Analysis: CPI Surpasses Expectations, Triggering Derivatives Deleveraging for BTC; Open Interest on Four Major Exchanges Drops $1.25 Billion in One Day

According to Amr Taha, a CryptoQuant analyst, following the release of U.S. April CPI data—which came in higher than expected—Bitcoin derivatives markets witnessed synchronized risk reduction. Open interest across four major exchanges—Binance, Gate.io, Bybit, and OKX—collectively declined by approximately $1.25 billion. Gate.io saw the largest drop, at roughly $578 million; Binance followed with about $473 million; Bybit and OKX declined by approximately $123 million and $75 million, respectively. This synchronized contraction across multiple platforms indicates that the deleveraging was not an isolated incident confined to a single exchange, but rather a broad, market-wide defensive response to macroeconomic data. Analysts note that the decline in open interest may stem from long-position liquidations, short-covering, or proactive leverage reduction—and should not be interpreted in isolation as a definitive bearish signal. However, large-scale, synchronized open interest contraction triggered by macro catalysts typically signals that derivatives traders are rapidly adjusting their risk exposure.