Daily digest / ETH / 2026-08-21 · this week
ETH · Friday 21 Aug 2026 (UTC) · close
$2,589.21 +263.0 (+11.30%)
5th straight up day$49.4M liquidated

Buying from the open, closes near the highs

ETH climbed $290 from $2,326 at 00:00 to $2,616 by 22:15 UTC. Put writers added the most fresh OI at $2,400 (+3,354 ETH). Call writers built positions at $2,420–$2,600, led by $2,600 (+13,587 ETH). Max pain moved from $2,000 to $2,100, following price up.

Spot Max pain PCR 15-min · UTC
Open$2,326
High · 23:22$2,621
Low · 00:04$2,324
Avg PCR0.54
Max pain$2,100
Liquidations$49.4M

Key levels for the next session

$2,600 Call wall · 49,551 ETH OI · Fresh calls +13,587 ETH resistance
$2,589.21 Close ●
$2,400 Fresh puts +3,354 ETH support
$2,360 Fresh puts +2,867 ETH support
$2,300 Put wall · 14,861 ETH OI floor

Where writers added today

$2,600
+13,587 ETH
$2,420
+7,954 ETH
$2,500
+6,208 ETH
$2,400
+3,354 ETH
$2,360
+2,867 ETH
$2,500
+2,818 ETH
■ calls   ■ puts · OI change from the first snapshot to the close, strikes near spot

Move vs what options priced

Next-day ATM straddle at open · IV 58.5%$66
Session range$297
One session moved 4.5× the next-day straddle's full priced move.

Last 6 sessions

08-16 $1,875 —
PCR 0.52
MP $1,950 08-17 $1,912 +38
PCR 0.51
MP $1,950 08-18 $1,916 +4
PCR 0.50
MP $1,950 08-19 $2,256 +340
PCR 0.51
MP $2,000 08-20 $2,326 +70
PCR 0.54
MP $2,000 08-21 $2,589 +263
PCR 0.54
MP $2,100

Max pain: strike where option buyers lose most at expiry. Fresh OI: positions opened this session. PCR: put OI ÷ call OI.

Descriptive summaries of recorded option-chain data. Not trading signals or advice. Disclaimer →

Related reading

Max pain today →

Live aggregate max pain lander.

PCR today →

Current put-call ratio snapshot.

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How crypto expiry and settlement differ.

All ETH sessions · BTC hub · Live terminal →