Bitcoin Stalls at $70K as Traders Ditch Bullish Bets

Bitcoin rose about 4% in minutes after news that U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a temporary de-escalation of the Iran conflict and a path toward negotiations. The move in traditional markets was mixed: oil briefly spiked before retreating, while the S&P 500 advanced, yet Bitcoin’s derivatives indicators continued to suggest a cautious posture and limited conviction for a sustained breakout above the recent resistance near $68,000.

Analysts pointed to a disconnect between the spot price bounce and what the derivatives market was signaling. Bitcoin futures were trading at a modest premium over the spot, a sign that demand for leveraged bullish bets remains restrained. The two-month futures were pricing in roughly a 2% annualized premium, well below the neutral band usually seen around 4% to 8%. That estreched premium implies market participants are not confident enough to press the gas on bullish exposure, even as BTC flirted with higher levels and briefly approached $76,000 in the prior session.

Key takeaways

• Bitcoin futures sit at a roughly 2% annualized premium, below the neutral range, indicating cautious demand for bullish leverage.
• Derivatives data point to muted upside conviction: the April 24, $80,000 call on Deribit traded at about 0.017 BTC, with 31 days to expiry and implied volatility near 48%, implying roughly a 20% probability of reaching $80,000 by expiry.
• Stablecoin funding remains calm, with OKX data showing a 1.3% premium to the USD/CNY rate, suggesting no urgent demand imbalances in the region.
• The macro backdrop—Fed’s pause on rate cuts, elevated energy costs, and mixed risk-on signals—continues to temper Bitcoin’s risk appetite despite short-term relief rallies.

Two-month futures reflect a tempered risk appetite

Despite the intraday rally, the closest futures curve remained relatively subdued. Laevitas data show the two-month Bitcoin futures annualized premium hovering near 2%, a level that signals modest willingness to take on longer-dated bullish bets but stops short of the exuberance that characterized more bullish phases. In practical terms, traders are demanding less compensation for the longer settlement, which translates into a cautious stance rather than a rally-driven squeeze.

For context, a more typical bullish curve would carry a higher premium to reflect the cost of carrying a position for longer, especially during periods of renewed demand for upside exposure. The persistent softness in the futures slope has been a recurring feature over the past month, even as spot prices moved through波 around the mid-to-high $60,000s and briefly north of $70,000 earlier in the period. This dynamic underscores a broader theme: a stubborn lack of conviction among buyers that the market can sustain a breakout without additional catalysts.

Options signal a cautious stance on outsized moves

Options data corroborate a cautious mood. Deribit’s market for the April 24 options shows the $80,000 call trading at approximately 0.017 BTC, with 31 days left to expiry and an implied volatility around 48%. The pricing implies roughly a 20% chance of reaching the $80,000 threshold by expiry—a probability that, in crypto markets, reflects a comparatively modest expectation for a large, single-session move. In other words, traders are not pricing in a high-likelihood surge that would push BTC above the prior highs within the near term.

The combination of a low call premium and relatively subdued implied volatility adds up to a market that is comfortable with limited upside risk, but not confident enough to chase a dramatic breakout. This dynamic aligns with the broader narrative witnessed in other risk assets while Bitcoin remains tethered to macro-driven headwinds rather than idiosyncratic catalysts in the crypto space.

Macro context remains the primary driver of sentiment

Beyond the crypto-specific data, Bitcoin’s path continues to be shaped by the wider market environment. The Federal Reserve’s decision to pause rate cuts has kept fixed-income instruments attractive relative to risk assets, a factor that tends to cap speculative capital flows into volatile assets like BTC. Concurrently, energy prices and geopolitical tensions continue to exercise a palpable influence on risk sentiment. While a relief rally can occur in a supportive moment, the prevailing backdrop—higher financing costs and ongoing macro uncertainty—tends to constrain sustained upside for Bitcoin.

In this context, a 3% rebound in broader equity indices on a given day does not automatically translate into a durable shift in crypto risk appetite. Market participants appear to be weighing a potential macro regime shift—one where inflation pressures abate and central banks ease—against the immediate risks of a slower economy and ongoing geopolitical frictions. Against that backdrop, Bitcoin’s peers and on-chain indicators have shown mixed signals, highlighting a market that is still searching for a clearer directional impulse.

What to watch next

As traders rotate through macro headlines and micro-structural data, several key themes will shape Bitcoin’s near-term trajectory. A sustained move above the $68,000–$70,000 region could invite a fresh wave of hedging and speculative activity, but it would likely need to be supported by a shift in the futures curve toward a more positive premium. Conversely, a renewed stress in energy markets or a hawkish turn from central banks could reinforce risk-off dynamics and push BTC back toward recent support levels near $65,000 or lower.

In the near term, investors will be watching the interplay between the macro backdrop and the crypto derivatives market. If the two-month futures premium remains compressed and the options market continues to price in limited upside, the market will likely require a tangible catalyst—whether a policy signal, a breakthrough in adoption, or a clearer geopolitical development—to re-energize bullish bets. Until then, Bitcoin’s path may continue to be characterized by cautious consolidations rather than decisive breakouts.

Look for ongoing updates on how shifts in macro policy, energy pricing, and global risk sentiment influence the balance between spot demand and derivatives positioning, as these factors will likely determine whether Bitcoin can sustain any relief rallies or remain tethered to its current, more restrained trajectory.

This article was originally published as Bitcoin Stalls at $70K as Traders Ditch Bullish Bets on Crypto Breaking News – your trusted source for crypto news, Bitcoin news, and blockchain updates.