Bitcoin price action decouples from stock markets, but not in a good way

This week the banal markets began to flash a small greenish and Bitcoin (BTC) is decoupling from accepted markets but not successful a bully way. The cryptocurrency is down 3% portion the Nasdaq Composite tech-heavy banal marketplace scale is up 3.1%.

May 27 information from the United States Commerce Department shows that the idiosyncratic savings complaint fell to 4.4% successful April to scope the lowest level since 2008 and crypto traders are disquieted that worsening planetary macroeconomic conditions could adhd to investors’ aversion to risky assets.

For example, Invesco QQQ Trust, a $160 cardinal tech company-based U.S. exchange-traded fund, is down 23% year-to-date. Meanwhile the iShares MSCI China ETF, a $6.1 cardinal tracker of the Chinese shares, has declined 20% successful 2022.

To get a clearer representation of however crypto traders are positioned, traders should analyse Bitcoin derivatives metrics.

Margin traders are becoming much bullish

Margin trading allows investors to get cryptocurrency and leverage their trading presumption to perchance summation returns. For example, 1 tin bargain cryptocurrencies by borrowing Tether (USDT) to enlarge exposure.

Bitcoin borrowers tin lone abbreviated the cryptocurrency if they stake connected its terms diminution and dissimilar futures contracts, the equilibrium betwixt borderline longs and shorts isn‘t ever matched.

USDT/BTC borderline lending ratio astatine OKX exchange. Source: OKX

The supra illustration shows that traders person been borrowing much USD Tether recently, due to the fact that the ratio accrued from 13 connected May 25 to the existent 20. The higher the indicator, the much assured nonrecreational traders are with Bitcoin’s price.

It is worthy noting that the 29 borderline lending ratio reached connected May 18 was the highest level successful much than six months and it reflected bullish sentiment. On the different hand, a USDT/BTC borderline lending ratio beneath 5 usually is simply a bearish sign.

Options markets entered “extreme fear”

To exclude externalities circumstantial to the borderline markets, traders should besides analyse the Bitcoin options pricing. The 25% delta skew compares akin telephone (buy) and enactment (sell) options. The metric volition crook affirmative erstwhile fearfulness is prevalent due to the fact that the protective enactment options premium is higher than akin hazard telephone options.

The other holds erstwhile greed is prevalent, causing the 25% delta skew indicator to displacement to the antagonistic area. In short, if traders fearfulness a Bitcoin terms crash, the skew indicator volition determination supra 8%. On the different hand, generalized excitement reflects a antagonistic 8% skew.

Bitcoin 30-day options 25% delta skew astatine Deribit exchange. Source: Laevitas.ch

The 25% skew indicator has been supra 16% since May 11, indicating an highly unbalanced concern due to the fact that marketplace markets and nonrecreational traders are unwilling to instrumentality downside pricing risks.

More importantly, the caller 25.6% highest connected May 14 was the highest ever 25% skew successful Bitcoin’s history. Presently, determination is simply a beardown consciousness of bearishness successful BTC options markets.

Related: Falling Bitcoin terms doesn't impact El Salvador's strategy

Explaining the duality betwixt borderline and options

A imaginable mentation for the divergent mindset betwixt BTC borderline traders and enactment pricing could person been the Terra USD (UST) collapse connected May 10. Market makers and arbitrage desks mightiness person taken dense losses arsenic the stablecoin mislaid its peg, consequently reducing their hazard appetite for BTC options.

Moreover, the outgo of borrowing USD Tether has dropped to 3% per twelvemonth connected Aave and Compound, according to Loanscan.io. This means traders volition instrumentality vantage of this low-cost leverage strategy, thereby expanding the USDT/BTC borderline lending ratio.

There is nary mode to foretell what would origin Bitcoin to extremity the existent bearish trend, truthful entree to inexpensive financing does not warrant a affirmative terms action.

The views and opinions expressed present are solely those of the author and bash not needfully bespeak the views of Cointelegraph. Every concern and trading determination involves risk. You should behaviour your ain probe erstwhile making a decision.