A significant options expiry event of $2.2 billion, particularly for btc ($1.9b) and eth ($328m), can lead to increased volatility as market makers adjust hedges and traders close or roll positions. the 'max pain' points being below current prices for both assets suggest a potential upward push.
Both bitcoin and ethereum's max pain points are below their current trading prices. deribit's data indicates a higher concentration of call options for btc, suggesting bullish sentiment. while eth has seen some recent put activity, overall positioning is leaning bullish.
Options expiries are typically short-term events that can cause price fluctuations in the hours leading up to and immediately following the expiry. the impact on price direction is usually concentrated around this timeframe.
Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available. The crypto market is set to witness over $2.2 billion in options notional expiry, mostly Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). The update comes amid price rebounds for both Bitcoin and Ethereum. Advertisement Details of $2.2 billion expiry event Popular crypto exchange Deribit announced the upcoming Bitcoin and Ethereum expiry event happening on its platform. According to the details, Bitcoin options make up the bulk of Deribit’s activity, worth $1.9 billion. This is the dominant part of the expiry event. With $328 million notional expiring, Ethereum is much smaller than BTC but still meaningful for its price dynamics. On the crypto market, options expiries are liquidity events. As contracts settle, traders close, roll or let positions expire. Market makers also adjust hedges, which can amplify volatility in the hours before and after expiry. 🚨 Options Expiry Alert Today, over $2.2B in crypto options are set to expire on Deribit. $BTC : $1.9B notional | Max pain: $69K | Put/Call: 0.72 - calls loaded above spot $ETH : $328M notional | Max pain: $2,050 | Put/Call: 0.77 - but 24hr volume ran put-heavy. Clock's ticking.… pic.twitter.com/BU4vtuBOte — Deribit (@DeribitOfficial) April 10, 2026 Deribit highlighted that the max pain point for Bitcoin is at $69,000. This is the strike price at which the largest number of outstanding options would expire, worthless. At this price, option buyers lose the most, while sellers keep the premium and minimize payouts. As regards Ethereum, the max pain point is $2,050. It is calculated by adding up the potential losses for buyers across all strikes and identifying the price that maximizes the collective pain for buyers. Bullish Bitcoin and Ethereum bets For both BTC and ETH, max pain sits below the current spot price. This setup is therefore anticipated to exert mild upward pressure on both cryptocurrencies. At press time, Bitcoin is trading at $72,129, while ETH is hovering around $2,215. The 24-hour trading volume of BTC and ETH also increased moderately by 7.6% and 9.4%, respectively. You Might Also Like Fri, 04/10/2026 - 12:13 XRP Ledger Validator Breaks Down Recent Transaction Surge By Tomiwabold Olajide The recent rally is quite impressive, considering earlier drops below $70,000 for BTC. Similarly, Ethereum plunged below $2,000 amid a broader market downtrend. At the moment, the BTC and ETH markets are on a recovery journey, and investors have placed bets on potential rallies. In its latest post, Deribit noted that the BTC Put/Call ratio is 0.72. This suggests that traders are positioned for upside and showing their aggressiveness on the call side. Similar to BTC, Ethereum saw more calls than puts in open interest. However, the last 24 hours of trading volume showed heavier put activity. This could indicate short-term caution or traders buying downside protection recently, but overall positioning remains slightly bullish. #Bitcoin #Ethereum