- CME Group plans to introduce Bitcoin trading in addition to its futures operation
- The move aims to leverage rising demand among Wall Street money managers for Bitcoin
- Such a development shows that security and custody issues are becoming less of a concern to mainstream users
CME Group, the world’s largest futures exchange, is set to introduce Bitcoin trading, in another example of global adoption of the world’s foremost cryptocurrency. The move aims to leverage the increasing demand among Wall Street money managers for Bitcoin, coming off the back of its stunning ETF performance this year. While plans are not yet set in stone, the move would illustrate that concerns over issues such as Bitcoin custody and security are being overcome.
Exchanges Becoming Comfortable with Bitcoin
CME already facilitates trading in Bitcoin futures, having famously launched this in December 2017. By adding spot bitcoin trading, it would enable investors to engage more easily in basis trading, a popular strategy among professional Bitcoin traders and a mainstay of the US Treasury market.
Basis trading involves borrowing money to sell futures while buying the underlying asset, profiting from the small gap between the two. Most Treasury basis trading occurs on CME venues, giving it a leg up over the competition. The potential spot trading operation would be managed through CME’s EBS currency trading venue in Switzerland, known for its stringent regulations on trading and storing crypto assets.
CME’s initiative indicates that regulated exchanges are growing more comfortable with the infrastructure needed for trading digital assets, including the secure storage of coins. This progress could lead to exchanges accepting crypto-related collateral, such as tokenized money market funds, to facilitate timely margin calls, pushing Bitcoin more and more into the mainstream financial sector.
Mainstream Adoption Continues
News of CME’s intentions come at a time when financial giants are shifting from skepticism to advocacy of Bitcoin, driven by its recovery from a 2022 low to a record high earlier this year and its growing acceptance as a tradeable asset. Despite a recent decline, where bitcoin lost one-fifth of its value from a March peak above $73,000, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to Bitcoin have surged, becoming the fastest-growing ETFs ever.
Major banks such as JPMorgan, UBS, Wells Fargo, and the Bank of Montreal have disclosed Bitcoin exposure in recent weeks, while Hedge funds like Bracebridge Capital and pension funds such as the Wisconsin Investment Board have invested over $10 billion in vehicles managed by firms including BlackRock, Fidelity, and Ark.
CME has benefited from renewed institutional interest, surpassing Binance as the world’s largest bitcoin futures market, with approximately $8.5 billion worth of open positions at the time of writing, more than double the amount from a year ago.
