Bitcoin traders are increasingly hedging against a potential drop below $80,000 as 2026 approaches, according to Derive co-founder Nick Forster.

“Traders are piling into put options for the Dec. 26 expiry, with open interest concentrated at the $84K and $80K strikes,” Forster said. “This market positioning signals a meaningful chance that BTC could start the new year under $80,000.”

At the time of writing, bitcoin was trading around $87,000, down about 30% from its record high above $126,000 on Oct. 8, according to CoinDesk data.

Forster added that volatility is expected to remain high. “Short-dated volatility now exceeds long-dated BTC volatility, suggesting that the market anticipates large swings heading into the new year,” he said, pointing to a turbulent December ahead.