook for the long term faces an initial test near its recent high around $87,000. A sustained move above that area could bring the marked $88,000 resistance into focus, followed by $90,000. If $85,000 fails to hold, the next marked support sits near $82,000.

Bitcoin Short-term Holders’ Realized Profits Hit Highest Level Since

The realized profit-to-loss ratio for short-term Bitcoin holders has reached its highest level since the October 2025 peak. 

The figures indicate a steep increase in profits recorded by new holders. The growth may indicate escalating the pressure to sell following the rise of Bitcoin. The data does not indicate a 50% crash; however the possibility of a crash remains as a result of sustained profit-taking is high.