CME Group launched new Bitcoin options on Jan. 14, which was revealed by the company’s global head of equity products Tim McCourt. The introduction of crypto options by a derivatives heavyweight in CME will further uplift the institutional infrastructure supporting the asset class. Over the long term, investors generally anticipate improvements in the infrastructure surrounding Bitcoin (BTC) to have a positive impact on the cryptocurrency market. CME Bitcoin options is a net positive for crypto Speaking to Cointelegraph, cryptocurrency technical analyst Eric Thies said that CME options will bring in more stability in the market over the long run. Accredited …

Bitcoin (BTC) options from CME Group more than doubled their traded volume in the first week after going live, data shows. According to figures supplied by the company, Bitcoin options volumes skyrocketed in the seven days since they went live on Jan. 13. BTC futures options surge higher As of Jan. 17, volume was 122 contracts, worth 610 BTC ($5.27 million). By comparison, on day one, volume was 55 contracts, or 275 BTC (currently worth $2.37 million). Open interest on options stood at 219 contracts on Friday, equivalent to 1,095 BTC ($9.45 million). Bitcoin options open interest. Source: Skew Markets/ …

In the two years since it launched cash-settled Bitcoin futures, CME has firmly established itself as a leader in the regulated crypto derivatives space despite not always being the first to market. In December 2017, it launched regulated Bitcoin futures a week after rival exchange CBOE. However, it only took 15 months for CBOE to completely withdraw from the market. By August, CME had announced record highs for Bitcoin futures trading. Most recently, Bakkt came into the market ahead of CME with its regulated options on Bitcoin futures. However, after successfully launching its own options contracts on Jan. 13, it …

Bitcoin (BTC) derivatives trading looks set to reach record levels this month as volume spikes and open interest hovers near all-time highs. Data from CME Group shows that as of Jan. 16, open interest for its futures products alone totaled 5,328 contracts — or 26,640 BTC ($237 million). Open interest on track for record The figure is higher than any monthly close CME has seen since it debuted in December 2017, with July 2019 currently in the lead with 5,252 contracts. Open interest did surpass current levels earlier in January, reaching around 5,400 according to the latest data from United …

Digital currency asset manager Grayscale Investments banked a stellar 2019 to surpass the $1 billion mark in total investments and now has over $2 billion in AUM. By the numbers In a comprehensive eighteen-page report, the firm touted a record Q4 in 2019. It raised $225.5 million into its investment products, lifting the year’s inflow to $607.7 million after back-to-back quarterlies over $225 million, possibly signaling a larger market trend. 71 percent of the year’s inflow sprung from institutional investors. Managing director Michael Sonnenshein told Cointelegraph: “We saw record-breaking investment into Grayscale’s family of products, illustrating continued demand from investors …

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is happy with the results of its Bitcoin options trading product launch on Jan. 13, according to CME Group’s managing director and global head of equity index alternative investment products Tim McCourt. First days of new options offering a success “We’re very pleased with how day one went,” McCourt told Cointelegraph in a Jan. 14 interview. “We’ve had positive feedback from customers on day one,” he pointed out, also noting success and progress on day two. “Yesterday, we did a total of 55 options contracts, worth 275 Bitcoin,” the managing director said. “Each option is …

Bitcoin (BTC) futures options from CME Group saw volumes in excess of $2.3 million on the product’s first day of public trading, the company has confirmed. Data from CME’s official website confirmed the successful rollout on Jan. 13, which began as scheduled and ultimately saw 55 contracts change hands. Investors lap up BTC options products Each contract corresponds to 5 BTC, meaning that at current prices, the 55 contracts were worth $2.34 million. Bitcoin markets rallied on release day, rising by more than 5% to hit highs of $8,550. Those levels had previously remained absent since mid-November. As Cointelegraph reported, …

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has received necessary regulatory approval and has launched its new Bitcoin (BTC) futures options as of today, Jan. 13. According to the official website of CME, the new type of Bitcoin derivatives contract — Bitcoin futures options — is now live, which comes in line with the company’s plans announced in November 2019. CME’s Bitcoin futures options was subject to “regulatory approval” earlier in the day Specifically, the launch of CME’s Bitcoin futures options follows regulatory approval that the exchange received earlier today, as reported by Cointegraph. As of press time, the approval notice has …

Bitcoin (BTC) futures traders generated at least $20 billion in daily volume last week as two new options products prepared to hit the market. According to data released by futures provider CME Group on Jan. 9, its futures contracts alone saw open interest almost 70% higher than at the end of 2019. “Serious” volume precedes options debut Open interest was the among the highest ever last week, only noticeably lagging behind the peak seen at the end of June. At the time, BTC/USD was circling its local highs of $13,800, while the past seven days likewise saw a price uptick …

The United States’ largest bank believes interest will be high in CME Group’s new Bitcoin (BTC) options when they launch on Jan. 13. In a note from Jan. 10 quoted by Bloomberg on Friday, a group of analysts at JPMorgan Chase led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou noted interest in CME’s existing Bitcoin futures had spiked in the run-up to the release. “High anticipation” of Bitcoin options On the shift in investor behavior, JPMorgan summarized: “This unusually strong activity over the past few days likely reflects the high anticipation among market participants of the option contract.” The events mark a contrast to …

Major United States brokerage TD Ameritrade doesn’t deny the potential inclusion of cryptocurrencies like XRP to its platform. One of the early adopters of the original Bitcoin (BTC) futures trading platform, TD Ameritrade apparently remains positive about more potential initiatives in crypto. TD Ameritrade hints at more crypto services based on client feedback In a Dec. 29 tweet, TD Ameritrade hinted that it is continuing to explore crypto markets, replying to a question as to whether the company is planning to support cryptocurrency such as XRP. “Thank you for your interest! Currently, we offer Bitcoin Futures on the CME. We …

The United States Bitcoin (BTC) derivatives market witnessed a slew of developments in 2019 as “old players” set trading volume records and “new players” introduced novel market products. After months of regulatory maneuvering, Bakkt finally launched and has gone on to post record Bitcoin futures trading volumes. Several platforms have also obtained Swap Execution Facility licenses from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission as the crypto derivatives arena in the country expanded throughout 2019. One of the 19 CFTC-licensed platforms, Tassat, said the approval is a preliminary step to the company listing physically settled Bitcoin derivatives for institutional clients. Overall, …