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Crypto derivatives markets turned more defensive in Week 9, with Deribit’s latest analytics report pointing to weaker risk appetite, heavier downside hedging, and negative short-dated futures pricing. The report says BTC briefly fell to $62,000 as broader markets moved risk-off after President Trump’s tariff announcement, and both BTC and ETH sentiment gauges are now nearing lows last seen in 2025.
The bigger message from the data is not just lower prices — it is a broad deterioration in derivatives positioning across funding, futures, and options at the same time.
Risk appetite is sliding across BTC and ETH
Deribit’s Week 9 report, produced by Block Scholes, says its in-house Risk Appetite Indexes for both BTC and ETH continue to weaken and are approaching the 2025 lows that previously acted as bounce zones. It also notes BTC is on track for a fifth consecutive monthly loss.
That combination matters because it suggests the market is not just reacting to one liquidation event — sentiment is staying weak across multiple weeks, even as traders look for a floor.
Perpetuals and futures are pricing in bearish sentiment
The report says all three major derivatives sentiment signals are aligned to the downside. In perpetuals, ETH funding rates fell to their most negative level since the “10/10 liquidation,” while BTC funding also dropped to a two-week low after spot briefly traded at $62,000. In futures, Deribit says short-dated BTC contracts are trading at a sharp discount to spot, and 7-day ETH implied yields also turned negative before showing some recovery. In plain terms, traders are not paying up for near-term upside exposure right now. That defensive posture also matched the prior week’s setup, when Deribit flagged $360 million in spot BTC ETF outflows alongside bearish futures and options positioning.
In futures, Deribit says short-dated BTC contracts are trading at a sharp discount to spot, and 7-day ETH implied yields also turned negative before showing some recovery. In plain terms, traders are not paying up for near-term upside exposure right now.
Options markets show stronger demand for downside protection
On the options side, Deribit says BTC’s volatility term structure has mildly inverted after weeks of sideways trading, while short-dated put demand has increased sharply. The report highlights a fast move in BTC’s 7-day 25-delta risk reversal, with put-call skew dropping from -6% to -17% in 24 hours.
ETH options are showing the same defensive pattern. Deribit says 7-day ETH at-the-money implied volatility jumped from 60% to 77%, and short-dated ETH skew moved to -16%, signaling renewed hedging demand against further downside.
The market setup looks defensive, not reset
Taken together, the report describes a market where price weakness is being reinforced by derivatives positioning rather than absorbed by fresh risk-taking. Negative funding, futures below spot, and put-heavy skews usually point to traders prioritizing protection over conviction. This is an interpretation of the combined metrics presented in the report.
Deribit also includes cross-exchange and constant-maturity volatility smile snapshots, which support the same broader theme: downside risk remains the dominant pricing focus in crypto derivatives heading into the next trading week.
Why it matters for crypto
- Derivatives markets are signaling persistent caution, not just a short-term price dip.
- Negative funding and discounted short-dated futures suggest weak appetite for near-term upside risk.
- Put-heavy options skews show traders are actively paying for downside protection.
- ETH’s funding and volatility moves indicate stress is not limited to BTC.
- If spot demand does not return, derivatives pressure can keep price action choppy and fragile.
What to watch next
- Whether BTC and ETH risk appetite indexes hold above the 2025 lows or break lower.
- If ETH funding rates stay deeply negative or normalize, which would signal weaker short pressure.
- Whether BTC short-dated futures move back above spot, indicating improving sentiment.
- Changes in BTC and ETH put-call skews, especially if hedging demand starts to fade.
- Any rebound in spot-led buying that reduces dependence on derivatives-driven price action.
Source: Deribit Insights by Block Scholes Analytics Report – Week 9, 2026