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Ep 9 / Options Income Takes the Portfolio Above $100

19 October 2023 | Trading Journal | 36 seen

On October 19, 2023, the portfolio crossed $100 for the first time, reaching $102.68. It was up $9.82 from $92.86, a reported change of 10.58%. The $9.82 was recorded as options income.

Passing $100 is a small milestone, but I am not treating it as a finish line. The portfolio started with $5.38, so the change is visible. It does not change the risk in the options positions or make a double-digit week normal.

From October 12 to October 19, Bitcoin rose from roughly $26,760 to $28,720, a gain of about 7%, while Ethereum moved from around $1,540 to $1,567. Bitcoin's advance coincided with renewed spot-Bitcoin-ETF optimism. An erroneous October 16 report that BlackRock's application had been approved briefly pushed BTC above $30,000 before the report was…

Ep 8 / Portfolio Passes $90 With Another Options Week

12 October 2023 | Trading Journal | 37 seen

On October 12, 2023, the portfolio moved from $80.43 to $92.86. The reported change was 15.45%, with $12.43 in options income.

Another positive week does not make the risk disappear. Premium can look easy right before conditions change, so I am keeping the same attention on the next decision.

From October 5 to October 12, Bitcoin eased from around $27,400 to $26,760, while Ethereum declined from roughly $1,611 to $1,540. The market softened during the week, but the ETH move remained just below the threshold for a major weekly market move.

I am happy with the move above $90, but the important part is that the portfolio kept growing without changing the basic approach. The account is still small, so the percentage is less interesting to me than the $12…

Ep 7 / Options Income and Underlying Gains Lift Portfolio to $80.43

5 October 2023 | Trading Journal | 37 seen

On October 5, 2023, the portfolio reached $80.43, a reported gain of 25.26%. Options income came to $16.22.

The result reflects both continued options income and better movement in the underlying positions. That is encouraging, but it is not a reason to forget how thin the market still feels. When liquidity is light, a position can become harder to adjust exactly when a trade stops behaving.

From September 28 to October 5, Bitcoin moved from roughly $27,020 to $27,400, while Ethereum eased from around $1,653 to $1,611. The market was mixed rather than directional, so the recorded portfolio result still reflects the options income and underlying-position movement described above.

I am pleased to see the account move past $80, especially after starting…

Ep 6 / ETH Options Income Lifts the Portfolio to $64.21

28 September 2023 | Trading Journal | 43 seen

On September 28, 2023, the portfolio reached $64.21. That is a 22.33% increase from last week's $52.49, with $11.72 in options premium collected.

The weekly result came from options premium. I am trying to build the account through repeated, controlled decisions rather than one oversized bet.

From September 21 to September 28, Bitcoin rose from roughly $26,570 to $27,020, while Ethereum recovered from around $1,584 to $1,653. Both moves were constructive but remained below the threshold for a major weekly market move.

It is tempting to look at a 22% week and call it proof that the process works. At this account size, that would be the wrong lesson. The useful part is that the balance grew and I stayed with the plan. The next week can look very…

Ep 5 / Options Premium Pushes the Portfolio to $52.49

21 September 2023 | Trading Journal | 41 seen

On September 21, 2023, the portfolio closed the week at $52.49, up $12.12 from $40.37. The reported weekly change was 30.02%, and the increase came from options premium collected during the period.

That is a good result, but the account is still small enough that twelve dollars can make a big percentage difference. I am keeping the focus on the actual cash added to the portfolio and on whether the next setup is worth taking.

From September 14 to September 21, Bitcoin was broadly stable around $26,540–$26,570. Ethereum eased from roughly $1,627 to $1,584. The change in ETH was notable but below the threshold for a major weekly market move, and the recorded portfolio increase remained options premium.

The options approach is doing what I wanted it to…

Ep 4 / Ethereum Options Premium Builds the Portfolio to $40.37

14 September 2023 | Trading Journal | 48 seen

On September 14, 2023, the portfolio reached $40.37, up $4.48 from $35.89. That works out to 12.48%. The account is still tiny, so I am keeping the percentage in perspective. A few dollars move the number a lot at this stage.

The early work is still centered on Ethereum options premium. I am not trying to predict every move in ETH. I am looking for premium that makes sense against the risk, then keeping the proceeds in the portfolio instead of treating a good week as money already won.

From September 7 to September 14, Bitcoin rose modestly from around $26,240 to $26,540. Ethereum moved the other way, slipping from roughly $1,648 to $1,627. Neither change was large, so I kept the focus on the options result rather than trying to read too much into the…

Ep 3 / A Quiet Week for Ethereum Options, Portfolio at $35.89

7 September 2023 | Trading Journal | 60 seen

On September 7, 2023, the crypto portfolio moved from $33.66 to $35.89, a gain of $2.23 or 6.63%.

Ethereum was the main focus again. It was a quieter week for the portfolio, but selling options still means staying alert to the risk behind the premium. I was actively managing those positions within the risk limits I had set.

Between August 31 and September 7, Bitcoin moved from roughly $25,900 to $26,240, while Ethereum was broadly unchanged around $1,646–$1,648. That quiet backdrop matched the smaller portfolio gain for the week.

The smaller gain is fine. I would rather keep the process steady than turn a small account into a race for the biggest weekly percentage. Last week's move was much larger in percentage terms because the portfolio had started…

Ep 2 / Ethereum Options Income Takes the Portfolio to $33.66

31 August 2023 | Trading Journal | 50 seen

On August 31, 2023, the second week moved the portfolio from $5.38 to $33.66. That is an increase of $28.28, or 525.7%. The percentage looks wild because the starting balance was $5.38. The dollar amount is the more useful number.

Most of the week came from short-dated Ethereum options premium. I was actively managing the positions behind that premium, not treating it as automatic income. It was compensation for taking risk, and I wanted to keep the decisions measured.

From August 24 to August 31, Bitcoin eased from roughly $26,200 to $25,900, while Ethereum moved from about $1,660 to $1,646. Both moves were small, so the weekly portfolio change came from the recorded options premium rather than a broad market tailwind.

In Ep 1, I started with a $5.38…

Ep 1 / Starting the Crypto Options Journal With $5.38

24 August 2023 | Trading Journal | 62 seen

I started the crypto options journal on August 23, 2023. The first week was small, which was exactly the point: start with real capital, make the decisions visible, and see whether an options approach can build a base over time.

By August 24, 2023, the portfolio showed $5.38 in income. It is not a number to celebrate too hard, but it is a real first entry. I was more interested in keeping the first step controlled than in forcing a larger result.

At launch, Bitcoin traded around $26,200 and Ethereum around $1,660. The market was relatively subdued over the August 23–24 reporting window, so the first result was driven by the recorded premium rather than a large move in either asset.

The TerraM token was quoted around $0.86.…