Nvidia (NVDA) Options Signal Bullish Bias: Key Strike Levels and Trade Setups for Jan 16 Expiry

• NVDA trades at $184.75, down 0.16% with volume surging to 64M shares. • Options data shows heavy call open interest at $200 and $190 strikes. • Block trades hint at institutional hedging via puts and aggressive call selling. • Bullish long-term trends clash with short-term profit-taking pressure.

The market is whispering a breakout—but not without a fight. Nvidia’s price action and options activity tell a story of a stock caught between a long-term bull trend and near-term profit-taking. Let’s break down what traders can do with this tension.Where the Money Is Flowing: Calls at $200, Puts at $180, and Whale Moves

If you’ve been watching options data, you’ve noticed the elephant in the room: 160,848 open contracts at the $200 call strike for Jan 16 expiry. That’s the single largest concentration of call open interest. Bulls are clearly pricing in a $200+ move by mid-January. But here’s the twist—the put/call ratio for open interest is 0.87, meaning calls still dominate. Yet, don’t ignore the $180 put strike with 33,576 open contracts. It’s a key support level, and big players are hedging there.

Block trades add intrigue. A $1.8M buy of 2,500 puts at the March 20, 2026 $170 strike suggests long-term hedging. Meanwhile, 1,500 calls at the Jan 16 $188 and $193 strikes were sold, possibly by institutions locking in gains. This isn’t just noise—it’s a chess game between bulls targeting $200 and bears bracing for a pullback to $170.

News That Could Tip the Scales: AI Alliances and Cramer’s Bullish Bet

Nvidia’s recent headlines are all about AI dominance. The Rubin platform launch at CES 2026 and $1.15B Deutsche Telekom deal scream long-term growth. Jim Cramer’s ‘insanely cheap’ call (25x forward P/E) isn’t just hot air—Nvidia’s CUDA moat and robotaxi partnerships with Lucid and Uber are real catalysts.

But here’s the catch: options traders aren’t pricing in all that optimism yet. The stock is trading below its 200D MA ($161.87) but above the 30D MA ($182.83). If the AI news gains traction, the $183.62 Bollinger Middle Band could become a springboard. However, a break below $180.73 (30D support) would trigger puts at $175 and $170.

Actionable Trade Setups: Calls at $190, Puts at $175, and Core Stock Levels

For options players, the NVDA20260116C190 call is a prime target. With 80,924 open contracts and the 100D MA ($183.25) as a floor, a move to $190 would make this strike profitable. If you’re bearish, the NVDA20260116P175 put offers downside protection, given the 200D support cluster ($179.98–$182.24).

Stock traders should watch $182.83 (30D MA) as a key entry point. A close above $185.82 (intraday high) could target $190, while a drop below $180.73 (30D support) might test $175. Use the $183.67 intraday low as a stop-loss reference.

Volatility on the Horizon: Balancing Bullish Momentum and Near-Term Risks

Nvidia isn’t a one-way bet. The RSI at 70.3 suggests overbought conditions, and the MACD histogram (0.43) shows fading momentum. But the long-term picture—200D MA at $161.87—still screams bullish. This is a stock where patience pays off. If the $200 call strike holds, the 30D MA could become a launching pad. But if the $175 put strike sees heavy buying, brace for a test of the 200D support.

Bottom line: Nvidia is a stock with two speeds—short-term profit-taking and long-term AI-driven growth. The options market is pricing for a $200+ move by mid-January, but don’t ignore the $175–$180 support cluster. Play this like a tennis match: strike when the setup is perfect, but keep your net tight.