Bitcoin options show caution, pro traders boost bullish bets ahead of Fed rate decision

2 hours ago

Key takeaways:

  • The Bitcoin options delta skew roseate supra the 7% neutral threshold, signaling cautious trader sentiment up of the US Fed decision.

  • The apical traders’ long-to-short ratio and $292 cardinal spot ETF inflows enactment optimism contempt mixed BTC derivatives.

Bitcoin (BTC) approached the $117,000 level connected Wednesday but failed to support its bullish momentum, arsenic traders weighed the anticipation that a Federal Reserve involvement complaint chopped is already priced in. Market sentiment was further dampened by speculation astir further restrictions connected artificial quality microchip income to China.

Are Bitcoin traders simply hedging up of the US Federal Reserve decision, oregon are they placing bearish bets targeting $110,000 amid heightened uncertainty successful AI-related request aft Nvidia (NVDA) shares traded down 2.6% connected Wednesday?

Bitcoin 30-day options delta skew (put-call) astatine Deribit. Source: laevitas.ch

The Bitcoin options delta skew roseate supra the 7% neutral threshold connected Wednesday, indicating enactment (sell) options are trading astatine a premium compared with telephone (buy) options. While not extreme, this displacement is typically seen successful bearish markets, contrasting with the neutral 5% level observed earlier successful the week.

The Financial Times reported Wednesday that China’s net regulator is banning companies from purchasing definite Nvidia microchips. According to AP, Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang said successful response: “I’m disappointed with what I see, but they person larger agendas to enactment out, you know, betwixt China and the United States, and I’m knowing of that, and we’re diligent astir it."

Bitcoin traders brace for Fed complaint decision

To find whether the higher Bitcoin options skew coincided with accrued trading activity, 1 should intimately analyse the premiums efficaciously paid by marketplace participants. Periods of panic are typically marked by a crisp surge successful the put-to-call premium, arsenic traders aggressively question strategies to hedge their positions.

Bitcoin options premium put-to-call ratio astatine Deribit. Source: Laevitas.ch

The BTC options put-to-call ratio astatine Deribit presently stands astatine 71%, reflecting debased appetite for neutral-to-bearish positioning among traders. Levels supra 180% bespeak utmost fear, past observed connected April 8 erstwhile Bitcoin’s terms plunged beneath $75,000 for the archetypal clip successful 5 months.

These information contradict the conception of a doomsday script oregon excessive caution amid artificial quality assemblage uncertainty and escalating planetary commercialized tensions. Overall, Bitcoin traders’ sentiment appears to chiefly bespeak anticipation of US Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks pursuing the interest complaint decision announcement, alternatively than panic oregon overreaction successful the market.

Related: Bitcoin whale awakens aft 12 years, transfers 1,000 BTC earlier US Fed meeting

Top traders bullish arsenic spot ETFs inflows enactment Bitcoin optimism

The exchanges’ apical traders' long-to-short ratio provides a broader gauge of marketplace sentiment, arsenic it includes futures, margin, and spot markets.

BTC apical traders’ long-to-short ratio astatine Binance and OKX. Source: CoinGlass

Top traders’ agelong (bullish) positions astatine Binance and OKX roseate connected Wednesday compared with the erstwhile day, signaling optimism for Bitcoin contempt mixed signals from BTC options markets. In effect, whales and marketplace makers anticipated terms gains but were caught disconnected defender erstwhile Bitcoin slipped to $115,540.

The $292 cardinal nett inflows into Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) connected Tuesday apt supported trader optimism, reinforcing expectations of $120,000 and higher. However, the eventual result volition beryllium connected the probability of a little restrictive US monetary argumentation and imaginable further de-escalation successful the US-China import tariffs debate.

This nonfiction is for wide accusation purposes and is not intended to beryllium and should not beryllium taken arsenic ineligible oregon concern advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed present are the author’s unsocial and bash not needfully bespeak oregon correspond the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

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