In stock markets and the crypto sector, traders are always looking for a definite reason to explain an asset’s price action, which means it’s important to stress that correlation doesn’t imply causation. While it may be easy to connect a regulatory statement or pending legislation to the outcome of an asset’s price, there’s not always hard proof that these were the exact drivers. Some indicators described below may have happened due to pure luck, even if the coincidence continues throughout history. For example, Bitcoin’s (BTC) pump to $48,200 on Oct. 1 could have been related to the Sept. 30 remarks …

Ether (ETH) price has seen quite a bit of volatility lately and to the surprise of many traders, the $4,000 level continues to present considerable resistance. Currently, the price is respecting the upward channel, which started in August. But every time the support is tested, the risk of an aggressive correction increases. With that in mind, the $340 million options expiry on Oct. 1 will likely be dominated by neutral-to-bearish put options. Bulls placed larger bets for the expiry but it appears that they were too optimistic for Oct. 1, so their $215 million call (buy) options are getting closer …

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has charged 12 New York-based crypto options businesses with allegedly failing to register with the regulatory body. In a Thursday press release, the CFTC outlined that it is charging 14 entities in total, with the 12 crypto-focused firms all on the hook for failing to register as futures commission merchants (FCMs). All of the firms were "allegedly based in New York." The other two companies have allegedly posted misleading information about their National Futures Association (NFA) membership and registration with the CFTC. The listed crypto options providers include relatively unknown names such as Bitfxprofit, …

"Don't fight the trend" is an old saying in the markets, and there are other variants of the phrase like "never catch a falling knife." The bottom line is that traders should not try to anticipate trend reversals, or even worse, try to improve their average price while losing money. It really doesn't matter whether one is trading soy futures, silver, stocks or cryptocurrencies. Markets generally move in cycles, which can last from a few days to a couple of years. In Bitcoin's (BTC) case, it's hard for anyone to justify a bullish case by looking at the chart below. …

Technical analysis is a controversial topic, but higher lows are commonly interpreted as a sign of strength. On Sept. 28, Ether (ETH) might be 30% below its May 12 high of $4,380, but the current $3,050 price is 78% higher than the six-month low of $1,700. To understand whether this is a “glass half full” situation, one must analyze how retail and pro traders are positioned according to derivatives markets. On Sept. 24, Chinese authorities announced new measures to curb crypto adoption, causing the second-largest Ethereum mining pool (Sparkpool) to suspend operations on Sept. 27. According to Sparkpool, the measures …

Cryptocurrency brokerage firm Genesis Global Capital has announced the completion of a first-of-a-kind trade that will pave the way for new institutional crypto futures products. Genesis has executed the first-ever over-the-counter (OTC) block trade of a Basis Trade at Index Close (BTIC) transaction using Bitcoin futures contracts issued by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). The trade was made in collaboration with derivatives market maker Akuna Capital according to a Sunday announcement. This is the first time a BTIC has been used for cryptocurrencies as it is more commonly used in equities markets. This form of trading allows investors to buy …

China bans Bitcoin (BTC) — again. No, we’re not traveling back in time. On Sept. 24, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) published a new set of measures to promote inter-departmental coordination on cracking down on crypto activity. The measures intended to “cut off payment channels, dispose of relevant websites and mobile applications in accordance with the law.” Most investors may have missed the $3 billion Bitcoin (BTC) and $1.5 billion Ether (ETH) monthly options expiry that took place less than one hour before the news of the crypto ban came out. According to “Molly”, a former Bitcoin Magazine contributor, …

American multinational investment bank JPMorgan has revealed that institutional investors are starting to shy away from Bitcoin futures in favor of Ether derivatives. In a note to investors on Wednesday, analysts at the Wall Street bank said that Bitcoin futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) have traded at a discount compared to spot BTC prices during September. As a consequence, Ethereum-based products have grown in popularity as investors make the switch to the world’s second-largest crypto asset. The analysts commented that there has been a “strong divergence in demand,” before adding: “This is a setback for Bitcoin and a …

Ether (ETH) price fell below the $3,000 support on Sept. 20 as global markets entered a risk-aversion mode. The Invesco China Technology ETF (CQQQ) closed down 4.2%, while the SPDR S&P Metals and Mining ETF (XME) lost 3.8%. Some analysts pointed to the potential ripple effects of the default of Evergrande, a major Chinese real estate company. In contrast, others blame the ongoing debates over the debt limit in Washington as the catalyst for this week's volatility. As a result, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), usually referred to as the "stock market fear index," jumped by more than 30% to …

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, continues limiting its services amid the ongoing global regulatory scrutiny, announcing new trading restrictions in Australia. Existing Binance users in Australia will have 90 days to reduce and close their positions for products such as cryptocurrency futures, options and leveraged tokens, the exchange announced Monday. Effective from Friday, Australian users will no longer be able to increase or open new positions for derivatives products on Binance. Users will still be able to top-up their margin balances to prevent liquidations and margin calls, the announcement notes. After Dec. 23, Binance users in …

Decentralized finance (DeFi) has continued to prove its explosive growth due to numerous protocols, including lending, exchange and global payments that don’t require financial intermediaries. With many use cases, the newest contender taking the crypto sphere by storm is derivatives. Derivatives are products like options and futures, where an arrangement has a value determined from the underlying asset, whether this is a stock, interest rate or cryptocurrency. The benefit to investors is that they gain exposure without ever holding the asset. Today many centralized exchanges deal with derivatives trading. With DeFi, no broker is required, meaning settlement occurs automatically on …

Top U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase has submitted an application to become a registered Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) with the National Futures Association (NFA). Details are sparse, but according to the NFA website, the pending application was submitted on Wednesday under the name “Coinbase Global Inc.” Coinbase highlighted the move via Twitter on Thursday and stated that “this is the next step to broaden our offerings and offer futures and derivatives trading on our platforms. Goal: Further grow the crypto economy.” If Coinbase becomes an approved FCM member under the NFA, the firm will then need to register with the U.S. …