Options Expiry Could Unleash Bitcoin's Next Move: What Samson Mow Sees Happening

0xInsomnia · 2026-01-12T11:08:28+00:00

Bitcoin traders are closely monitoring December 26 as options contracts expire, likely causing significant price movements. Current market stability is a result of gamma hedging, and once these positions unwind, volatility may increase, potentially pushing prices above $100,000.

0xInsomnia

2026-01-12 11:08:28

Abstract generation in progress

Bitcoin traders have been watching the calendar as much as the charts lately. While the largest cryptocurrency has been trading sideways in the $89,000 to $90,000 range—well below its October peak near $126,000—market observers like Samson Mow, the vocal bull who has long championed a “seven-figure bitcoin” thesis, are pointing to a specific date that could reshape price action: December 26 (UTC+8).

The Options Market’s Hidden Impact

Rather than waiting for macro news or on-chain signals, Samson Mow’s focus centers on the derivatives market, specifically the massive volume of options contracts expiring on December 26 (UTC+8). This isn’t coincidental timing. The options structure reveals a fascinating dynamic: call options are heavily concentrated at the $100,000 strike price, with significant demand extending up to $118,000. Simultaneously, put option protection is clustered around the $85,000 to $90,000 level.

This arrangement creates what traders call a “gamma hedge”—large positions that force market makers to buy as prices rise and sell as prices fall. The effect? Artificial price stability. Those managing these hedges must follow a mechanical strategy: offload at resistance, accumulate at support, and maintain positions until expiration arrives.

When Hedges Expire, Markets Move

The current price sluggishness isn’t genuine supply-demand equilibrium. It’s a temporary ceasefire orchestrated by derivative mechanics. December 26 (UTC+8) marks the moment this structure collapses. Once options settle and hedging positions unwind, the gravitational forces suppressing volatility vanish almost instantaneously.

Historical patterns suggest that when this framework breaks, Bitcoin rarely stays quiet. Should the spot price hold above $90,000 and genuine buying volume pushes through the $100,000 barrier, options traders face forced liquidations of short call positions. This dynamic could accelerate moves toward the $110,000 to $112,000 zone with considerable speed.

Samson Mow’s calendar reminder essentially points to this catalytic moment: a date when market structure itself becomes the story.

BTC3,26%

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.