BTC and ETH Traders Raised Over $2B in Futures OI in December Amid Slowing Activity

In December, derivatives traders increased exposure in Bitcoin and Ethereum even as overall activity cooled and prices struggled. Futures open interest rose by more than $2 billion, with roughly $1 billion added to BTC and about $1.4 billion to ETH. The rise in leverage suggests positioning for a rebound rather than capitulation.