#CryptoNewss OPTIONS EXPIRATION $23.5 BILLION: WHERE IS MAX PAIN?

Friday 3 PM (VN), the market enters a sensitive period as 267,000 BTC options (~$23.48 billion) expire on Deribit.

The Max Pain level for BTC is at $96,000 – significantly higher than the current price, indicating that Call positions still dominate.

For Ethereum, the scale is smaller but equally important: $3.8 billion options are expiring, with Max Pain at $3,100. This implies that price suppression around the current range could persist until after the expiration.

Quick impact understanding:

Before expiration: prices often fluctuate around the range that causes the most "pain" for the majority of options holders.

After expiration: volatility may increase as the hedging pressure from market makers decreases.

Max Pain is not a price target, but a temporary equilibrium zone for derivatives.

Short-term strategy:

Avoid FOMO before the deadline

Observe reactions after expiration to confirm the next direction.