Surge of APE Call Options Signals Bullish Sentiment in Altcoin Arena
Noteworthy changes are taking place in the trading landscape as investors increasingly opt for APE call options on PowerTrade, a platform specializing in altcoin derivatives. This surge follows APE’s recent price surge to $1.50, demonstrating a notable increase in bullish attitudes among traders.
Market dynamics indicate that traders are showing a keen interest in the governance and utility token of the APE ecosystem, particularly within the derivatives sector. PowerTrade informed CoinDesk that open interest in APE options saw a staggering 800% surge in just one day, amounting to 263,000 contracts valued at around $394.5K. A significant portion of this surge, exceeding 80%, consisted of call options, a clear indicator of traders’ belief in a further rise in the asset’s value.
Mainly, traders are focusing on contracts expiring on October 22 and October 25, with many selecting higher-priced out-of-the-money (OTM) calls at $2.20—nearly 50% above APE’s current market price. This focus underlines not only traders’ optimism but also denotes a growing sophistication in the relatively new altcoin market, where APE’s market cap hovers around $1 billion.
It is crucial to place this heightened interest within the larger context of the cryptocurrency realm. Despite the significant increase in open interest and trading volumes for APE options, they still fall behind more established players like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), carrying billions in options on major platforms like Deribit. Nevertheless, the strong activity in APE options indicates growing assurance, likely bolstered by forthcoming advancements like the Apechain mainnet launch and LayerZero integration.
PowerTrade stands out with its unique European-style, USD-settled options that allow traders to conveniently engage in complex strategies through its request-for-quote (RFQ) system introduced in late 2022. This innovation contributed to the exchange recording a single-day trading volume peak of $50 million, covering options linked to 44 altcoins. Additionally, PowerTrade intends to broaden its offerings to include other altcoins such as EIGEN, APT, ARK, and PYTH.
In summary, the significant rise in APE call options trading on PowerTrade reflects a growing interest in altcoins and mirrors broader market trends. As traders position themselves for potential gains linked to upcoming developments within the APE ecosystem, the impact on both APE’s value and the altcoin industry overall could be considerable, showcasing a pivot towards more varied trading strategies in the dynamically evolving cryptocurrency landscape.