$2.1 billion Bitcoin and Ethereum options expire today, raising chances of short-term crypto market volatility.
Bitcoin leads expiry with $1.7 billion contracts, as traders watch the critical $70,000 max pain level.
Ethereum sees $370 million expiry, with bearish sentiment and key price level positioned near $2,150.
Today, the crypto market is going to see a slight volatility as Bitcoin and Ethereum options worth about $2.1 billion are set to expire. The market is already under pressure, so traders are watching important levels closely, Bitcoin’s “max pain” at $70,000 and Ethereum’s at $2,150, which could affect prices in the short term.
$1.7 Billion Bitcoin Options Expiry Today
A large batch of Bitcoin options worth around $1.7 billion is expiring today. According to Deribit, nearly 23,000 contracts are set to close, with a put-call ratio of 0.96, showing slightly balanced market sentiment.
The most important level right now is the “max pain” point near $70,000. This is the price where most option traders may face losses, and markets often move toward this level during expiry.
Recently, Bitcoin tried to break above $75,000 but failed to hold that level. This rejection pushed the price back near $70,547, which is now acting as a key support zone.
At the same time, a large number of bearish bets are sitting around the $60,000 level, showing that some traders are still expecting downside risk.
Adding to the pressure, spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen outflows of $253.7 million for two straight days, indicating that some investors are pulling money out in the short term.
$370 Million Ethereum Options Expiry Today
Ethereum is also part of today’s expiry event, with around $370 million worth of options contracts closing. As per the Deribit data, about 176,000 ETH contracts are expiring, with a put-call ratio of 1.04, showing slightly bearish sentiment.
The max pain level for Ethereum stands near $2,150, which could act as a magnet for price movement as expiry approaches.
How Options Expiry Will Impact the Crypto Market Today
Options expiry often brings short-term volatility as traders adjust their positions. Looking at the last week, a similar event pushed Bitcoin up by nearly 8% and Ethereum by around 10% after expiry.
However, this time the total expiry size is slightly smaller at $2.1 billion compared to last week’s $2.4 billion. This could mean lower market pressure, but price swings are still expected.
On the other hand, Polymarket predicts a 38% chance that Bitcoin could reach $65K by the end of March 2026.
For now, the market remains cautious, as traders watch closely to see if this option’s expiry will impact current Bitcoin price levels.