In brief<\/p>\n
Analysts called today\u2019s $18 billion notional expiry of Bitcoin options \u201crecord-setting,\u201d adding that whatever volatility arises from it may be delayed.<\/p>\n
That may be welcomed news for crypto investors after a rough trading week has sent prices tumbling across the board, with Bitcoin<\/a> hanging on to a slight gain for the month of September and the rest of the crypto market already in the red.<\/p>\n \u201cHistorical precedent suggests that large expiries often suppress volatility leading into the cut-off, then result in a clearer directional move in the 24-72 hours that follow,\u201d Bitfinex analysts told Decrypt.<\/p>\n That expected volatility has left users on Myriad<\/a>, a prediction market owned by Decrypt parent company Dastan, thinking Bitcoin will see more red than green candles<\/a> over the weekend, meaning lower prices on the daily charts. The bears are narrowly edging out the bulls at the time of writing, 51% to 49%.<\/p>\n \ufeff<\/p>\n Options are derivatives contracts that give traders the right\u2014but not the obligation\u2014to buy or sell Bitcoin at a set price, the strike price, on or before a certain date. Calls bet on higher prices and puts are bets that the price will go lower. It\u2019s a popular way for traders to hedge risk.<\/p>\n Most crypto options expire on fixed monthly cycles, usually the last Friday of the month. And when the notional value of options expiries stretches into the tens of billions of dollars\u2014as it has this month\u2014it can create some volatility in markets as traders rush to rebalance their risk.<\/p>\n Looking ahead to October, the Bitfinex analysts said there\u2019s still a lot of risk sitting in the options market. At the time of writing, crypto data aggregator Coinglass<\/a> estimates there\u2019s $78.9 billion worth of open interest in Bitcoin contracts.<\/p>\n