Cboe to Launch New Bitcoin Futures with FTSE Russell
The Chicago Board Options Exchange's cryptocurrency arm said the launch comes at a key time as interest in cryptocurrency grows.
Helen Brown | Edited by Parikshit Mishra , April 8, 2025, 7:35 AM.
Important information:
- Cboe Digital is set to launch a new bitcoin futures product on April 28, pending regulatory approval.
- The cash-settled contract will be based on the XBTF index, which tracks 1/10th the value of the FTSE Bitcoin Index.
- The move comes amid growing institutional demand for regulated cryptocurrency trading instruments.
Cboe Digital, the cryptocurrency arm of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, expects to launch a new bitcoin (BTC) futures product later this month, subject to regulatory approval, the exchange said Monday.
The new trading instrument, developed in partnership with FTSE Russell, will be cash settled and will be based on the XBTF index, which represents 1/10th the value of the FTSE Bitcoin index. Settlement will occur on the last business day of each month.
If regulators give the green light, futures will begin trading on April 28, according to Cboe.
Futures are derivatives in which a buyer and seller agree to exchange assets at a fixed price and date in the future. They are used to hedge risk and profit from market trends.
“The launch comes at a critical time as interest in crypto assets continues to grow and traders are looking for more efficient and flexible ways to acquire and manage these assets,” said Katherine Clay, global head of derivatives at Cboe.
In November 2023, Cboe became the first regulated exchange in the U.S. to offer spot and leveraged derivatives trading on a single platform after receiving CFTC approval to list margined bitcoin and ether (ETH) futures.
