Notable Friday Option Activity: AI, UNH, CRCL

UnitedHealth Group (UNH) and Circle Internet Group (CRCL) are experiencing exceptionally high options trading volume today, significantly exceeding their average daily share trading. UNH's options volume stands at 326.4% of its average daily share volume, with notable activity in the October 2025 $365 strike call. Similarly, CRCL's options volume is 181.4% of its average daily share volume, driven by high interest in the October 2025 $155 strike call, indicating substantial speculative or hedging activity in these long-dated contracts for both companies.

Analysis

UnitedHealth Group Inc (Symbol: UNH) options are showing a volume of 430,604 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 43.1 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 326.4% of UNH's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 13.2 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $365 strike call option expiring October 03, 2025, with 37,013 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 3.7 million underlying shares of UNH. Below is a chart showing UNH's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $365 strike highlighted in orange: And Circle Internet Group Inc Class A (Symbol: CRCL) options are showing a volume of 219,222 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 21.9 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 181.4% of CRCL's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 12.1 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $155 strike call option expiring October 03, 2025, with 16,507 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.7 million underlying shares of CRCL. Below is a chart showing CRCL's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $155 strike highlighted in orange: For the various different available expirations for AI options, UNH options, or CRCL options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com. Today's Most Active Call & Put Options of the S&P 500 » Also see: Funds Holding CHY INTA Stock Predictions Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding AUGP The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) and Circle Internet Group (CRCL) are experiencing exceptional options market activity, indicating significant institutional interest or positioning. For UNH, options volume reached 430,604 contracts, translating to an underlying share equivalent of 43.1 million, a remarkable 326.4% of its average daily share trading volume. The activity is highly concentrated in a specific long-dated contract: the October 2025 $365 strike call, which alone accounted for 37,013 contracts. Similarly, CRCL's options volume hit 219,222 contracts, representing 181.4% of its average daily share volume, with a notable focus on the October 2025 $155 strike call. The substantial volume in these specific, long-term call options suggests a strong directional view on long-term price appreciation for both stocks, or possibly a large-scale hedging operation by institutional investors. Such concentrated flow is a powerful signal of potential future volatility and a shift in market positioning that warrants close attention.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Investors should investigate potential long-term catalysts for UNH and CRCL, as the significant volume in October 2025 call options indicates that sophisticated market participants are positioning for a substantial upward move in the share prices.
• Monitor the open interest and volume trends for the UNH $365 and CRCL $155 strike calls expiring in October 2025; a continued build-up would reinforce a bullish thesis, while a rapid decrease could signal profit-taking or a change in outlook.