A more than $1.5 billion round of liquidations has again underscored the fragility of cryptocurrency markets, unfolding without a clear trigger and leaving option prices pointing to more volatility ahead.
The selloff — one of the largest of the year after months of speculative rallies — forced leveraged bets in Ether and other tokens to be unwound and has left traders braced for further swings. Options contracts that pay out on sharp moves are in heavy demand, underscoring febrile sentiment across the digital-asset landscape, while stocks and other risk assets rally afresh.