📰 News Summary
After the crash (the recent sharp decline that led to massive liquidations of over $7 billion), many traders —especially institutional or large traders— are looking for 'hedges' to protect themselves from further losses if the market falls again.
This has created a 'rush' (an avalanche) of demand for financial products such as:
Put options
Short futures
Perpetual swaps with short positions
Volatility derivatives, such as volatility calls or variance swaps
These instruments allow for portfolio protection or even betting on a new market drop without having to sell assets directly.
#MarketRebound , #HedgingStrategy
🧩 Explanation of key terms
1. 🛡️ Hedging
It is a strategy to reduce or eliminate the risk of loss in an investment.
Example:
If you have 10 BTC and fear they will drop in price, you can open a short position in BTC futures.
If the price drops, your BTC are worth less, but the short position gains value → the loss is 'offset'.
Goal: Not to gain more, but to protect against a drop.
2. 📉 Options
A put option gives the right (not the obligation) to sell BTC at a specific price (strike price) on a future date.
If the price falls below the strike, the option increases in value.
Many traders buy puts as insurance against drops.
Example:
You buy a BTC put with a strike of $100,000.
If BTC drops to $90,000, that option appreciates significantly, offsetting your losses.
3. 📊 Derivatives
Financial instruments whose value 'derives' from the price of an underlying asset (BTC, ETH, etc.).
Main types used in crypto:
Futures: contract to buy/sell on a future date.
Perpetuals (swaps): similar to futures, but without an expiration date.
Options: as explained before.
Volatility derivatives: more complex products used to speculate or hedge against market volatility levels.
4. ⚡ Rush or Coverage Fever
When a crash occurs, traders rush to cover themselves because:
There is fear of another drop.
Perceived risk increases.
Option prices (implied volatility) rise.
This is called a 'rush to hedge' or 'rush for protection'.
The outcome:
Option premiums rise.
The volume in derivatives skyrockets.
Exchanges (like Deribit, Binance Futures, OKX) report spikes in 'open interest' in puts.
🔍 What does this mean for the crypto market
Increase in implied volatility (IV) → options become more expensive.
Demand for puts → shows fear or caution among major players.
Can generate 'short squeezes' later on, if the market rebounds and shorts must close positions quickly.
Psychological indicator → many hedges = fear, but it can also signal the end of a panic (capitulation).