SEC Chair Gary Gensler announced he will resign on January 20, 2025, coinciding with President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

The S&P 500 rose 0.53% as investors shifted toward cyclical stocks expected to benefit from a strengthening economy, while technology shares lagged. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was up by 4.79%, with Bitcoin and Ether rising by  4.19% and 8.75%, respectively in the past 24 hours.

Today's top performer is XRP, which surged 24.3% following the partnership between Ripple and MCSocialVenture to boost financial resilience and access in emerging markets.

Ripple (XRP), launched in August 2012, is a blockchain technology company focused on improving international payments with its cryptocurrency, XRP. 

, focused on investing in emerging market entrepreneurs. The initiative will pilot financial resilience and humanitarian solutions built on the XRPL, aiming to advance equitable access to finance.

Check Out the Latest Prices, Charts, and Data of 

 he will resign on January 20, 2025, coinciding with President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Gensler, whose term runs until 2026, faced pressure from the crypto lobby due to the SEC’s strict regulatory actions against the industry, including high-profile cases against Coinbase and Binance. Gensler’s departure is seen as a victory for crypto advocates, who hope the next SEC chair will be more crypto-friendly. Trump has hinted at firing Gensler on his first day in office and is expected to appoint a chair with expertise in crypto, such as Mark Uyeda, Hester Peirce, or Chris Giancarlo.

Yesterday, BTC Spot ETF data revealed a net inflow of $396.7 million, driven by $404.5 million from non-GBTC sources, partially offset by a $7.8 million outflow from GBTC..

 for those who participated. To claim, visit 

 using code B0FKOP. Additionally, Morph Zoo Season 2 has launched on mainnet, allowing users to earn points by bridging ETH or executing transactions on Morph. The Bitget Wallet offers a 1.2x multiplier on points to maximize rewards.

Beginner

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SEC Chair Gary Gensler to Resign on Inauguration Day, Marking a Win for Crypto Lobby

Traders seem to expect BTC’s momentum could slow down a bit after the price hit over $97,000.

Positive sentiment has continued to fuel the cryptocurrency market as the expectation of further institutional adoption of 

 keeps growing. Options trading of BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF IBIT 

 with a bang, attracting almost $2 billion on the first day of trading. The hope of more spot ETF derivatives to change the market structure with additional institutional money onboarding crypto is high.

, we explored the possibility of the market being overleveraged, which could be painful if the current leverage unwinds. Data from CryptoQuant shows that the estimated leverage of the current BTC markets has reached another YTD high.

Derivatives data on Bybit shows that traders seem to expect that BTC’s momentum could slow down a bit after the price hit over $97,000, and are focusing more on downside protection.

Figure 1: Bitcoin estimated leverage ratio at 0.23. Source: CryptoQuant

BTC Options Open Interest Returns to Previous High While Perps Are Catching Up

Derivatives traders have been actively participating in BTC markets as 

 on Bybit has surged to over $3 billion, on par with the previous high on Nov 14, 2024. Although the options OI has increased, it still hasn’t surged above the previous high. At the time, BTC’s price had already jumped to over $97,000. If the OI doesn’t follow suit and break above the previous high in the coming days, this could be a sign that the market could become a bit exhausted — something for all market participants to be aware of.

Figure 2: Daily open interest for BTC options on Bybit. Source: Bybit

 have also seen increased open interest in recent days. Perpetuals have been among the most favorable products for day traders and short-term speculators. Rising open interest could indicate that more traders are looking for short-term profit, which could bring additional volatility to the market. 

Figure 3: Daily open interest for BTCUSDT Perpetuals on Bybit. Source: Bybit

Dec 27, 2024 remains the most popular expiration date for BTC Options on Bybit, with most of the open interest there. Within that expiration, $120,000 calls had the most OI, and $100,000 calls accumulated the second-largest OI. 

Figure 4: Open interest by strike for BTC Options with a Dec 27, 2024 expiration. Source: Bybit

Meanwhile, the market’s optimism that BTC will hit $100,000 by the end of the year seems to support the current price momentum. Shorter-dated options could show that traders are also looking for downside protection. The Bybit 

 page shows that BTC Options with a Nov 29, 2024 expiration have a strong 24-hour inflow to $90,000 puts. This could indicate that some traders are also anticipating some degree of price correction by the end of the month. 

Figure 5: 24-hour volume by strike for BTC Options with a Nov 29, 2024 expiration on Bybit. Source: Bybit

 for BTC Options on Bybit also indicates a possible downside protection in play among options traders. A smirk skew, or left skew, is a skew curve that’s steeper on one side (the left side) than the other. Traditionally, a smirk skew curve could mean that traders have been protecting their portfolios against a possible declining market. At the time of this writing (Nov 21, 2024), BTC Options contracts on Bybit with Nov 29, 2024 and Dec 27, 2024 expirations have both shown a smirk skew. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean traders are bearish on the price, and could just be part of the trading strategy. For example, traders could set up collars by buying out-of-the-money (OTM) puts and selling OTM calls simultaneously, so that they can profit in case BTC’s price drops, gain upside exposure and potentially offset the cost of buying the puts. 

Figure 6: Implied volatility of BTC Options with Nov 29, 2024 and Dec 27, 2024 expirations. Source: Bybit

The current BTC leverage trading may be complex, but tells a revealing narrative about market sentiment. The divergence between high leverage and increased hedging activities also reminds us that market dynamics are rarely straightforward, and adopting a 

 seems increasingly important in this diverse market.

: Investing in cryptocurrencies and their derivatives involves substantial risk of loss, and isn’t suitable for every investor. This article provides facts for educational purposes only, and does not represent any financial advice. Prior to making any investment decisions, please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and seek independent advice if necessary. Our customer support team is available to assist you with any inquiries.

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Learn From Smart Money: BTC’s Leverage Remains High as Traders Hedge Against Downside Risks

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report dives into macro events, the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume, and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

Spot prices have jumped significantly in the two weeks following the November 5, 2024 U.S. elections, propelling Bitcoin to new all-time highs, while Ethereum hasn’t kept pace. The implied volatility term structure has inverted again in tandem with these spot price movements, although longer-dated tenors remain relatively stable. Derivatives market indicators reflect strong positive sentiment: perpetual funding rates are consistently positive, open interest in futures contracts is rapidly increasing and options skew remains firmly positive.

Open interest in futures has surged, indicating heightened market participation and a growing interest in leveraged exposure due to recent price movements. Similarly, open interest in perpetual contracts has sharply increased, fueled by rising trader confidence and a growing demand for leveraged positions in light of recent market rallies. Meanwhile, the implied volatility term structure continues to invert in alignment with spot price increases, demonstrating a sustained correlation between spot prices and volatility.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

Futures Open Interest Reaches ATH Along With Price

Perpetual swap open interest has been increasing alongside futures, with a consistent rise in open positions over the past week reaching all-time high activity levels. This trend suggests that traders are actively pursuing leveraged exposure in response to the ongoing spot rallies, aiming to capitalize on the rising spot prices. Notably, there’s been renewed interest in Ethereum (ETH), reflected in rising trading volumes. 

Perpetual swap funding rates have reached exceptionally positive levels, indicating that long positions are confident enough to pay these rates to sustain their leveraged exposure. This trend has consistently been observed across all tokens, with a noticeable rise in funding rates since Nov 10, 2024. The persistently high funding rates highlight the strength of the bullish sentiment, which is also evident in the increasing open interest in futures contracts. This aligns with the recent spot price action, demonstrating significant upward momentum.

Option Volatility Term Structure Inverts 

The implied volatility term structure for Bitcoin has inverted amid the recent spot rallies over the past few weeks, indicating heightened market uncertainty and expectations of imminent price movements. However, levels haven’t exceeded the highs seen before the elections, and longer-dated tenors remain firmly range-bound. Concurrently, open interest in Bitcoin options has risen significantly, with a notable increase in put trading volumes. Open interest in puts has slightly surpassed calls, despite the persistently bullish market outlook indicated by the volatility smile skew.

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Bybit X Block Scholes Crypto Derivatives Analytics Report (Nov 20, 2024): Market Becomes Extremely Positive About Bitcoin as Volatility Curve Turns Invert

Learn how to join Bybit's VIP Program, where you can realize exclusive benefits — from up to 50% off trading fees and tailored interest rates to instant OTC trades up to $10M.

With the Bybit VIP Program, you can realize exclusive benefits — from up to 50% off trading fees and tailored interest rates to instant OTC trades, Bybit Card cashback and more. Joining the ranks of the very best traders on the platform will boost your profitability, raise your limits and offer access to VIP-only perks.

 and guides you through the steps to become a VIP trader and unlock exclusive benefits. Let's get started!

 is an exclusive club for the most esteemed traders in the crypto market. It’s designed to provide members an enhanced Bybit experience with numerous VIP-only benefits and perks. The program aims to reward avid traders who have high volumes, account equity levels and borrowing activities.

The Bybit VIP Program offers a multitude of benefits for members. These range from discounted trading fees and high limits for withdrawals and application programming interface (API) trades to priority Bybit customer support access, relationship managers and exclusive VIP events and meetups. You can find the full list of VIP exclusive benefits 

Requirements to Become a Bybit VIP Trader

You’ll need to fulfill a specific level for one of the criteria below to become a VIP trader on Bybit:

Bybit's VIP Program features six distinct tiers: 

. Each successively higher tier offers greater rewards, and also comes with more stringent qualification requirements. For instance, as a 

 trader, you’ll enjoy reduced trading fees, such as 0.03% for makers and 0.045% for takers in the spot market. To qualify for this exclusive tier, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

Once you become a VIP trader, you must continuously meet the above criteria to maintain your Bybit VIP status and keep enjoying the benefits. 

However, this doesn't mean your account will immediately lose its VIP status and revert to standard after a single day in which you don’t meet the requirements. Bybit offers a 14-day grace during which you can continue enjoying VIP perks and benefits, even if you no longer meet the program's conditions. If the criteria are not met by the end of this period, your VIP status will automatically be revoked. However, if that occurs, you can regain your status by fulfilling the requirements for any VIP tier either during or after the grace period. When this happens, Bybit will grant you a new 14-day grace period.

How to Sign up to Become a Bybit VIP Trader

In the following section, you'll find a step-by-step guide that shows you how to join the Bybit VIP Program.

The first step to becoming a VIP trader is to open a Bybit account (if you haven't already done so). Simply 

 and fill out the form with your details. After registering, you’ll need to verify your account to enjoy the platform's full functionality.

Next, fund your Bybit account with crypto or fiat currency.

You can deposit cryptocurrencies by using the 

 menu. On the page, choose your desired coin and the blockchain where you'll be depositing the assets. To avoid any loss of funds, please always ensure that you're transferring crypto from the correct chain.

Next, copy-and-paste the wallet address displayed on the page, or scan the QR code with your smartphone's camera, and initiate the deposit from your wallet. After a few confirmations, your cryptocurrencies will be credited to your Bybit account.

To fund your Bybit account with fiat currency, click on the 

 button and select one of the available services (e.g., 

 service, choose a fiat currency, the deposit amount and one of the available payment methods. After clicking on 

, follow the instructions displayed on the next pages to initiate the transaction. Your funds will be credited to your Bybit account, with processing times varying according to your chosen service and payment method.

After you have a verified Bybit account funded with either crypto or fiat, perform eligible activity on the platform until you qualify for VIP status (see table below).

You can achieve VIP status by fulfilling a minimum level of VIP 1 in either of the following categories (

After becoming a VIP trader on Bybit, don't forget to maintain your VIP status to continue enjoying the exclusive perks and benefits.

If you have active VIP status at another crypto exchange, or your total MT5 trading volume meets Bybit's VIP criteria, you can apply for a VIP+2 upgrade. This upgrade will grant you VIP status on the platform — and instantly elevate it by two levels. (Please 

 that Bybit only considers 10% of any MT5 forex trading volume.)

 and submit your 30-day trading volume on your current exchange. Bybit’s VIP team will review your application, and a Relationship Manager will contact you if you're eligible for the VIP upgrade.

How to Get Started With a 20-Day Bybit VIP Trial

Another way to qualify for VIP status on Bybit is through a 20-day trial. Instead of fulfilling the requirements of the VIP 1 level, simply fund your account with $50,000 to enjoy the exclusive benefits of the program for 20 days with a VIP Trial Card (issued one day after your deposit). The VIP trial offer is available to users who haven't used a trial within the past two months.

To unlock the 20-day VIP trial, head to the 

 menu on Bybit and use one of the available payment methods to fund your account with $50,000 in assets.

With VIP Level-Up Tasks, you can earn generous bonuses as high as 6,000 USDT. You can claim rewards for Level-Up Tasks for five VIP levels (VIP 1, VIP 2, VIP 3, VIP 4 and VIP 5), with higher tiers offering greater bonuses upon completion.

If you're eligible, you’ll see a pop-up window with VIP Level-Up Tasks after you log into your account. To claim your rewards, complete the specified trading volume requirement within 14 days of receiving the task, and click on the 

 page. You can learn more about Bybit VIP Level-Up Tasks

Exclusive Trading Benefits Offered to Bybit VIPs

As a member of the Bybit VIP Program, you can unlock exclusive benefits to supercharge your trading experience. Among these are discounted trading fees (which can significantly boost your trading revenue), profitability and chances of winning trades.

In addition to discounted trading fees, you’ll also enjoy substantially higher API trading and withdrawal limits. While the former is restricted to 10 trades per second for non-VIP users, you can take advantage of up to 120 API trades per second as a VIP trader. Simultaneously, your daily withdrawal limit is increased from the basic 1 million USDT to as high as 12 million USDT.

 is an exclusive club that provides an enhanced service experience for the most esteemed traders. As a member, you can access a multitude of exclusive benefits and perks, such as the following:

Are you ready to supercharge your trading experience? 

Intermediate

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How to Become a Bybit VIP: Your Guide to Exclusive Benefits

Crypto Trading Guide

Trading

Bitcoin

Having the best crypto trading strategies not only helps you maximize profits & it gives you peace of mind to trade BTC or altcoins despite the volatility.

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New to the cryptocurrency game? Not sure about your short from long, your maker from your taker fees, or your Market Orders from your Limit Orders? Don’t fret! It’s all explained here in the guide on how to trade Bitcoin on Bybit.

Firstly, let’s cover the basics and explain what we mean by Bitcoin and Bitcoin (BTC) is one of five cryptocurrencies that you can trade on Bybit, with the others being ETH, EOS, XRP and USDT. Although we’ll focus on Bitcoin and how to trade that on Bybit in this article, the same logic applies to the other tradable cryptocurrencies as well.

Bitcoin takes up the lion share of trading volume and general awareness when it comes to cryptocurrencies. Some estimates have put the 

 of Bitcoin among cryptocurrencies to be as high as

Its price is notoriously volatile, which for many speculative traders, is a major factor in its appeal. After reaching a peak in the price of nearly $20,000 in late 2017, its price plummeted in early 2018 and it remained bearish throughout the year. However, this year its price has been somewhat bullish, being around $7,200 at the time of writing (11/26/2019), an increase of around 200% from what it was at the dawn of the year.

A derivative, as its name suggests, is something that derives its value from an asset, and in Bybit’s case, this is cryptocurrency. Also in Bybit’s case, the agreement to buy or sell the cryptocurrency asset comes in the form of a perpetual contract.

A perpetual contract is an innovative product used in cryptocurrency trading that is an agreement to buy or sell an asset at an unspecified point in the future – there is no expiry date. It is essentially in between spots margin trading (that settles immediately) and futures (that settles at a specified point in the future)

Now, we’ve covered what Bitcoin means, let’s take a look at how you can trade them on Bybit.

Before you start trading on Bitcoin on Bybit, you’ll need to set up a Bybit account.

With no KYC, it’s a quick and easy process. You just need to give your email address or mobile number. If you don’t already have an account, you can click here to get started.

Please be aware that you can not buy Bitcoin on Bybit, nor can you deposit any other form of currency such as fiat or other cryptocurrencies to trade Bitcoin with on the platform, so you’ll need to have an existing Bitcoin wallet from which you can deposit Bitcoin into your wallet on Bybit.

As you’ll be able to see, it is possible to buy (long) or sell (short) your position. There are a variety of options available in terms of types of orders (Market, Limit and Conditional), and leverage, order price and quantity. Also, there are three-time in force methods to execute your order: "Good Till Cancelled," "Immediate Or Cancel" and "Fill or Kill" These are used when executing limit orders.

Let’s go into more detail about these terms:

• You will click on "Buy/long" or "Sell/short" at the final stage of order execution after you have configured all your order settings.

 are instantly executed and filled from the order book at the best available price.

• There are two types of Market Orders: buy Market Orders and sell Market Orders. Execution is guaranteed, but as markets can fluctuate, the execution price is not. Taker fees of 0.075% are applied to Market Orders because traders are taking away liquidity from the order book.

 are not instantly executed, but you can guarantee the price that they will be executed, providing the price is hit.

• This is done by pre-setting the price the order will be executed. Buy Limit Orders must be set at a lower price than the last traded price, or they will be filled as a Market Order immediately. On the flip side, Sell Limit Orders must be set at a higher price than the last traded price for the same reason. How much of a Limit Order gets filled may depend on what time on force methods are used, of which there are three. Traders receive maker fees of 0.025% when they conduct Limit Orders because they provide liquidity to the order book.

 orders remain active until they are fully executed, or canceled by the trader.

orders must be filled at the limit price or better immediately. If the orders cannot be filled immediately, they will be canceled. It is possible to have a partial fill for IOC orders. If there is a partial fill, the unfilled part of the order will be canceled.

orders must be filled at the limit price or better immediately. If this doesn’t happen, they will be canceled. Unlike IOC, partial fills are not allowed.

Let’s take a look at an example of how to use a Limit Order.

A trader wants to buy 10,000 BTC USD perpetual contracts immediately with a maximum execution price of no more than 7,001 USD.

If GTC is taken, 5000 contracts would be immediately filled, with the other 5000 added to the order book, waiting to be executed.

If FOK is taken, nothing would be filled, and the order would be canceled, as there are not enough contracts (10,000) in the order book to fill the order.

If IOC is taken, 5000 contracts would be filled, at 7001 USD, with the remaining orders being canceled.

To partially or fully close a position, a 

 could also be used, meaning a position is closed when a certain level of profit is met.

 can also be as an additional option when playing Limit Orders to ensure your position is not increased unintentionally.

 is an advanced type of order more often used by more experienced traders. These orders are submitted automatically when the trigger price is met.

will be immediately filled once the trigger price meets the last traded price, while a 

 will be submitted to the order book, and only be filled once the last traded price reaches the preset order price.

Traders can use Conditional Orders indirectly to set up

. This can be advantageous when traders want to trade a breakout in the market.

To ensure Limit Orders will enter the order book and receive a maker rebate when their orders are executed, traders can use 

 when placing Limit or Conditional Orders.

How to Trade Bitcoin

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards