BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) ETF options, launched on Nov. 19, 2024, saw an unprecedented $1.9 billion in notional exposure on its first day of trading. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) ETF options, launched on Nov. 19, 2024, saw an unprecedented $1.9 billion in notional exposure on its first day of trading. This record-breaking volume, spread across 354,000 contracts, marked a significant milestone in the cryptocurrency and ETF markets. According to Bloomberg’s ETF analysts, the figures were "unheard of for day one," especially when compared to the $363 million in notional exposure seen by the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) when it debuted four years ago. The bulk of the trades were call options—about 289,000—suggesting that most investors are betting on Bitcoin’s price rising further. Only 65,000 put options were traded, highlighting the market’s bullish sentiment. Bitcoin responded to the options launch with a sharp price increase, hitting an a...