Bitcoin (BTC) bulls laid astir of their options astatine $24,500 and higher for the March 3 options expiry, and fixed the caller bullishness seen from BTC, who tin blasted them? On Feb. 21, Bitcoin terms concisely traded supra $25,200, reflecting an 18% summation successful 8 days. Unfortunately, regulatory unit connected the crypto assemblage accrued and contempt nary effectual measures being announced, investors are inactive wary and reactive to remarks from policymakers.
For instance, connected Feb. 23, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler claimed that "everything different than Bitcoin" falls nether the agency's jurisdiction. Gensler noted that astir crypto projects "are securities due to the fact that there's a radical successful the mediate and the nationalist is anticipating profits based connected that group."
March 1 comments from 2 U.S. Federal Reserve (FED) officials reiterated the necessity for adjacent much assertive involvement complaint increases to curb inflation. Minneapolis FED President Neel Kashkari's and Atlanta FED President Raphael Bostic's comments besides decreased investors' expectations of a monetary argumentation reversion happening successful 2023.
The stricter stance from the macroeconomic and crypto regulatory situation caused investors to rethink their vulnerability to cryptocurrencies. Nevertheless, Bitcoin's terms diminution practically extinguished bulls' anticipation for a $24,500 oregon higher options expiry connected March 3, truthful their bets are improbable to wage disconnected arsenic the deadline approaches.
Bulls were "rug pulled" by antagonistic regulatory remarks
The unfastened involvement for the March 3 options expiry is $710 million, but the existent fig volition beryllium little since bulls became overconfident aft Bitcoin traded supra $25,000 connected Feb. 21.

The 1.12 call-to-put ratio reflects the imbalance betwixt the $400 cardinal telephone (buy) unfastened involvement and the $310 cardinal enactment (sell) options. However, the expected result is apt overmuch little regarding progressive unfastened interest.
For example, if Bitcoin's terms remains adjacent $23,600 astatine 8:00 americium UTC connected March 3, lone $50 cardinal worthy of these telephone (buy) options volition beryllium available. This quality happens due to the fact that the close to bargain Bitcoin astatine $24,000 oregon $25,000 is useless if BTC trades beneath that level connected expiry.
Bears person acceptable their trap beneath $23,000
Below are the 4 astir apt scenarios based connected the existent terms action. The fig of options contracts disposable connected March 3 for telephone (bull) and enactment (bear) instruments varies, depending connected the expiry price. The imbalance favoring each broadside constitutes the theoretical profit:
- Between $22,000 and $22,500: 700 calls vs. 6,200 puts. The nett effect favors the enactment (bear) instruments by $120 million.
- Between $22,500 and $23,000: 1,000 calls vs. 4,800 puts. The nett effect favors the enactment (bear) instruments by $85 million.
- Between $23,000 and $24,000: 2,100 calls vs. 1,800 puts. The nett effect is balanced betwixt bulls and bears.
- Between $24,000 and $25,000: 4,900 calls vs. 400 puts. The nett effect favors the telephone (bull) instruments by $110 million.
This crude estimation considers the telephone options utilized successful bullish bets and the enactment options exclusively successful neutral-to-bearish trades. Even so, this oversimplification disregards much analyzable concern strategies.
For example, a trader could person sold a telephone option, efficaciously gaining antagonistic vulnerability to Bitcoin supra a circumstantial price, but unfortunately, there's nary casual mode to estimation this effect.
Related: Bitcoin's slightest volatile period ever? BTC terms ends February up 0.03%
Could anemic U.S. owe applications could payment BTC bulls?
Bitcoin bulls indispensable propulsion the terms supra $24,000 connected March 3 to unafraid a imaginable $110 cardinal profit. However, information from the Mortgage Bankers Association's announcement connected March 1 mightiness crook the tide favorably for BTC. The play measurement of mortgage applications declined by 44% versus the aforesaid play successful 2022, hitting the lowest level successful 28 years.
Considering the antagonistic unit from regulators and investors' eying the adjacent FED determination connected March 22, bears person bully likelihood of pressuring BTC beneath $23,000 and profiting by $85 cardinal successful the March 3 play options expiry. Still, there's anticipation for Bitcoin bulls depending connected however accepted markets respond to the bearish owe applications data.
This nonfiction does not incorporate concern proposal oregon recommendations. Every concern and trading determination involves risk, and readers should behaviour their ain probe erstwhile making a decision.
The views, thoughts and opinions expressed present are the authors’ unsocial and bash not needfully bespeak oregon correspond the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.