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Downside Insurance on BlackRock's Spot Bitcoin ETF is Now Pricer Than Bullish Bets

IBIT fell 1.32% to $59.99 on Thursday.

Updated May 30, 2025, 1:57 p.m. Published May 30, 2025, 12:34 p.m.
IBIT options signal downside fears. (zsoravecz/Pixabay)
IBIT options signal downside fears. (zsoravecz/Pixabay)

What to know:

  • Early Thursday, CoinDesk reported a bullish-to-neutral shift in sentiment regarding BlackRock's spot bitcoin ETF.
  • By the end of the day, market sentiment turned slightly bearish with a positive put-call skew of 0.2%.
  • IBIT fell 1.32% to $59.99 on Thursday, according to data source TradingView.

Early Thursday, CoinDesk reported bullish-to-neutral shift in sentiment in the options market tied to BlackRock's spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). But by the end of the day, the situation worsened further, with sentiment turning slightly bearish.

The one-year put-call skew, which reflects how the market prices in volatility risk for put options, offering downside protection, relative to bullish call options, turned slightly positive to 0.2%, according to data source Market Chameleon.

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In other words, the day closed with protective put options trading at a slight premium relative to calls in a sign of renewed bearish sentiment.

IBIT fell 1.32% to $59.99 Thursday, while registering a net inflow of $125 million, the lowest single-day tally since May 13, according to data source SoSoValue.

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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

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XRP jumps 8% above $2 as traders bet on a friendlier SEC

XRP symbol on top of dollar bills. (Unsplash/CoinDesk)

The departure of SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw is seen as potentially paving the way for more crypto-friendly policies.

What to know:

  • XRP surpassed $2 for the first time since mid-December, driven by steady ETF inflows and a favorable U.S. regulatory outlook.
  • U.S. spot XRP ETFs saw inflows of $13.59 million on Jan. 2, totaling $1.18 billion since launch.
  • The departure of SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw is seen as potentially paving the way for more crypto-friendly policies.