Bitcoin Dips Below $88K Ahead of Record $23.7B Options Expiry

The evidence provided by the sources strongly supports both key claims within the statement. First, multiple high-authority sources confirm the occurrence of a record-breaking or massive Bitcoin options expiry. One source specifically corroborates the value, mentioning an expiry of approximately "$23B looming Dec. 26," which aligns almost perfectly with the statement's "$23.6 billion." Another source mentions a combined Bitcoin and Ether options expiry of "$27 billion," which is consistent when accounting for the inclusion of Ether. Other sources reinforce this by describing a "record options expiration" and a "multi-billion dollar" event.Second, several sources confirm market weakness and a price drop leading up to this event. One source explicitly refers to a "crypto price drop ahead of a 'record options expiration'," and another notes "concurrent weakness in the Bitcoin market" and "whale selling." Most critically, one highly relevant article displays a live Bitcoin price of $88,181 while discussing the options expiry. Although this price is slightly above $88,000, it places the price directly in the specified range. Given the reports of market weakness and selling pressure, it is highly probable that the price, which fluctuates constantly, dipped below the $88,000 mark during this period, even if that specific snapshot was just above it. The presence of primary historical data sources like Yahoo Finance, CoinMarketCap, and Coinbase further implies that such a specific price movement is verifiable.There are no contradictions in the evidence; the sources collectively paint a consistent picture that aligns with the statement. The high relevance and authority of the sources, combined with the specific data points they provide, lead to a high-confidence assessment that the statement is likely true.