NVDA Options Signal $180 Bullish Battle: How to Trade the AI Giant's Ranging Breakout

• NVDA surges 2.2% to $174.75 amid AI hardware optimism and blockbuster partnerships
• Call OI crushes puts 1.1x at $180 strike, with 122,670 contracts betting on near-term upside
• $6B GPU deployment and Samsung/SK AI factory deals fuel long-term bullish narrative

Here’s the deal: NVDA is dancing on a tightrope between short-term bearish momentum and long-term AI-driven demand. The options market is screaming about a critical $180 battleground—let’s break down what that means for your portfolio.

The $180 Call Wall and Institutional Whale Moves

The options chain is a treasure map. Right now, 122,670 open interest at the $180 call (expiring Dec 19) forms a brick wall of bullish conviction. That’s not just retail noise—block trades like NVDA20250919C175 (26,000 contracts bought for $7.6M) show big players accumulating calls at the 30-day moving average level ($183.60).

But don’t ignore the puts: $165 and $160 strikes have 68,199 and 67,991 open interest respectively. The put/call ratio of 0.888 hints at cautious optimism—investors are hedging but not panicking. The real drama? Price is stuck between Bollinger Bands ($172.62 to $187.94), with RSI at 37.57 suggesting oversold conditions. If the $180 call wall holds, we could see a violent rebound.

News That’s Fueling the Fire

Nvidia’s recent headlines are a rocket boost. The $6B California GPU deployment and Samsung AI factory partnerships aren’t just PR—they’re proof of AI’s unstoppable momentum. When a cloud operator commits to 2,300 Blackwell GPUs, that’s a green light for hardware demand. Combine that with Oracle’s DOE supercomputer and Uber’s robotaxi push, and you’ve got a self-sustaining AI ecosystem.

But here’s the catch: technicals are bearish in the short term. The MACD (-2.89) and 30D MA ($183.60) are both above price. This means the stock could consolidate between $172.62 (lower BB) and $180.49 (30D support) before breaking out. The news is bullish, but the chart says “wait for confirmation.”

Actionable Trade Ideas for TodayFor Options Traders:

• Buy NVDA20251226C180 (Dec 26 expiry): Price is testing the $180 call wall. If it breaks through, the 30D MA at $183.60 becomes the next target.
• Sell NVDA20251226P165 (Dec 26 expiry): The $165 put has 25,796 OI as a hedge. If the stock holds above $172.62, this could be a short candidate.

For Stock Traders:

• Entry near $174.75 if price holds above today’s low of $171.82. Target: $183.60 (30D MA) if the $180 level breaks.
• Stop-loss below $171.82 to protect against a breakdown of the Bollinger Band support.

Volatility on the Horizon

The next 72 hours will be pivotal. If NVDA closes above $180, the 200D MA at $156.92 becomes irrelevant—this could trigger a multi-week rally. But watch for a breakdown below $172.62; that would validate the short-term bearish trend. Either way, the options market is pricing in a directional move—your job is to pick the side of the $180 battlefield.

Bottom line: This isn’t a “buy and hold” setup. It’s a high-stakes chess game between AI optimism and technical reality. Play it smart—let the options data guide your entry, and let the news justify your conviction.