Bitcoin Open Interest Hits $96 Billion, Bullish or Bearish?

Key takeaways:

• Open curiosity in Bitcoin futures and choices has ballooned to $96 billion, up sharply from 2022 ranges.

• Elevated speculative leverage fuels BTC’s bullish breakouts, nevertheless it additionally raises the danger of cascading liquidations, harking back to 2021 volatility.

• Stablecoin-margined collateral now dominates over crypto-margined positions, serving to mitigate volatility shocks amid heightened buying and selling exercise.

Bitcoin’s derivatives market, which instructions $96.2 billion in open curiosity (OI), is poised to form value dynamics every time BTC trades close to all-time highs. Whereas Bitcoin (BTC) OI is at the moment down from a $114 billion peak, it nonetheless dwarfs its 2022 ranges. 

Glassnode pointed out that the introduction of US spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 accelerated this pattern. In 2023, open curiosity fluctuations had been comparatively tame, however post-ETF, 30-day adjustments have grown extra unstable, reflecting a market more and more pushed by leveraged trades. 

The Realized Cap Leverage Ratio, now at 10.2%, ranks among the many prime 10.8% of buying and selling days since 2018, signaling heightened speculative exercise that would proceed to drive value motion as Bitcoin hovers close to all-time highs. 

This might amplify Bitcoin’s value potential, driving fast rallies previous key resistance ranges at $111,800 and boosting liquidity, as noticed in Binance futures knowledge, the place most dealer participation thrives.

As illustrated, in Could 2025, Binance achieved a exceptional milestone, recording $1.7 trillion in futures buying and selling quantity, the best month-to-month determine in 2025. This surge in exercise alerts a strong wave of market hypothesis and engagement, considerably contributing to Bitcoin’s bullish momentum in the beginning of Q2. 

But, this identical leverage carries warning. The danger of cascading liquidations nonetheless looms giant, probably triggering sharp value drops, as witnessed within the 2021 crash fueled by unstable crypto-margined positions. 

Nevertheless, Glassnode famous that the market reveals indicators of maturity. Because the 2022 FTX collapse, stablecoin-margined collateral has overtaken crypto-margined positions, now dominating open curiosity. This shift reduces collateral volatility, providing a buffer towards market shocks.

Related: Bitcoin ‘weak hands’ sell 15K BTC at a loss: Are BTC lows under $100K next?

BTC-USDT futures leverage ratio factors to volatility

Information from CryptoQuant indicated that the BTC-USDT futures leverage ratio with respect to open curiosity is slowly rising close to its peak from early 2025. This confirms the elevated leveraged market considerations outlined above, with Bitcoin transferring sideways above $100,000 for over a month.

Likewise, crypto analyst Boris Vest pointed out that merchants are making ready to maneuver in both route. The analyst famous that whereas quick positions proceed to extend on Binance, the ratio between lengthy and quick is kind of balanced, as inferred from the conventional funding charges. The dealer stated, 

“Throughout the $100K–$110K vary, most merchants are leaning towards quick positions. This will increase the probabilities of a transfer in the other way. It’s potential that bigger gamers are quietly accumulating on this zone.”

Related: Bitcoin should hold $100K as Q3 seasonality predicts sideways trading

This text doesn’t include funding recommendation or suggestions. Each funding and buying and selling transfer entails threat, and readers ought to conduct their very own analysis when making a call.