Bitcoin Price Stuck at $113K as Traders Prepare for Options Expiry at End of Month
- Bitcoin faces major price volatility as major options expiration approaches at the end of the month.
- The “maximum pain” price, at which most contracts expire without any benefit, is about $116,000.
- The option expiration confirms Peter Brandt's warning that BTC may be in a bearish trend.
Bitcoin (BTC) has jumped 2.1% in the last 24 hours to reach around $113,144, leading a small rally in the crypto market. However, a legendary trader warns that the rally could be deceptive. The gains follow strong gains in altcoins like Solana (SOL), which has risen more than 5% to $211.4, and Cronos (CRO), which has surged 56.8% to $0.35.
Solana’s price has risen more than 5% in the last 24 hours, trading at around $211.4 at press time, according to market data from CoinGecko. CRO’s price, on the other hand, has risen 56.8% in the last 24 hours, trading at around 35 cents. As a result, the total cryptocurrency market cap has risen 1.5% in the last 24 hours, to around $3.99 trillion.
Related: Bitcoin (BTC) Price Forecast: Bulls Defend $110K, But ETF Outflows Put Pressure Ahead of Q4
What does Peter Brandt warn about Bitcoin?
Veteran futures trader Peter Brandt has predicted a medium-term bearish outlook for Bitcoin unless the price breaks the $117,570 support level.
His analysis is consistent with his earlier prediction that Bitcoin would peak at $120,000 to $150,000 this cycle.
Source: Peter Brandt
Brandt points out that BTC is stuck in a distribution phase after last weekend’s massive sell-off. He warns that Bitcoin may be forming a bearish “double top” pattern on the weekly chart, which is coupled with a bearish divergence on the relative strength index (RSI).
How will options expiration affect the market?
This bearish outlook could intensify as the options expiration date approaches at the end of the month. For Bitcoin, the maximum price pain is around $116,000, when the maximum volume of options contracts expires. For Ethereum, the maximum price pain is around $3,800. These levels often act as a price magnet before expiration, indicating potential volatility.
Be prepared for the major options expiry on Friday!$BTC: $11.68B with max pain at $116,000$ETH: $3.17B with max pain at $3,800 pic.twitter.com/rhJyVVJg4X
— Satoshi Stacker (@StackerSatoshi) August 28, 2025
What are the major macroeconomic events to watch?
The broader market now looks ahead to next month's inflation data and the FOMC report to decide on its next big moves.
Traders are betting on a 78% chance that the Fed will cut its benchmark rate by 25 basis points in September, according to Kalshi.
On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced 11 strong candidates for Fed chair who will be interviewed after Labor Day and that the list of candidates will be presented to President Donald Trump. Notably, President Trump has gradually taken control of the Federal Reserve, especially after the recent firing of Fed Chair Lisa Cook on charges of mortgage fraud.
The cryptocurrency market is also expecting the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to approve several altcoin spot ETFs in the coming months. As a result, the prolonged market correction will end if institutional investors maintain strong demand. Moreover, the Trump administration is pushing for clear regulation of cryptocurrencies, as it did under the GENIUS Act.
Related: Ethereum Price Prediction: Can ETH Break $4,800 Resistance and Rise to $6,000?
Source: cryptonews.net
