By Olly Jackson, EMEA
reporter
CME Group is the latest derivatives
exchange to offer bitcoin futures trading, a development many
market participants believe moves cryptocurrencies further into
the mainstream.
The December 17 launch follows that of the Chicago Board
Options Exchange a week prior, the first to offer bitcoin
futures in spite of growing concerns surrounding high margin
requirements and market volatility.
CME’s offering is regulated by the US
Commodities and Futures Trading Commission, which issued a
proposed interpretation on transactions involving virtual
currency. The interpretation makes it clear that the regulator
will treat any virtual currency as if it were a commodity
future and within the rules set by the Commodity Exchange Act.
As a result, bitcoin futures are different from those traded on
an exchange in that they are strictly regulated. This provides
investors with the typical regulatory framework they are used
to.
A CME spokesperson told...