🚀 Altcoin Options Heat Up: Bulls Bet Big on ETH, SOL, XRP & BNB! 📈 | by PowerTrade/PowerDEX

July 29, 2025 was a standout session for altcoin options, marked by surging bullish bets and community excitement. Altcoins had been on a tear — Binance Coin (BNB) hit a new all-time high around $851 while Ethereum (ETH) neared the pivotal $4,000 level. Options traders responded in force. Overall activity skewed dramatically toward calls (roughly 72% of volume), signaling a risk-on, bullish sentiment across the board. In other words, the vast majority of traders were buying call options (betting on price rises) rather than protective puts. This call dominance is a classic sign of optimism — participants were positioning for more upside rather than hedging downside. It’s as if the crypto options community collectively yelled, “We’re betting on the rally to continue!”

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Call Activity Dominated (~72% of Volume): About 72% of all altcoin option volume was in calls versus ~28% in puts (by notional), an overwhelming tilt toward bullish bets. Such one-sided flow indicates traders were chasing upside exposure. Many were scooping up call options to ride the ongoing altcoin rally, reflecting optimistic market sentiment. Put volume, in contrast, was relatively muted — a sign that few felt the need for downside protection on this explosive day.
Ethereum (#ETH) Leads in Volume & OI: Ethereum once again proved its status as the bellwether of alt options. ETH had the highest trading volume and open interest of any altcoin on PowerTrade’s platform. Traders mostly grabbed calls on ETH, showing confidence that it will trend higher alongside the broader market. Notably, a whale-sized position in the December 2025 $4,000 call popped up on the radar — a bold long-term bet that ETH could push to new highs by year-end. This large Dec ’25 call position underscores how some traders are thinking months ahead, positioning for a potential year-end rally in ETH. With ETH’s spot price holding near $3,900 and closing in on the crucial $4K mark, breaking that resistance would be a big deal. It could signal a next leg up toward prior highs, and options flows are reflecting that anticipation. In fact, PowerTrade data shows clients are overwhelmingly long ETH via calls, roughly 4 calls for every 1 put in open interest — a clearly bullish tilt.
Solana (#SOL) Upside Bets Intensify: Solana has been one of the momentum darlings of late, and July 29 saw traders doubling down on short-term upside. There was a spike in high-strike, near-term call buying on SOL — essentially, bets that SOL’s price will break out even higher in the immediate future. This comes after Solana’s strong July run (SOL recently rallied above ~$180) and news earlier in the month of a U.S. Solana ETF approval fueling optimism. Traders targeted calls in weekly expiries with strikes out of the money, indicating speculation that SOL could pop towards new highs (the $200 level is in sight). The fact that these near-expiry, high-strike calls were in demand shows a short-term upside frenzy — the community is anticipating something big for SOL soon. Notably, we saw little interest in SOL puts, meaning few expect a sharp pullback in the very near term. It’s a tactical, bullish play: traders positioning for a potential burst higher if key technical levels give way.
XRP (#XRP) Sees Unusual Volume Spike: Ripple’s XRP had an eye-catching burst of options activity. This token has been on a tear — XRP is hovering around $3.20-$3.30 after a multi-week surge to multi-year highs. On the 29th, traders piled into XRP options, predominantly calls, anticipating another leg up. In fact, XRP has been a focal point lately: just a week prior, one aggressive “call sweep” buyer snapped up 200,000+ XRP call contracts in one go! While volumes on the 29th weren’t quite that extreme, the sentiment was similar. Traders were buying upside calls as XRP’s price consolidated just above $3. What are they anticipating? Potentially a big catalyst — rumors have been swirling of a possible XRP-related ETF or further positive developments in the Ripple vs. SEC saga. Technically, XRP faces resistance in the mid-$3s (around $3.30-$3.50). Clearing that zone could quickly send it toward its old record highs (~$3.66) and beyond. It seems options traders want to be in position for that move. Analysts have noted a bullish cup-and-handle chart pattern that could target ~$5 for XRP, and the heavy call buying suggests many in the community are betting on a breakout. In short, XRP’s options flow screamed bullish — traders are looking for Ripple’s rally to resume in a big way.
Binance Coin (#BNB) Burst on Record Highs: BNB had a flurry of options action after Binance Coin rocketed to an all-time high near $855. When a top coin enters price discovery (no historical ceiling), it often brings a wave of speculative trading — and that’s exactly what happened. BNB options volume spiked with calls dominating (similar to ETH and XRP, BNB’s call open interest vastly outweighs puts). Traders on PowerTrade are heavily long BNB via call options, and many are eyeing even higher targets — $900, even $1,000 — if the rally continues. This enthusiasm was palpable on July 29 as multiple large call positions printed at strikes around $800-$850 for near-term expiries. Some of this could be momentum traders chasing the trend, and some could be BNB whales hedging (e.g. selling calls or buying calls as a hedge against their spot holdings during the volatile ATH push). Either way, the activity was unusual in its size. Momentum is clearly on BNB’s side, and the options market reflected that with a flurry of bullish positioning. It’s worth noting that BNB’s surge is underpinned by both general market optimism and Binance-specific factors (like its ongoing token burn program and ecosystem growth). As long as that confidence remains, traders seem happy to keep pressing the upside via calls.
Macro & News Themes Boosting the Flows: The bullish flows in #ETH, #SOL, #XRP, and #BNB didn’t occur in a vacuum — broader market forces and news narratives played a big role. Interest rate expectations are one factor: this week featured a major Federal Reserve meeting (July 29–30), and traders were largely expecting a dovish tilt or at least no new hawkish surprises. In fact, market odds put a significant chance on rate cuts by year-end. This backdrop of potential easing has strengthened the case for risk assets like crypto. Stocks were near record highs and crypto market cap reclaimed $4 trillion, contributing to a risk-on atmosphere. Additionally, fund flows show rotation into alts — global crypto ETPs saw ~$1.9B of inflows last week led by Ether, while Bitcoin funds had outflows. Bitcoin’s dominance in market cap has been slipping (down to ~60–61%), which often signals an “altseason” where capital rotates into altcoins. This macro rotation likely emboldened traders to focus on altcoin options for higher returns.
Furthermore, ETF chatter has been a huge hype driver. On the regulatory front, news broke of a proposed “Crypto Blue Chip” ETF that would include assets like ETH, SOL, and XRP alongside BTC. The very idea of an ETF holding Solana and XRP — coins once considered farther from mainstream — injected fresh optimism. (For instance, XRP’s big rally this month has been partially attributed to speculation that major asset managers might launch an XRP-backed product.) Solana’s case is similar — a U.S. Solana ETF approval in July made headlines and lit a fire under SOL’s price. All this ETF talk matters for options: traders start positioning for what they believe could be increased institutional demand and liquidity for these tokens. It creates a bullish narrative that complements the technical rally.
Lastly, crypto news and milestones added fuel: Ethereum’s 10th anniversary is July 30, highlighting how far the ecosystem has come (more sentimental than price-moving, but it had the community reflecting). More tangibly, Ripple’s legal saga is at a potential inflection point — on July 31 the SEC had a meeting that many speculated could lead to the case cooling down. The mere possibility of the SEC backing off has had XRP bulls licking their chops. And on the DeFi side, Ethereum’s dominance in DeFi TVL (near 60%) continues to reinforce its fundamental strength, potentially encouraging those long-dated ETH call positions (like that Dec 2025 $4k call bet). In sum, the macro and narrative backdrop — from rate cut hopes to ETF excitement — gave traders plenty of reason to be bullish, and they expressed it loudly through options flow.

After such a call-heavy, exuberant session, the big question is: Can the momentum sustain into the coming days? There are a few key things active options traders will be watching:

Major Expirations in Coming Days: The end of July and start of August bring several option expiries that could inject volatility. Many of the short-term positions initiated (especially those SOL, XRP, BNB weekly calls) expire by July 30 or Aug 1. As these contracts settle, we might see abrupt moves or “pinning” around certain strike prices. For example, a cluster of XRP calls at $3.25–$3.50 expiring this week could magnetize the spot price toward those levels at expiry. Similarly, BNB had a lot of $825–$850 calls expiring July 30/31; how BNB’s price behaves around $850 into expiry will be telling. Traders should brace for rapid swings as the market digests these expirations — sometimes the unwinding of large positions can cause short-term price impact. Savvy traders might roll positions forward to later dates, so keep an eye on any continued high volume in new weekly contracts (that would confirm bulls are staying in the trade).
Technical Price Levels — Will Confirmation Come? The next few trading days will test whether this bullish positioning pays off:
For Ethereum, the magic number is $4,000. This has been a stubborn resistance level for ETH multiple times in the past year. A decisive break above $4K would likely validate all those call buyers and could even trigger a gamma squeeze (as call sellers hedge, pushing the price further up). If ETH punches through, don’t be surprised to see another rush of call buying (and maybe some traders eyeing even higher strikes like $4.5K or $5K). On the flip side, if $4K holds as resistance yet again, we could see some short-term profit taking. Some of the most aggressive call positions might lose value, and traders could hedge or pare back (perhaps a rise in ETH put volume or spread trades). But as long as ETH holds above the $3,700-$3,800 support zone, bulls remain firmly in control.
For Solana, the $180-$200 zone is critical. SOL has momentum, but $200 is a psychological level and roughly where it peaked recently. Watch if SOL’s price approaches $190+; those who bought high-strike calls will be looking for that breakout above $200. Any sign of faltering could induce some to take profits (SOL has run hard, so a breather wouldn’t be shocking). However, given the positive news flow (ETF, etc.), traders may be quick to “buy the dip” via calls on any pullback into say the $150-$160 range. Keep an eye on open interest at those round-number strikes.
For XRP, it’s all about that $3.30-$3.50 resistance. The bullish bets are banking on a catalyst to shove XRP through this zone. If Ripple gets favorable news (e.g. more legal clarity or just a continuation of altcoin buying frenzy), XRP could rip higher and those calls will print money. A surge past $3.66 (the prior high this month) could even accelerate toward $4.00+. On the other hand, absent a catalyst, XRP might churn sideways around $3.10-$3.20 in the short term. Traders seem content to wait for the big move, but if nothing materializes by mid-August, some of those call positions could fizzle. Any unexpected negatives (regulatory setbacks, etc.) would likely bring put buyers out of the woodwork fast. For now though, sentiment favors the upside.
For BNB, momentum will be tested after the all-time high. Often after a huge run, there’s a battle between FOMO-driven buyers and traders who think it’s overbought. With no historical resistance above, BNB could continue to fly — $900 is the next psychological marker, and then the holy $1,000 target many are whispering. If overall market sentiment stays strong, BNB’s ecosystem strength (and periodic token burns) could indeed carry it upward. In the options market, watch if call open interest keeps building at higher strikes (bullish sign) or if we start seeing more put buying as caution. A sharp dip back below ~$800 might scare some late bulls and lead to hedges. But right now, the path of least resistance is up, and bulls will try to defend that uptrend.
Macro Events to Monitor: This week is stacked with events that could sway crypto volatility. The Fed meeting (concludes July 30) is top of mind — if the Fed comes off dovish or hints at future rate cuts, it could be a green light for risk assets, potentially amplifying the bullish momentum in crypto. Conversely, any surprisingly hawkish tone might cause a knee-jerk sell-off (perhaps validating why some traders did hold puts as insurance, albeit a minority). Then on July 31, the SEC’s closed-door meeting on the Ripple case will be closely watched. Any news (or even rumors on Twitter) of the SEC dropping its appeal or softening its stance could send XRP soaring — and likely lift sentiment for the whole alt market. Traders have essentially front-run this possibility by loading calls; by week’s end we’ll see if that gamble pays off. Beyond this week, the continued progress of crypto ETF applications (for Bitcoin, Ether, and now this new “blue chip” basket) will remain a background driver — each positive headline could spur fresh waves of options activity as we saw throughout July.

In summary, the altcoin options market is entering August with a full head of steam. The flows on July 29 showed a community eager to position for more gains, riding both technical momentum and bullish news narratives. It’s a thrilling, volatile time to be an options trader in crypto. The next few days will tell us a lot about whether this one-sided bullish positioning was prescient or premature. Will the #ETH calls hit pay dirt with a $4K+ breakout? Will #SOL and #XRP see the big moves traders are betting on? Can #BNB continue its fairy tale climb? All eyes are on these price levels and upcoming events.

One thing is certain: the crypto options crowd is energized. Even with the inherent risks, they’re embracing the flexibility and leverage that options provide to express their market views. Now is a great time to explore these markets yourself — the data, the trends, and the potential rewards. Platforms like PowerTrade offer a user-friendly way to tap into this action, whether you’re looking to hedge your portfolio or speculate on the next big breakout. The altcoin party is in full swing on PowerTrade, and there’s no better way to learn than to jump in (responsibly) and see it firsthand. Don’t miss out — come see what savvy crypto traders are doing on PowerTrade and take your seat in the action! 🚀

Ready to ride the wave? The opportunities in crypto options are growing by the day, and PowerTrade is at the forefront of this revolution. Whether you’re an experienced trader or just getting started, now’s the time to explore altcoin options on PowerTrade or PowerDEX (available on Solana, ETH and BASE)— join the community, surf the volatility, and make the market’s momentum work for you. Happy trading! 🎯📈

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