How Bitcoin Options Traders Are Positioning for Uptober | US Crypto News
Bitcoin traders anticipate Uptober following a massive options expiry. With call-heavy bets, institutional flows, and bullish sentiment, October may spark volatility and fresh upside momentum.
Welcome to the US Crypto News Morning Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.
Grab a coffee as Bitcoin (BTC) traders look back at the final expiry of September and look ahead to what many call Uptober, a month often marked by rallies in past years. Interest comes as options positioning and institutional flows may decide whether momentum breaks higher or stalls.
Crypto News of the Day: Traders Are Betting on Higher Prices in October
Crypto traders are buzzing about Uptober, the nickname given to October for its history of strong Bitcoin rallies.
However, before the month even begins, options markets are sending mixed signals after a record expiry, with heavy bets on higher prices, and the possibility of a sudden breakout once contracts roll off.
As BeInCrypto reported, over $16 billion worth of Bitcoin options contracts expired today on Deribit, one of the largest expiries ever.
🚨 Options Expiry Alert 🚨At 08:00 UTC tomorrow, over $22.3B in crypto options expire on Deribit; one of the biggest quarter-end expiries. 🔥$BTC: Notional: $17.06B | Put/Call: 0.76 | Max Pain: $110K$ETH: Notional: $5.20B | Put/Call: 0.80 | Max Pain: $3,800Q3’s largest… pic.twitter.com/FDT1tWomYH
— Deribit (@DeribitOfficial) September 25, 2025
Crypto options are financial contracts that allow traders to bet on Bitcoin’s future price without directly buying or selling it.
When so many contracts expire at once, it can temporarily trap Bitcoin’s price near the most popular betting levels, in this case between $115,000 and $120,000. Traders call this effect “pinning,” and it often keeps volatility muted until after expiry.
Once the contracts settle, though, that pin disappears. Depending on whether more traders were betting on upside or downside, the market can see a sharp move in the following days.
This is How Bitcoin Traders are Positioning for Uptober
Bitfinex analysts told BeInCrypto that many traders are loading up on call options especially in the $115,000 to $125,000 range.
These bets pay off if Bitcoin climbs higher, suggesting confidence that the pioneer crypto could rally deeper into Uptober.
However, there’s a caveat. Market makers and dealers, who sell these contracts, hedge their risk by trading against the market. This tug-of-war often slows down big moves until expiry clears the slate.
Nicolai Sondergaard, a research analyst at Nansen, said institutions are also preparing for upside.
“Retail traders are making balanced short-term bets, but institutions are leaning bullish with structured trades that benefit if Bitcoin rises,” Sondergaard said in a statement to BeInCrypto.
He pointed to a put-to-call ratio of 0.65, which means there are significantly more bullish bets than bearish ones.
September has lived up to its reputation as a choppy month for crypto. However, as October approaches, the stage is set for volatility to return.
Historically, #Bitcoin finds a low in September of the post-halving year, and then bounces off of it into the market cycle top that occurs in Q4. pic.twitter.com/CVbcPOUojM
— Benjamin Cowen (@intocryptoverse) September 3, 2025
Key signals to watch in the coming days include ETF flows, perpetual funding rates, and whether options positions reset at higher levels.
Chart of the Day
Bitcoin (BTC) Price Performance. Source:
TradingView
Byte-Sized Alpha
Here’s a summary of more US crypto news to follow today:
- Record $21 billion Bitcoin and Ethereum options expiry tests market nerves.
- Bear market or bear trap? Analysts divided on crypto’s latest downturn.
- Glassnode flags market exhaustion as ‘Uptober’ approaches for Bitcoin.
- Aster resolves XPL perp glitch with refunds as growth momentum accelerates.
- Bitcoin’s hidden risk — DAT stock meltdown may trigger forced selling.
- Hyperliquid-based project faces $3.6 million controversy amid rug pull fears.
- Bitcoin faces double trouble: Whale slowdown and futures selloffs threaten drop to $105,000.
Crypto Equities Pre-Market Overview
| Company | At the Close of September 25 | Pre-Market Overview |
| Strategy (MSTR) | $300.70 | $298.75 (-0.65%) |
| Coinbase (COIN) | $306.69 | $305.88 (-0.26%) |
| Galaxy Digital Holdings (GLXY) | $32.12 | $31.50 (-1.91%) |
| MARA Holdings (MARA) | $16.07 | $16.06 (-0.062%) |
| Riot Platforms (RIOT) | $16.74 | $17.00 (+1.55%) |
| Core Scientific (CORZ) | $16.84 | $16.70 (-0.83%) |
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
ZEC Surges 701.51% This Year as Grayscale Files for Zcash ETF and Institutional Demand Increases
- Grayscale filed an S-3 registration with the SEC to convert its Zcash Trust into the first U.S. spot ETF for privacy-focused ZEC, signaling growing institutional adoption. - Zcash's shielded transactions now account for 30% of trades, with 20-25% of its supply stored in encrypted addresses, highlighting demand for privacy-enhanced crypto. - ZEC surged 701.51% year-to-date in 2025 but fell 13.26% weekly, reflecting crypto market volatility despite outperforming Bitcoin and Ethereum . - The pending ETF app
Zcash News Today: Crypto’s Schism: Doubt in L1s Contrasted with Growth at the Application Layer
- QwQiao critiques speculative L1 tokens (e.g., Bitcoin , Ethereum) for scalability issues and volatile valuations, contrasting them with utility-driven application-layer innovations. - Application-layer projects like DeFi, NFTs, and privacy-focused Zcash (ZEC) gain traction via real-world use cases, exemplified by Grayscale's ZEC ETF and Bitcoin Munari's structured token sales. - Dynamic tokenomics and institutional adoption (e.g., Ripple's RLUSD approval) highlight shifting priorities toward sustainable
Solana News Today: GeeFi's Presale Skyrockets Amid 2025 AI Surge, Attracting Investors with Promises of 3,000% Returns
- GeeFi's (GEE) Phase 2 presale surges with 10M tokens sold, offering 3,000% ROI forecasts vs. struggling Layer-1 rivals like Avalanche and Solana . - GEE's 20% phase-based pricing model (currently $0.06) targets $0.40 listing, with experts projecting 4,900% returns if it reaches $3/token. - The project's non-custodial wallet, DEX, and 55% APY staking, plus VISA/Mastercard crypto card partnerships, differentiate it from speculative crypto peers. - Market shifts toward utility-driven solutions accelerate as
Bitcoin Updates: Bitcoin’s Financial Infrastructure Sets the Stage for an ETF-Fueled Bull Market
- BlackRock deposited $422M in BTC/ETH to Coinbase Prime, signaling institutional-driven Bitcoin liquidity growth and ETF adoption. - Nasdaq's 40x IBIT options expansion is seen as structural catalyst for institutional capital deployment and Bitcoin's all-time high potential. - Mixed on-chain metrics show $90k retest but weak liquidity above $84k, with weekend volatility and short-covering limiting sustained bullish momentum. - Market awaits confirmation of BlackRock's $85.3k support hold and Fed rate deci
Trending news
MoreCrypto prices
More
