Bitcoin Options Update: Market Panic Fades But Traders Remain Defensive

Bearish sentiments proceed to dominate the Bitcoin market because the premier cryptocurrency seems to document a fifth consecutive month-to-month loss. Presently, costs are consolidating beneath the $70,000 mark, as market bulls battle to pressure a decisive breakout above the resistance zone.
Amid this uneven value motion, information from the Bitcoin choices market exhibits that merchants are starting to count on much less volatility however nonetheless acknowledge the delicate nature of the market.
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Bitcoin Volatility Expectations Drop, Market Panic Fades
In an X post on February 20, Glassnode shared its weekly Bitcoin choices market replace, analyzing the merchants’ conduct and sentiment in relation to current market circumstances. The market analytics agency stories a notable change in volatility expectations that helps to subside the presently heightened bearish sentiments.
In line with Glassnode analysts, At-the-money (ATM) implied volatility throughout maturities has considerably dropped to round 48%, down considerably from latest highs. As a result of ATM IV displays the market’s anticipated transfer, the decline suggests merchants are now not betting on an instantaneous value crash.
Notably, this shift is bolstered by strikes in DVOL, an indicator for measuring mixture implied volatility expectations. Following preliminary spikes in the course of the market liquidation in late January/early February, DVOL has fallen by roughly 10 volatility factors over the previous two weeks, signaling that excessive hedging demand is easing out.
As well as, the short-term volatility danger premium (VRP) has turned optimistic. Earlier this month, one-week VRP plunged to deeply unfavourable ranges at -45, as realized volatility far exceeded implied. Since then, implied volatility has repriced larger whereas realized volatility has stabilized, restoring a premium in short-dated choices.
Collectively, these metrics counsel that panic pricing is being reset, and expectations for outsized, unstable strikes have declined.
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Bitcoin Merchants Stay Alert To Draw back
Regardless of the cooling in volatility expectations, different metrics present that merchants are sustaining a defensive market place.
For instance, the Put skew, which measures the relative demand for draw back safety versus upside publicity, stays fairly heightened regardless of transferring off the intense hedge. After bottoming close to the 7 volatility factors, the one-week 25-delta skew has rebounded towards 14 vol. The restoration signifies that whereas excessive concern has subsided, demand for draw back insurance coverage stays agency.
The taker stream information additionally tells the same story. Places represented two-thirds of final week’s choices exercise, with outright put shopping for representing about 34% of complete stream. The dominance of protecting positioning means that market contributors will not be absolutely satisfied the correction has run its course.
In conclusion, the choices market is signaling a extra measured outlook, the place expectations for quick turmoil have pale, however merchants are hedging to hedge towards the danger of one other draw back. At press time, Bitcoin trades at $67,628 following a 0.92% acquire within the final 24 hours.
Extra information from Glassnode additionally exhibits that Sellers are broadly quick gamma throughout a large value vary between $70,000 and $58,000, a positioning construction that would amplify promoting stress if Bitcoin extends losses. Conversely, a big gamma focus round $75,000 suggests positioning for a possible rebound.
Featured picture from Flickr, chart from Tradingview





