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Bitcoin options traders bet on $50K puts as gold futures flash bearish signal

Created at 1 Jul · 10:55 AM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

Bitcoin dipped to $57,700, its lowest since September 2024, before recovering to $58,800. Traders are buying September $50,000 puts, suggesting expectations of a further 15% decline. Meanwhile, gold futures showed a bearish "death cross" pattern.

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Key Numbers

$57,700Bitcoin's lowest price since September 2024
$58,800Bitcoin's recovered price
$395 millionCrypto futures liquidations in 24 hours
768,000 BTCBitcoin futures open interest
222K XAUGold perpetual futures open interest
50,000 BTCBitcoin put strike price
20 million SOLJupiter's total value locked
13.9 million SOLJupiter's previous total value locked
17%Stellar Lumens (XLM) weekly rally
48/100Altcoin Season index

Who's Involved

Deribit
Options exchange where puts trade at a premium
Paradigm
OTC desk that saw demand for Bitcoin puts
Jupiter (JUP)
Solana-based DeFi token with a price surge
Stellar (XLM)
Altcoin extending its weekly rally
Bitcoin options traders bet on $50K puts as gold futures flash bearish signal

↳ Why This Matters

The significant bearish positioning in Bitcoin options and the technical "death cross" in gold futures suggest a cautious to bearish outlook among traders for risk assets, potentially signaling broader market headwinds.

Key facts

  • Bitcoin price dropped to $57,700 before recovering to $58,800.
  • Over $395 million in crypto futures were liquidated in 24 hours.
  • Traders are positioning for a potential decline to $50,000 by September.
  • Gold futures exhibited a bearish "death cross" technical signal.
  • Solana-based Jupiter (JUP) and Stellar Lumens (XLM) saw significant price increases.

Bitcoin experienced a sharp decline to $57,700, its lowest point since September 2024, before partially recovering to $58,800. This downturn resulted in $395 million worth of crypto futures bets being liquidated over 24 hours, with bullish positions bearing the brunt of the losses.

Derivatives markets show a bearish sentiment, with put options on Bitcoin trading at a premium to calls across all timeframes on Deribit. A notable block trade involved a September expiry $50,000 Bitcoin put, indicating some traders anticipate a further 15% price drop by the end of the third quarter.

Gold futures have also flashed a bearish signal, with the 50-day moving average crossing below the 200-day moving average, a pattern known as a "death cross." This technical indicator, observed in prominent gold ETFs as well, suggests potential further downside for the precious metal.

Despite the broader market weakness, certain altcoins have shown resilience. The Solana-based decentralized exchange aggregator Jupiter (JUP) saw its total value locked (TVL) jump to over 20 million SOL from 13.9 million in May, accompanied by an 11% price increase and a 55% surge in trading volume. Stellar Lumens (XLM) extended its weekly rally to 17%.

These isolated gains have kept CoinMarketCap's "Altcoin Season" index at 48/100, indicating a mixed performance across the altcoin market. AI tokens, however, have struggled, with Bittensor (TAO) down over 30% since mid-June.

Frequently asked questions

A "death cross" is a technical chart pattern where a short-term moving average (like the 50-day) crosses below a long-term moving average (like the 200-day), often signaling a potential downtrend.

When put options trade at a premium to call options, it suggests that traders are willing to pay more for downside protection, indicating a bearish sentiment or expectation of price declines.

Total Value Locked (TVL) represents the total amount of cryptocurrency deposited in a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol, serving as a measure of its market share and popularity.

What Happens Next

01Monitor Bitcoin's ability to hold above the $50,000 support level.
02Observe gold's price action following the "death cross" signal.
03Track the performance of select altcoins like JUP and XLM amidst broader market weakness.

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Cadence

How It Developed

Bitcoin price fell to $57,700, its lowest since September 2024.
Bitcoin recovered to $58,800.
$395 million in crypto futures bets were liquidated in 24 hours.
Traders are buying September $50,000 Bitcoin puts.
Gold futures displayed a bearish "death cross" pattern.
Solana-based DeFi token Jupiter (JUP) rose 11% with a 55% trading volume surge.
Stellar Lumens (XLM) extended its weekly rally to 17%.

Sources

T1
Bitcoin options traders load up on $50,000 puts and gold futures flash a death crossCoinDesk

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