Friday has arrived again, and that means another round of Bitcoin and Ether options contracts are expiring while spot markets have steadily climbed this week.Friday has arrived again, and that means another round of Bitcoin and Ether options contracts are expiring while spot markets have steadily climbed this week.

Will Markets React to $2.8B Crypto Options Expiry Event?

2 min read

Around 25,000 Bitcoin options contracts will expire on Friday, Jan. 16, with a notional value of roughly $2.4 billion. This expiry event is slightly larger than last week’s, but derivatives trading remains slow, so there is unlikely to be any impact on spot markets.

Crypto markets have gained around $130 billion since the start of the week, with the majors hitting two-month highs despite the delay of the Senate markup for the market structure legislation in the United States.

Bitcoin Options Expiry

This week’s tranche of Bitcoin options contracts has a put/call ratio of 1.2, meaning that expiring calls (longs) are slightly lower in number than puts (shorts). Max pain is around $92,000, according to Coinglass, which is pretty close to the current spot prices, so many will be in the money on expiry.

Open interest (OI), or the value or number of Bitcoin options contracts yet to expire, remains highest at $100,000, which has $2.2 billion at this strike price on Deribit. There remains around $1.2 billion in OI at $75,000 as bears continue to short the asset.

Total BTC options OI across all exchanges is still climbing and is at $39 billion.

Despite Bitcoin’s return to $97,000, futures volume did not see a significant increase, and the implied volatility (IV) for major expiries did not rebound substantially, reported Greeks Live this week.

In addition to today’s batch of Bitcoin options, around 131,000 Ethereum contracts are also expiring, with a notional value of $436 million, max pain at $3,200, and a put/call ratio of 1. Total ETH options OI across all exchanges is around $9 billion.

This brings the total crypto options expiry notional value to around $2.83 billion.

Spot Market Outlook

Total market capitalization has dipped a little over the past 24 hours to $3.32 trillion, but was still up 4% since the same time last week.

Bitcoin hit $97,000 twice on Thursday, but resistance was too heavy, resulting in a fall back to $95,670 during the Friday morning Asian trading session. Ether had a similar move just shy of $3,400 but also retreated to trade at a little over $3,300 at the time of writing.

The altcoins were mostly in the red, aside from Tron with a 2.4% gain. XRP, Dogecoin, Cardano, and Monero were seeing larger losses.

The post Will Markets React to $2.8B Crypto Options Expiry Event? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Market Opportunity
Wrapped REACT Logo
Wrapped REACT Price(REACT)
$0.0292
$0.0292$0.0292
-1.68%
USD
Wrapped REACT (REACT) Live Price Chart
Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

Which Altcoins Stand to Gain from the SEC’s New ETF Listing Standards?

Which Altcoins Stand to Gain from the SEC’s New ETF Listing Standards?

On Wednesday, the US SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) took a landmark step in crypto regulation, approving generic listing standards for spot crypto ETFs (exchange-traded funds). This new framework eliminates the case-by-case 19b-4 approval process, streamlining the path for multiple digital asset ETFs to enter the market in the coming weeks. Grayscale’s Multi-Crypto Milestone Grayscale secured a first-mover advantage as its Digital Large Cap Fund (GDLC) received approval under the new listing standards. Products that will be traded under the ticker GDLC include Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano. “Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund $GDLC was just approved for trading along with the Generic Listing Standards. The Grayscale team is working expeditiously to bring the FIRST multi-crypto asset ETP to market with Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano,” wrote Grayscale CEO Peter Mintzberg. The approval marks the US’s first diversified, multi-crypto ETP, signaling a shift toward broader portfolio products rather than single-asset ETFs. Bloomberg’s Eric Balchunas explained that around 12–15 cryptocurrencies now qualify for spot ETF consideration. However, this is contingent on the altcoins having established futures trading on Coinbase Derivatives for at least six months. This includes well-known altcoins like Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin (LTC), and Chainlink (LINK), alongside the majors already included in Grayscale’s GDLC. Altcoins in the Spotlight Amid New Era of ETF Eligibility Several assets have already met the key condition, regulated futures trading on Coinbase. For example, Solana futures launched in February 2024, making the token eligible as of August 19. “The SEC approved generic ETF listing standards. Assets with a regulated futures contract trading for 6 months qualify for a spot ETF. Solana met this criterion on Aug 19, 6 months after SOL futures launched on Coinbase Derivatives,” SolanaFloor indicated. Crypto investors and communities also identified which tokens stand to gain. Chainlink community liaison Zach Rynes highlighted that LINK could soon see its own ETF. He noted that both Bitwise and Grayscale have already filed applications. Meanwhile, the Litecoin Foundation indicated that the new standards provide the regulatory framework for LTC to be listed on US exchanges. Hedera is also in the spotlight, with digital asset investor Mark anticipating an HBAR ETF. Market observers see the decision as a potential turning point for broader adoption, bringing the much-needed clarity and accessibility for investors. At the same time, it boosts confidence in the market’s maturity. The general sentiment is that with the SEC’s approval, the next phase of crypto ETFs is no longer a question of ‘if,’ but ‘when.’ The shift to generic listing standards could expand the US-listed digital asset ETFs roster beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Such a move would usher in new investment vehicles covering a dozen or more altcoins. This represents the clearest path yet toward mainstream, regulated access to diversified crypto exposure. More importantly, it comes without the friction of direct custody. “We’re gonna be off to the races in a matter of weeks,” ETF analyst James Seyffart quipped.
Share
Coinstats2025/09/18 12:57
‘High Risk’ Projects Dominate Crypto Press Releases, Report Finds

‘High Risk’ Projects Dominate Crypto Press Releases, Report Finds

The post ‘High Risk’ Projects Dominate Crypto Press Releases, Report Finds appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. More than six in 10 crypto press releases published
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2026/02/04 13:09
Why Vitalik Says L2s Aren’t Ethereum Shards Now?

Why Vitalik Says L2s Aren’t Ethereum Shards Now?

The post Why Vitalik Says L2s Aren’t Ethereum Shards Now? appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Vitalik says Ethereum’s scaling and higher gas limits mean L2s no
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2026/02/04 13:18