Bitcoin Options Expiry Triggers $15.6B Unwind; XRP and Solana Outperform
What happened: On September 25, approximately $15.
What happened: On September 25, approximately $15.6 billion in Bitcoin options (about 182,000 BTC) expired on Deribit, with the largest call concentrations at $85K, $90K, and $100K strikes. The event led to a sharp but largely mechanical pullback in BTC price, which hit an intraday high of ~$87,000 before retreating to ~$83,600. Meanwhile, XRP and Solana continued to climb, posting weekly gains of 15.45% and 9.33%, respectively.
Why it matters: The expiry of such a large notional value in options contracts can amplify volatility and drive short-term price swings, but analysts framed the move as a routine hedge unwind rather than a broader trend reversal. The resilience of XRP and SOL highlights ongoing rotation within the crypto market, even as macroeconomic headwinds—such as the Fed's recent rate hike and a four-year high in core PCE inflation—add uncertainty.
Source: Decrypt