OKX Nitro Spreads Market Analysis: Bitcoin Delivered 98% of 1H 2023 Returns on Eight Trading Days, More BTC Volatility Expected

DUBAI, UAE, Aug. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — OKX, a leading crypto exchange and Web3 technology company, today announced the first report in its series of institutional market analysis entitled ‘How OKX’s Nitro Spreads tool can help institutional investors navigate volatile markets,” finding that bitcoin delivered 98% of its returns for the period on eight total trading days (out of 180) from 1 January to 30 June, 2023 (1H 2023) and underscoring the challenge of timing stable returns.

In addition, and according to implied volatility data for Bitcoin at-the-money options, participants are also expecting bitcoin spot-price volatility to increase in the future. Based on market research and trading data analysis*, OKX also found that factors contributing to price differentials between spot, futures and perpetual swaps – and key drivers for basis trading returns – include market preference on instruments, market sentiment, supply and demand imbalances, market liquidity and interest rate differentials.

OKX Global Chief Commercial Officer Lennix Lai said: “We’re seeing a growing number of institutional traders pursue market-neutral strategies. OKX offers traders a range of tools to realize their strategies and succeed in different market conditions; one such tool is Nitro Spreads, which enables the efficient execution of complex basis trades with just one click.”

The Nitro Spreads market analysis is focused on studying the challenges of long delta trading in the current crypto market and outlining how savvy institutional traders can pursue market-neutral strategies in a sideways market. OKX’s institutional research conducted the analysis after reviewing Bitcoin spot price** and derivatives* trading data from 1H 2023.

About Nitro Spreads

Nitro Spreads is one of the only spread trading tools in the crypto market in which the two legs of a trade are executed simultaneously via the orderbook, eliminating leg risk between markets. Traders can use Nitro Spreads, which was made available to OKX’s VIP institutional clients on June 27, 2023, to execute a variety of spread and basis trading strategies via the exchange’s Liquid Marketplace.

The feature also offers the following benefits:

Lower trading fees for VIP users: Fees for two-leg trades executed simultaneously on Nitro Spreads are 50% lower when compared to executing both legs of a trade individually on a typical orderbook.
Reduced execution risk: Traders can execute a two-leg basis trade with one click. The spread is clearly defined and guaranteed to be filled in matching quantities for each leg or none at all, thus having zero leg risk and minimized slippage.
Higher capital efficiency: The initial margin requirement (IMR) to execute spread trading is lower on Nitro Spreads than on a typical orderbook. As the delta risks of the two legs offset each other on Nitro Spreads, traders are no longer required to post IMR for both trades.

Nitro Spreads is currently in the beta phase and is available only to select institutional traders who apply for early access through this link. In the coming weeks, the feature will be available to all of OKX’s institutional clients.

Market-neutral strategies, such as spread trading, can offer a balanced trading approach for stable returns by mitigating risks associated with sudden market movements. Spread trading takes advantage of the price differential (spread) between an asset’s price on different instruments. The two most common types of spread trading strategies are basis and calendar spreads.

In April 2023, OKX announced that its Liquid Marketplace exceeded USD1 billion in trading volume during the first three months of 2023, and as of the end of July 2023, the total trading volume has more than tripled that figure.

*Bitcoin derivatives data, including perpetual funding, implied volatility and term structure data from quantitative derivatives data aggregator and analytics firm Laevitas

**Spot price data from OKX Exchange trading data

For further information, please contact:

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About OKX

OKX is a leading global crypto exchange and innovative Web3 company. Trusted by more than 50 million global users, OKX is known for being the fastest and most reliable crypto trading app for traders everywhere.

As a top partner of English Premier League champions Manchester City FC, McLaren Formula 1, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, OKX aims to supercharge the fan experience with new engagement opportunities. OKX is also the top partner of the Tribeca Festival as part of an initiative to bring more creators into web3.

The OKX Wallet is the platform’s latest offering for people looking to explore the world of NFTs and the metaverse while trading GameFi and DeFi tokens.

OKX is committed to transparency and security and publishes its Proof of Reserves on a monthly basis.

To learn more about OKX, download our app or visit: okx.com

Disclaimer

This announcement is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide any investment, tax, or legal advice, nor should it be considered an offer to purchase, sell, hold or offer any services relating to digital assets. Digital assets, including stablecoins, involve a high degree of risk, can fluctuate greatly, and can even become worthless. Leveraged trading in digital assets magnifies both potential gains and potential losses and could result in the loss of your entire investment. Past performance is not indicative of future results. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you in light of your financial condition, particularly if considering the use of leverage.You are solely responsible for your trading strategies and decisions, and OKX is not responsible for any potential losses. Not all products and promotions are available in all regions including the U.S.A., U.K., Crimea, Cuba, Donetsk, Iran, Luhansk, North Korea, Syria, Malta, Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, The Bahamas, Canada, Malaysia, Hong Kong, France, and Singapore. For more details, please refer to the OKX Terms of Use and Risk & Compliance Disclosure.