Binance Opens Ether Options to All Users—Passive Income Starts Today

Binance just flipped the switch. Starting today, anyone with an account can earn from Ether options—no VIP status, no minimums, no gatekeeping.

Democratizing Derivatives

Forget the old world of exclusive trading desks and six-figure entry tickets. Binance's move rips down the velvet rope around options trading, putting a sophisticated yield instrument directly into retail hands. It's a direct challenge to traditional finance's clubby hierarchy.

The Mechanics of Mainstream Access

The platform automates the complex strategy of selling covered call options on your ETH holdings. You deposit Ether, the system handles the rest, generating a yield stream from market volatility. It's yield farming simplified—set it and (theoretically) forget it. One cynical observer might note it's another brilliant way for exchanges to monetize user assets while providing just enough upside to keep everyone happy.

A Bullish Signal for Ethereum's Utility

This isn't just a new product launch; it's a strategic bet on Ethereum's maturity as a yield-bearing asset. By enabling millions to generate income from idle ETH, Binance amplifies the network's financial utility, weaving it deeper into the fabric of everyday crypto economics.

The move pressures every other major exchange to follow suit or get left behind. In the race for user assets, providing effortless yield is the ultimate retention tool. Just remember—in crypto, 'passive income' always comes with active risk.

TLDR

• Binance now allows all users to write (sell) ether options to earn passive income, previously only available to professional traders
• Users can earn premiums by selling call or put options while posting margin as collateral, similar to strategies used on Deribit
• Binance upgraded its options platform with faster API speeds, lower latency, and more strike prices for better execution
• The exchange offers a 20% fee discount on ETH, BTC, BNB, and SOL options contracts for VIP users
• Users must pass a suitability assessment before accessing options writing to ensure responsible trading

Binance has expanded access to ether options writing for all users on its platform. The MOVE allows retail traders to use strategies that were previously limited to professional traders.

Binance opens up ways for users to generate income using ETH options

Binance has opened up ether options to all users, allowing them to earn passive income. pic.twitter.com/T22yLybrFM

— CS (@chetan29893) December 22, 2025

The exchange announced the change on December 22, 2025. Users can now write or sell ether options to generate income through premium collection.

Options are contracts that give buyers the right to purchase or sell an asset at a set price within a specific time period. When users write these contracts, they receive an upfront payment called a premium.

The premium serves as immediate income for the option writer. In exchange, the writer takes on the obligation to fulfill the contract if the buyer exercises it.

Call option writers profit when prices stay flat or decline. Put option writers benefit when prices remain stable or increase.

Users must post margin as collateral to cover their potential obligations. Binance requires all users to complete a suitability assessment before accessing options writing features.

The feature responds to growing demand from both retail and institutional investors. Many traders have used similar strategies on competing platforms like Deribit over the past few years.

Jeff Li, VP of Product at Binance, stated the company aims to deliver tools that meet user needs. The options writing feature and platform upgrades provide faster execution and greater flexibility.

Platform Infrastructure Improvements

Binance upgraded its options platform to support the new features. The improvements include higher API throughput and lower latency for faster order execution.

The exchange expanded available strike prices across multiple assets. This gives traders more precision for hedging and trading strategies.

New WebSocket streams now provide deeper market data. This information helps traders conduct more detailed analysis of options markets.

The platform upgrades target high-frequency traders and institutional players. These improvements aim to make Binance more competitive in the derivatives market.

Fee Discounts and Market Incentives

Binance introduced a 20% discount on both taker and Maker fees for VIP users. The discount applies to newly listed ETH, BTC, BNB, and SOL options contracts.

The fee reduction aims to attract liquidity to the platform. Lower fees make it cheaper for traders to enter and exit positions.

The discount strategy follows similar moves by the exchange to capture market share. Binance remains the leading crypto exchange by trading volume.

Comparison to Bitcoin Options

The ether options launch builds on Binance’s earlier move to open Bitcoin options writing. The exchange has been working to make derivative tools more accessible to retail users.

Institutional demand for crypto options has grown throughout 2024 and 2025. BlackRock’s IBIT options surpassed Deribit’s bitcoin options in trading volume earlier this year.

The shift shows increasing institutional interest in crypto derivatives. Traditional finance players are entering the space through regulated products.

Binance’s latest move puts ether options alongside bitcoin options for retail access. Users can now employ income strategies across multiple major cryptocurrencies.