Crypto Today: Bitcoin Holds, Big Options Expiry & Market Breadth Shifts

1. Bitcoin Holds Near the Mid-$88,000 Range

Bitcoin traded around $88,650–$89,000, holding above key support levels despite low liquidity during the holiday weekend. Traders noted that the modest uptick suggests buyers are still in the picture even as overall volume remains light.
📎 Source: ABP Live crypto price update (Dec 26)
https://news.abplive.com/business/crypto/crypto-price-today-december-26-check-global-market-cap-bitcoin-btc-ethereum-doge-solana-litecoin-bgb-pengu-live-tv-1740105?utm_source=chatgpt.com ABP Live

2. Historic Options Expiry Takes Center Stage

Today marks one of the largest options expiries in crypto history — with roughly $27–28.5 billion worth of Bitcoin and Ethereum options contracts expiring. Analysts say this can temporarily suppress volatility or trigger sharp moves once positions unwind, depending on how dealers hedge.
📎 Source: WEEX Crypto News (Dec 26)
https://www.weex.com/news/detail/crypto-market-sees-mild-dip-btc-holds-at-87k-largest-ever-options-expiry-may-disrupt-calm-286560 WEEX

3. Market Sentiment Still in “Extreme Fear”

For the 14th straight day, crypto sentiment indicators remain in the extreme fear zone — a level at or below patterns seen during past market stress periods, including the 2022 FTX crash. This suggests investors are cautious despite price stability above key levels.
📎 Source: XT Live Crypto News (Dec 26)
https://www.xt.com/en/blog/post/live-crypto-news-today-latest-updates-for-dec-26-2025-crypto-market-stuck-in-extreme-fear-for-14-straight-days-exceeding-ftx-crash-period XT

4. Altcoin Performance Mixed Across the Board

Altcoins showed breadth differences today:

2Z (DoubleZero) led with a notable gain (≈ +7%),
MemeCore registered losses,
Layer-1 and DeFi tokens displayed mixed moves.
Total market cap hovered near $2.93 – $3.02 trillion, with overall sector dynamics suggesting rotation rather than uniform strength.
📎 Source: CoinCodex (Dec 26 Market Update)
https://coincodex.com/article/79164/daily-market-update-for-december-26-2025/?utm_source=chatgpt.com CoinCodex

Takeaway

Today’s crypto landscape is defined by defensive positioning and anticipation. Bitcoin’s ability to hold around $88–$89K amid a major options expiry is notable, but sentiment remains tilted toward fear. Mixed altcoin performance and thin holiday liquidity point to a market in flux — traders are watching expiries and positioning ahead of the final trading sessions of 2025.