DATA · OPTIONS TRADES

Crypto Options Trade Data: Null vs Zero - Handle Missing Fields Correctly

Deribit's trade records have required fields and optional ones. An absent optional field usually means 'not applicable', not 'unknown'.

Short answer

Deribit trades always include trade_id, trade_seq, timestamp, direction (taker side), price, amount, index_price and mark_price. Optional fields appear only when relevant: iv only for options, liquidation only for trades caused by liquidation, block_trade_id only for block trades, combo fields only for combo trades. So an absent liquidation field means 'not a liquidation trade' for that record, while a missing trade_seq gap means trades you didn't receive. The endpoint returns 10 trades by default (max 1,000) with has_more.

Fields and what missing values mean

FieldNull / absent meansZero / empty means
ivAbsent on non-options—
liquidationAbsent: not a liquidation—
block_trade_idAbsent: not a block trade—
trade_seq gapMissed trades—
has_moretrue: paginate—
Options Trades: how to read each fieldOptions Trades: how to read each field: iv — Absent on non-options; liquidation — Absent: not a liquidation; block_trade_id — Absent: not a block trade; trade_seq gap — Missed trades; has_more — true: paginate.ivAbsent on non-optionsliquidationAbsent: not a liquidationblock_trade_idAbsent: not a block tradetrade_seq gapMissed tradeshas_moretrue: paginate
Options Trades: missing vs zero, field by field. Original ChartsPod editorial graphic.

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Handling policy

Policy for this sourcePolicy for this source: Treat absent optional fields as 'not applicable'; Check trade_seq continuity; Paginate while has_more; Separate block trades; Use direction for taker side.POLICY FOR THIS SOURCETreat absent optional fields as 'not applicable'Check trade_seq continuityPaginate while has_moreSeparate block tradesUse direction for taker side
Apply this policy to every options trades request. Original ChartsPod editorial graphic.

Illustrative: a flow study fetches trades with the default count and concludes only 10 trades happened. has_more was true.

Conclusion

Related: Crypto Options Open Interest: Null vs Zero - Handle Missing Fields Correctly, Crypto Options Implied Volatility: Null vs Zero - Handle Missing Fields Correctly.

The endpoint returns 10 trades by default (max 1,000) with has_more.

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Questions readers ask

What does a missing liquidation field mean?

The trade wasn't caused by a liquidation.

How many trades does Deribit return by default?

10, up to 1,000 with count.

How do I detect gaps?

trade_seq continuity.

Sources and methodology

Field definitions come from DEX Screener's API reference, CoinGecko's onchain API documentation and Binance's Spot API documentation, read 17 October 2026. Where a schema was not visible in the documentation, this guide says so and describes defensive handling rather than asserting field behaviour.

  1. Deribit API: get_last_trades_by_instrument — optional iv, liquidation, block and combo fields; count default 10, max 1000.

This article explains research tools and workflows. It is not financial advice, does not recommend buying or selling any asset and does not predict prices. Crypto derivatives carry a risk of rapid and total loss of margin.

CHARTSPOD EDITORIAL EDITION · RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ONLY · NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE.