Bitcoin (BTC) has been making an attempt to interrupt above the $20,500 resistance for the previous 35 days, with the most recent failed try on Oct. 6. In the meantime, bears have displayed power on 4 completely different events after BTC examined ranges beneath $18,500 throughout that interval.

Bitcoin/USD value index, 12-hour chart. Supply: TradingView

Buyers are nonetheless not sure whether or not $18,200 was actually the underside as a result of the help degree weakens every time it’s examined. That’s the reason it’s necessary for bulls to maintain the momentum throughout this week’s $510 million choices expiry.

The Oct. 21 choices expiry is very related as a result of Bitcoin bears can revenue $80 million by suppressing BTC beneath $19,000.

Bears positioned their bets at $19,000 and decrease

The open curiosity for the Oct. 21 choices expiry is $510 million, however the precise determine will probably be decrease since bears had been overly-optimistic. These merchants utterly missed the mark putting bearish bets at $17,500 and decrease after BTC dumped beneath $19,000 on Oct. 13.

Bitcoin choices combination open curiosity for Oct. 21. Supply: CoinGlass

The 0.77 call-to-put ratio reveals the dominance of the $290 million put (promote) open curiosity towards the $220 million name (purchase) choices. Nonetheless, as Bitcoin stands close to $19,000, most bearish bets will probably develop into nugatory.

If Bitcoin’s value stays above $19,000 at 8:00 am UTC on Oct. 21, solely 4% of those put (promote) choices will probably be obtainable. This distinction occurs as a result of a proper to promote Bitcoin at $18,000 or $19,000 is nugatory if BTC trades above that degree on expiry.

Bulls can nonetheless flip the desk and safe a $150 million revenue

Beneath are the 4 almost certainly eventualities primarily based on the present value motion. The variety of Bitcoin choices contracts obtainable on Oct. 21 for name (bull) and put (bear) devices varies, relying on the expiry value. The imbalance favoring either side constitutes the theoretical revenue:

  • Between $18,000 and $19,000: 0 calls vs. 4,300 places. The web outcome favors the put (bear) devices by $80 million.
  • Between $19,000 and $20,000: 1,500 calls vs. 1,100 places. The web result’s balanced between calls and places.
  • Between $20,000 and $21,000: 4,300 calls vs. 100 places. The web outcome favors the decision (bull) devices by $85 million.
  • Between $21,000 and $22,000: 7,200 calls vs. 0 places. The web outcome favors the decision (bull) devices by $150 million.

This crude estimate considers the put choices utilized in bearish bets and the decision choices solely in neutral-to-bullish trades. Even so, this oversimplification disregards extra advanced funding methods.

For instance, a dealer may have bought a put choice, successfully gaining optimistic publicity to Bitcoin above a particular value, however sadly, there is no straightforward strategy to estimate this impact.

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A number of extra dips beneath $19,000 wouldn’t be stunning

Bitcoin bears have to push the worth beneath $19,000 to safe an $80 million revenue. However, the bulls’ best-case situation requires a pump above $21,000 to flip the tables and rating a $150 million achieve.

Bitcoin bulls had $80 million in leveraged lengthy positions liquidated on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13, so they need to have much less margin than is required to drive the worth larger. Consequently, bears have larger odds of pinning BTC beneath $19,000 forward of the Oct. 21 weekly choices expiry.