- About $2B in BTC and ETH Options expire today, with the most painful levels at $70K and $2,150, respectively.
- $75K is seen as important resistance for BTC ahead of the big end of the quarter, while $60K-$65K areas serve as support.
- Slight volatility and a cooling of chain activity indicate caution as traders await the end of next week.
A large group of Bitcoin Options and Ethereum Options are out today, which can be useful in the short term at low market prices. Data from Greeks.live shows that contracts related to both BTC and ETH options are close to execution, with a combined value of the proposal close to $1.97 billion.
BTC and ETH Options Expired and Consequences
Most of these expiration dates are Bitcoin options. About 23,000 BTC contracts should be settled, i.e. about $1.6 billion in value. The put-to-call ratio stands at 0.88, showing a slightly higher share of bullish positions compared to bearish ones. At the same time, the so-called “max pain” level, the price at which a large number of options end up worthless, is estimated at $70,000.
(Options on March 20)
23,000 BTC options ended, the Put Call Ratio was 0.88, the maximum pain was US$70,000, and the price was US$1.6 billion.
176,000 ETH options ended, the Put Call Ratio was 1.04, the maximum pain was US $ 2,150, and the price was US $ 370 million. … pic.twitter.com/jdShJJTivR– Adam@Greeks.live (@BTC__options) March 20, 2026
Ethereum options are also part of the expiration, albeit to a lesser extent. About 176,000 ETH contracts, worth about $370 million, are about to expire. Here, the put-call ratio stands at 1.04 and indicates a fair or slightly conservative position among traders. ETH’s biggest breakout is set at around $2,150.
These developments come at a time when the overall market has already shown signs of fatigue. Bitcoin, after trying to take action in recent sessions, has been struggling to hold firm above major resistance levels. According to Adam’s analysis:
75K is the value with the most open interest and represents the highest resistance.
This level has attracted a lot of attention – especially in relation to end-of-month payments. Recent actions show pressure. Bitcoin briefly dipped below the $70,000 level before settling near it.
Failure to develop a breakout above resistance can lead to a pullback, with traders changing their expectations over time. Traders are now looking beyond today’s close to the end of the quarter on March 27, which is expected to be the most important. The end of the quarter usually includes the number of weekly contracts. It often results in an increase in business activity as positions are rolled over or closed.
Data from the options market shows that $75,000 is still the most saturated price for Bitcoin in the coming row. Below that, several price groups between $65,000 and $60,000 show open interest. These areas can act as support if selling pressure increases.
On the other hand, it refers to the instability of Bitcoin options have been around 50%, and Ethereum is around 70%. Perceived volatility has decreased in recent sessions, which narrows the gap between expected movements and actual value. This has led to an increase in the risk factor, which indicates a market that values uncertainty but has not yet begun to fluctuate.
The chain’s products are also stable. Shipping volumes are declining, and interest rates are declining. Long-term workers seem to be selling cryptos at a low clip, but miners still sell a steady portion of newly minted tokens. This indicates an active, but not overheated, market. In the advertising markets, attitudes are becoming more conservative. Skew, which is a measure of the difference between the price of call and put options, has softened. This shows a decrease in the need for upside-down exposure and a positive reaction.
Today, retirement can act as a temporary anchor for stocks. In general, stocks reach their highest risk as they approach stability, driven by hedging activity from market participants. When the inventory is gone, that influence ends, and prices slowly fall.
However, the overall picture is still closely related to land and money. Only a small portion of the open interest is liquidated during this period, which reduces the indirect effect. On the other hand, due to the low level of trading activity, any sudden entry or exit may have external effects.
As the market heads into next week’s weekend, interest may change the way traders react. That change often results in higher ratings and higher price volatility; thus, the options market shows caution.
Also Read: Chainlink Price May Take $9 Crash When Bear Flag Appears
