2025-12-26 07:22:37

December 26th, Bitcoin continues to fluctuate around 88,000. Today, there was a record-breaking 23.6 billion USD worth of Bitcoin options expiration, the largest single-day scale in history. Many people only focus on price movements, but in fact, the market direction is determined by the ongoing battle between bulls and bears behind the scenes.

Experienced traders understand one principle — surface-level price fluctuations are often illusions. The real battleground lies in the strike prices of options, the flow of funds, and the accumulation of leverage. Many retail investors fall into the "fuel trap," which is induced by these invisible forces.

Instead of passively following the trend, it’s better to actively observe the market structure. Identify where large options are concentrated, which side the capital flow is leaning towards, and what strategies institutions are deploying. Only then can you shift from being a passive price follower to an active strategist with control.

BTC-1,3%

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

15 Likes

Reward
15
7
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

TerraNeverForget

· 5h ago

23.6 billion sounds impressive, but it's just the same old trick. Here comes another "observing market structure" story. Why do retail investors find this so convincing? The 88,000 repeated shocks for so long—who can truly see through what the bulls and bears are doing? Be honest. It's nice to call them "strategists," but they're really just gambling on probabilities. I doubt it. Who will be the cannon fodder this time? Just look at the market trend to find out.

View OriginalReply0

WenAirdrop

· 8h ago

23.6 billion is really impressive, but I think most people still can't understand this game. Institutions are playing chess, retail investors are watching the board, the gap is too big. It's that time again to smash the market and shake out the weak hands; those who buy the dip are all cannon fodder. It's called "observing market structure" in a nice way, but really it still depends on luck and the amount of capital. The 88,000 level is too critical; both bulls and bears are throwing money around here. I just want to know who is secretly manipulating these numbers... Every large transaction is just a way to cut the leeks; the routines are always the same. If you don't understand options, don't play; 99% of people end up losing in the end.

View OriginalReply0

ChainMemeDealer

· 8h ago

23.6 billion USD... This round of options settlement is definitely going to take some people out. Watch the show. Retail investors are still watching K-line charts, while institutions have already laid out the entire chessboard. Those who can survive above 88,000 are considered winners. It's the same old story: "Understanding the flow of funds will help you win." Sounds good, but in the end, isn't it just getting crushed? Price fluctuations are meaningless; essentially, it's bulls and bears killing each other. Whoever's leverage blows first will die. Every day, people talk about active positioning, but it's actually just passive catching of the falling knife—just a different way of saying it. That critical 88,000 level, today might be the real test.

View OriginalReply0

BugBountyHunter

· 8h ago

23.6 billion in a single trade, retail investors are going to get chopped again today --- Basically, institutions are collecting chips while we are just looking at candlestick charts --- The term "fuel trap" is used perfectly; it's always the same routine --- The real battleground is at the options strike price; the price is just a smokescreen --- I just want to know if the 88,000 level was carefully designed by institutions --- Instead of studying these, it's better to just go all-in on faith --- Looking at capital flow seems simple, but in practice, you're still getting cut --- That's why I don't trade options; it's too easy to get caught in a trap --- A delivery of 23.6 billion in scale—how many margin calls did it take to trigger this wave of market movement? --- Listening to market structure analysis sounds professional, but in reality, ordinary retail investors still face a huge information gap

View OriginalReply0

GweiTooHigh

· 8h ago

23.6 billion in settlements, this long and short battle is going to be bloody, 88000 is right on the edge Another bunch of people are about to get chopped up, let's watch the show Retail investors watch the K-line every day, not realizing they've been set up by institutions long ago Exactly, watching the strike price is the key, price itself is just a distraction This wave of options volume hit a record, it feels like something big is about to happen Those in the know have already quietly positioned themselves, while we're still looking at bullish and bearish trends The "fuel trap" theory is brilliant, that's exactly how I fell into it

View OriginalReply0

BasementAlchemist

· 9h ago

23.6 billion? Damn, this scale is outrageous, no wonder today was so chaotic. Retail investors look at candlestick charts, big players look at options... we're just the harvested leeks. That theory sounded pretty right, but when it comes to actual trading, it's still easy to get caught. The key is, how do big options players view this? You probably need professional tools for this. The institutions are playing this move quite aggressively; the 88,000 price level feels like a trap. I just want to know who will end up with this 23.6 billion, betting that the bears will win this round.

View OriginalReply0

SighingCashier

· 9h ago

23.6 billion in settlements, retail investors are still watching the K-line, unaware that they've already been harvested. The institutions' move this time is truly brilliant. Small investors like us can't see through it. To put it simply: you look at the price, they look at the option strike price. We're not on the same level. It's always like this; by the time we react, we've already fallen into the trap. That's why some people can make steady profits, while we are passively taking hits...

View OriginalReply0