After the Christmas holidays, the cryptocurrency market has continued its stable sideways movement without any particular positive news.
According to CoinMarketCap, as of 9:40 AM on the 27th, Bitcoin was trading at $87,299 (KRW 126.14 million), up slightly by 0.25% from 24 hours ago. Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, rose 0.84% to $2,926 (KRW 4.22 million). Most altcoins (BNB, XRP, Solana, etc.) also showed limited movement, with little significant fluctuation.
Recent capital outflows from institutional investors and large-scale options expirations are believed to have impacted the market. Since the 8th, there has been a net outflow of approximately $716 million, and on the 26th, trading contracts worth approximately $23 billion in Bitcoin and Ethereum options expired, slowing trading.
Options expiration is the point at which an investor's right to buy or sell an asset at a specified price expires. If the price at expiration falls below the strike price, the option expires. If it exceeds the strike price, the investor can realize profits. Some investors utilize a "rollover" strategy to postpone profit taking until the following month. Experts explain that options expiration acts as a restraint on Bitcoin's rise, limiting market movements before expiration.
Market reaction remains limited. Bitcoin is trading within a range of $87,000 to $88,000, showing no significant upward movement. Ethereum rose slightly, but Solana and Ripple showed mixed performance, with slight declines.
Mining difficulty appears to have halted its downward trend and is now slightly increasing. Foreign media outlet Forklog commented, "Miners are enduring economic stress without large-scale capitulation," and "Prices are suppressed, but the network is still holding up."
The Fear and Greed Index, which measures market sentiment, remains at 20, indicating "Extreme Fear." Bloomberg reported, "Investors are approaching the market more cautiously this year, and a rebound in January 2026 remains uncertain."
Ultimately, the market continues to move sideways without any particular positive factors, but miners and the network are maintaining stability and holding on despite options expiration and capital outflow.
- Reporter Lee In-ae
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