Ethereum ETF filing triggers spike in open interest as Bitcoin steadies

exchange68September 12, 2024

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Quick Take

On Nov. 9, the crypto market saw significant turmoil, with over $400 million in liquidations. There was a notable change in open interest, especially for Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The majority of Bitcoin’s open interest now sits in the U.S. capital markets, with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) playing a dominant role. This open interest represents just 2% of Bitcoin’s total market cap, which has remained mostly unchanged since August. Despite the steadiness in open interest, Bitcoin’s price has surged from $26,000 to $36,500 since then, indicating a substantial increase.

BTC Open interest divided by market cap: (Source: Glassnode) — Graph showing BTC open interest divided by market cap in 2023 (Source: Glassnode)

In contrast, Ethereum witnessed a notable surge in open interest following the news of BlackRock’s spot Ethereum ETF filing. This resulted in a more than 17% increase in 24 hours, equal to around $8 billion in notional value. Consequently, Ethereum’s open interest as a percentage of its market cap surpassed 2.65% – one of the highest levels witnessed this year.

ETH Open interest divided by market cap: (Source: Glassnode) — Graph showing open interest by ETH open interest divided by market cap in 2023 (Source: Glassnode)

Analyst

James Van Straten

Former Lead Analyst at CryptoSlate

James fervently appreciates data, technology, and trend-spotting. As a tech and liberty maximalist, he hails Bitcoin as the 21st century’s paramount invention.

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