Analysts say Bitcoin’s open interest wipeout ‘will give way to further upside’

The weekend is upon us and fear remains the dominant short-term sentiment in the cryptocurrency market. Earlier today Bitcoin (BTC) price dropped to $47,250 and investors are biting their nails after data from the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) shows inflation reaching a forty-year high at 6.8%.

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView shows that a midday push by bulls to reclaim the $50,000 support level was handily defeated and sellers sent the price back below $48,000 which could possibly force another daily lower high for the top-ranked cryptocurrency.

BTC/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView

With the prospect of a major run up in price to end the year all but dashed, traders have shifted their attention to managing risk and identifying the best levels to buy dips. Here’s a look at what analysts are saying about Bitcoin’s outlook heading into 2022.

Open interest wipeout “will give way to further upside”

As seen in previous instances where the price of BTC saw a rapid decline, there has been a significant decrease in the open interest (OI) for BTC on derivative exchanges as highlighted in a recent report from Delphi Digital. The report noted a 50% decrease in OI after this latest market downturn as over-leveraged longs positions were decimated.

BTC futures open interest vs. BTC price. Source: Delphi Digital

While the experience was likely an unpleasant one for traders who were overexposed, the analysts suggested that deleveraging events like this are beneficial over the long term and will often “give way to further upside” as the previous froth and over-exuberance are replaced with a more measured trading environment.

The sharp reduction in OI over the past month may also be signaling that the short-term bottom for BTC may be in according to Delphi Digital, and its possible that the current sell-off could be reaching the point of exhaustion.

Delphi Digital said,

“The 30-day % decline in OI for BTC has reached levels that previously signaled a bottom was forming (or wasn’t too far out).”