Bakkt Sees 160% Uptick in BTC Futures’ Demand in Single Day

by Arnab Shome
  • The company is set to launch cash-settled BTC contracts in Asia.
Bakkt Sees 160% Uptick in BTC Futures’ Demand in Single Day
FM

As the price of Bitcoin is sliding, the futures market is turning bullish with an anticipation of a bounce back.

The demand for Bitcoin futures can be seen with the surge in the trading volume of Bakkt’s Bitcoin futures contracts.

According to the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) subsidiary, 4,443 Bitcoin futures contracts were traded on Wednesday, setting a new record on the platform.

A flop turned hit

Launched in September, Bakkt offers physically-settled Bitcoin futures, meaning traders will receive the digital asset as the deliverable upon maturity of the contract. This reduces the settlement risk that is associated with the cash-settled instruments.

Before its launch, Bakkt became a buzz word in the industry with huge anticipated demand. Many speculated that it would boost the price of the digital asset, similar to the launch of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) in December 2017, which pushed the BTC price to a record high.

However, the demand for Bakkt’s offerings remained dim for a while, which encouraged its critics to call it a flop.

Meanwhile, the United States-based company also tapped the lucrative Asian market with the upcoming launch of a cash-settled Bitcoin futures contract in Singapore. The contract will be listed on ICE Futures Singapore and cleared by ICE Clear Singapore - both of which are regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

With a growing demand for crypto derivatives, the company is also set to bring Bitcoin options contracts next month.

As the price of Bitcoin is sliding, the futures market is turning bullish with an anticipation of a bounce back.

The demand for Bitcoin futures can be seen with the surge in the trading volume of Bakkt’s Bitcoin futures contracts.

According to the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) subsidiary, 4,443 Bitcoin futures contracts were traded on Wednesday, setting a new record on the platform.

A flop turned hit

Launched in September, Bakkt offers physically-settled Bitcoin futures, meaning traders will receive the digital asset as the deliverable upon maturity of the contract. This reduces the settlement risk that is associated with the cash-settled instruments.

Before its launch, Bakkt became a buzz word in the industry with huge anticipated demand. Many speculated that it would boost the price of the digital asset, similar to the launch of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) in December 2017, which pushed the BTC price to a record high.

However, the demand for Bakkt’s offerings remained dim for a while, which encouraged its critics to call it a flop.

Meanwhile, the United States-based company also tapped the lucrative Asian market with the upcoming launch of a cash-settled Bitcoin futures contract in Singapore. The contract will be listed on ICE Futures Singapore and cleared by ICE Clear Singapore - both of which are regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

With a growing demand for crypto derivatives, the company is also set to bring Bitcoin options contracts next month.

About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab Shome
  • 6230 Articles
  • 79 Followers
About the Author: Arnab Shome
Arnab is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He entered the industry covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates and later expanded his reach to forex as well. He is passionate about the changing regulatory landscape on financial markets and keenly follows the disruptions in the industry with new-age technologies.
  • 6230 Articles
  • 79 Followers

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