Share this article

Bitcoin Volatility Index 'BitVol' Makes First Trade

The BitVol index level puts the cryptocurrency's annualized volatility at 100%.

Updated Sep 14, 2021, 12:28 p.m. Published Mar 17, 2021, 5:08 p.m.
Traders now have another tool for betting on bitcoin's notorious volatility.
Traders now have another tool for betting on bitcoin's notorious volatility.

A new bitcoin (BTC) “fear gauge” began trading last week. The T3i BitVol Index from T3 Index, a financial indexing firm, measures the 30-day implied volatility of bitcoin.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters

The index offers cryptocurrency investors the ability to “trade volatility as a distinct asset class,” said Simon Ho, CEO of T3 Index.

  • The BitVol index has settled around an annualized 100% after reaching a high near 170% on January 15, which preceded a roughly 20% price correction in bitcoin.
  • Elevated volatility could be a signal of investor fear or uncertainty, while low levels of volatility signal investor complacency.
  • The first options trade off the BitVol Index was initiated on March 10, consisting of a March expiry 1-by-2 call spread that was bought for zero cost, Bloomberg reported.

The BitVol Index uses strike prices from tradable bitcoin options across various exchanges, a similar methodology applied by the Chicago Board of Trade’s (CBOE) VIX Index, which investors use to track volatility in the stock market.

Other cryptocurrency volatility indices are widely tracked, such as the BitMEX Daily Historical Bitcoin Volatility Index (.BVOL24H).

Chart shows the BitVol Index, a measure of bitcoin volatility, elevated around 100%.
Chart shows the BitVol Index, a measure of bitcoin volatility, elevated around 100%.

More For You

Protocol Research: GoPlus Security

GP Basic Image

What to know:

  • As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
  • GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
  • Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.

More For You

Bitcoin Rebounds to $93K From Post-Fed Lows, but Altcoins Remain Under Pressure

Bitcoin (BTC) price (CoinDesk)

Downward pressure on bitcoin is losing steam, with the market stabilizing but not yet out of the woods, said one analyst.

What to know:

  • Bitcoin rebounded from a sharp early selloff on Thursday to trade above $93,000 shortly after the close of U.S. stocks.
  • The late-day gain in bitcoin came alongside a rebound in the Nasdaq from big morning losses; the tech index closed with just a 0.25% loss.
  • Downward pressure on bitcoin is losing steam, said one analyst, but the market is not yet out of the woods.