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Bitcoin Call Open Interest Hits $19.3B—Is Smart Money Hedging or Betting on a Rally?

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Bitcoin Call Open Interest Hits $19.3B—Is Smart Money Hedging or Betting on a Rally?

Key Insights:

  • BTC call open interest reaches $19.3B, with the put/call ratio falling to 0.59
  • Delta skew turns neutral-bearish, signaling rising hedging despite bullish positions
  • Price clears $93K, breaking key resistance and Ichimoku cloud levels

Call bets are heating up in Bitcoin’s options market, with open interest climbing and reaching $19.3 billion. Meanwhile, major resistance levels have been crossed as the price broke above $93,000. But growing hedging activity suggests traders are still wary, looking to protect recent gains.

Bitcoin Options Market Sees a Surge in Open Interest

Over the last few days, Bitcoin’s options market has been quite active. On April 21, BTC options open interest was $28.5 billion. This figure rose to $30.7 billion within 24 hours. That $2.2 billion rise was the highest level recorded since late March. The spike came as Bitcoin’s price also broke above $93,000 on April 22.

BTC price
BTC options open interest | Source: Glassnode

A higher number of active contracts is reflected in this growth in open interest. There are more traders entering the options market, and this usually means more interest in hedging and speculative strategies.

The rise in open interest also follows a broader upward trend seen across the BTC futures market as a whole, which generally reflects the sentiment of investors on short- to mid-term price expectations.

Put/Call Ratio Drops to 0.59 as Call Options Continue to Dominate

In addition, according to Glassnode, the preference for call options is on the rise. By April 22, call open interest had risen to $19.3 billion and put open interest at $11.5 billion. That makes the put/call ratio 0.59. The lower the ratio, the more call options are open than puts.

bitcoin price chart
Options put/call open interest | Source: Glassnode

Traders use call options when they expect prices to go up. The growing number of call bets indicates that many traders expect the price to continue growing. But such a rise in calls is also being interpreted as a signal that some traders may be selling calls to lock in profits or reduce upside exposure.

While calls are the main theme, it does not always mean bullish momentum. These positions are often used by many institutional traders for complex strategies such as hedging or adjusting risk in portfolios instead of simply betting on price direction.

Delta Skew Turns Neutral-to-Bearish Despite Bullish Positioning

Open interest and call dominance suggest strong interest in higher prices, but options skew data paints a different picture. Recently, the 25 Delta skew, which measures the difference between call and put options pricing, flipped from bullish to neutral or slightly bearish across all time frames.

btc price chart
BTC options 25 delta skew (all) | Source: Glassnode

In the latest data, the 1-week skew fell from above 17.5% to just under 2%. The same is true for 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month skews. A falling skew could mean that more traders are buying puts or selling calls. Even as prices rise, this can be a sign that some are becoming cautious.

As per Glassnode, ‘BTC Options 25 Delta skew flipped neutral-to-bearish across the curve.’ It implies hedging activity is growing or vol sellers are selling into strength.”

As such, the market is seeing rising call bets and higher open interest, but skew data indicates that some are getting ready for possible price corrections or at least protecting gains.

Bitcoin Price Breaks Key Technical Levels

Meanwhile, BTC has decisively moved above several resistance levels on the technical chart. The price had a strong daily candle that pushed it above the $83,000 mark, which was a major trendline resistance.

The chart also indicates that BTC has broken the Ichimoku Cloud resistance around $88,500, the 50-day and 200-day moving averages at $84,133 and $88,368, respectively.

Bitcoin price
Bitcoin analysis | Source: X

Technical analysts point out that BTC has finally broken out of the lower highs pattern. Which is considered a trend reversal move above $88,765.

In the post, Ash Crypto said: “Bitcoin closed above $93,000 and broke all the major resistance levels in a single candle.”

The bullish sentiment amongst retail and professional traders has been added to by this breakout. However, the increasing hedging signals indicate that some caution is still in place, particularly for those who have seen the market move before.

Disclaimer

In this article, the views and opinions stated by the author or any people named are for informational purposes only, and they don’t establish the investment, financial, or any other advice. Trading or investing in cryptocurrency assets comes with a risk of financial loss.

godfrey mwirigi
Written by
Cryptocurrency Journalist

Godfrey Mwirigi is a cryptocurrency journalist who contributes markets and crypto coverage to The Market Periodical. A Nairobi-based writer, he has reported on digital assets for crypto outlets including MetaNews, where his work has covered Bitcoin ETFs, exchange security incidents and on-chain data. His reporting spans Bitcoin and altcoin analysis, ETF flows and broader blockchain developments.

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About this article

PublishedApril 23, 2025 6:49 pm
Last updatedApril 23, 2025 10:58 am
Written bygodfrey mwirigi, Cryptocurrency Journalist
ReviewedFact-checked by the TMP editorial desk

This report follows our Editorial Policy, Fact-Checking Standards and Code of Ethics. Found an inaccuracy? See Corrections.

Disclaimer. Informational only, not financial advice. Crypto, forex and stocks are volatile, high-risk assets — always do your own research and consult a qualified adviser.

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