Bitcoin traders are bracing for a potential start to 2026 below $80,000, Derive co-founder Nick Forster said.
“Traders are stacking put options, particularly for the Dec. 26 expiry, with open interest concentrated at the $84K and $80K strikes,” Forster noted. “This positioning points to a meaningful probability of BTC dipping under $80K as the new year begins.”
Bitcoin was trading near $87,000 at the time of writing, down roughly 30% from its record high above $126,000 on Oct. 8, according to CoinDesk data.
Forster warned that the downtrend may continue. “Short-dated volatility is now above long-dated BTC volatility, indicating that markets expect large swings heading into the new year,” he said, signaling a potentially volatile December for bitcoin.
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