Cboe Expands Bitcoin Futures Offerings with FTSE Russell Collaboration

Highlights:

• Cboe is set to launch Bitcoin Futures on 28th April, provided regulatory approval will be granted.
• Future contracts on the FTSE Bitcoin Target Index will be used to attract institutional traders.
• Cboe looks to grow its roster of regulated products to meet these clients’ needs.

Cboe Digital, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange operating in the sphere of cryptocurrencies, introduced a new Bitcoin futures product. The product launched for trading on April 28, 2025, will be cash-settled and linked to the FTSE Bitcoin Index, allowing institutions to establish a new hedge instrument. The launch is dependent on the approval of the regulator. Moreover, it is a crucial step to develop Cboe’s product offering in the cryptocurrency sphere.

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NEWS: Cboe Plans to Launch New Cboe FTSE Bitcoin Index Futures (#XBTF), Further Expanding its Bitcoin Derivatives Offerings

For more, see the press release: https://t.co/7ky1xdoWLq@FTSERussell pic.twitter.com/oZ8W4Ao8j9

— Cboe (@CBOE) April 7, 2025

Expanding Bitcoin Futures Market

As stated in the press release, the new futures contract will be built based on the XBTF Index. The index captures 1/10th of the value of the FTSE Bitcoin Index. The exchange will settle these cash-settled contracts on the business day of the last business day of the month.

This addition aligns with Cboe’s plan to expand its supply of products and meet the increasing need of institutional-level buyers seeking regulated crypto tools for trading. The new product will allow traders to engage with Bitcoin and its price swings without actually trading the underlying asset, thus diversifying their portfolios.

Catherine Clay, the Cboe Global Head of Derivatives, was optimistic about the move. She noted that this step directly responds to the demand of people seeking better opportunities to get exposure to crypto assets efficiently. With the rising popularity of digital assets, market participants search for efficient ways of hedging crypto price risks. With Bitcoin Futures, Cboe plans to provide valuable tools for hedging and arbitrage and even speculative activities linked to Bitcoin.

Strategic Partnership with FTSE Russell

FTSE Russell’s collaboration with Cboe is essential in creating this Bitcoin Futures product. The partnership aims to strengthen the digital assets market by creating innovation and using the XBTF Index as the foundation for the new futures contract.

FTSE Russell’s approach guarantees the product emulates the investable Bitcoin market. Consequently, this means that the traders can get hold of a transparent financial instrument. The XBTF Index is essentially a reduced-value version of the FTSE Bitcoin Index, representing only one-tenth of its value.

This, in turn, makes it convenient and cheaper in terms of cost for institutional traders who want to have exposure to Bitcoin but with the possibility of better management of their capital. With cash-settled futures, Cboe is enhancing its current portfolio of contracts related to Bitcoin. Moreover, it includes Bitcoin ETF index options and margined Bitcoin futures.

Cboe’s Continued Expansion in Digital Assets

Bitcoin Futures is the most recent addition among several initiatives Cboe has introduced to enhance its position in the digital assets sector. In November of 2023, Cboe emerged as the first exchange regulated in the United States to provide both spot and leveraged crypto-derivatives on a single platform. This increase is due to the rising demand for regulated crypto trading instruments.

In addition, it signals the company’s commitment to offering various solutions to trade Bitcoin. The new Bitcoin Futures product will complement other financial products that Cboe offers, such as Cboe Bitcoin U.S. ETF index options and other related cryptocurrency derivatives.

It provides multiple trading services, which include price volatility risk management as well as strategies for managing the portfolio. With such options as Bitcoin Futures and Bitcoin ETF Index, market participants will be provided with a complete range of trading instruments.

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