Ethereum Futures in US One Step Closer as CME Deal is Struck

Chicago Mercantile Exchange & Chicago Board of Trade (CME Group Inc) announced a partnership with Crypto Facilities Ltd to list the price of ether in real-time dollars. Information from major cryptocurrency exchanges Bitstamp and Kraken will be used to determine the CME CF reference rate. This could be a hint of things to come for the second most popular crypto in the world, including possible US futures.

Also read: Zimbabwe Bans All Cryptocurrency Activity, Businesses Have 2 Month Grace Period

CME Strikes Deal for Ether-Dollar Reference Rate

“CME Group’s experience and knowledge in bringing the Bitcoin Reference Rate and Real-Time Index to market,” Chicago Merc’s website pithily stated, “has enabled us to launch an Ether-Dollar Reference Rate and Real-Time Index […] and the CME CF Ether-Dollar rates will provide a standardized reference rate and spot price index to bring confidence to any trading strategy. Major cryptocurrency exchanges Bitstamp and Kraken provide the pricing data to bring our dependable rate to the market.”

In the final quarter of last year, to much fanfare and hype, CME, along with crosstown rival Cboe, created a first of its kind: crypto futures. The experiment in running bitcoin core (BTC) in more mainstream financial contexts has been decidedly mixed. Some analysts even believe futures were a significant drag on digital asset prices due to allowing speculators to short BTC.

CME’s Tim McCourt explained, “The Ether Reference Rate and Real Time Index are designed to meet the evolving needs of this marketplace. Providing price transparency and a credible price reference source is a key development for users of Ethereum.”

Aiming for Institutional Investors

CME is among the most trusted derivatives market makers in the world, as is a well-known player. Crypto Facilities Ltd is a crypto trading platform. The two have teamed to offer the CME CF Ether-Dollar Reference Rate (Ether Reference Rate) and Ether Real Time Index. Crypto Facilities will rely upon Kraken and Bitstamp order books as principal references. It hopes to add something like a daily benchmark in US fiat, real-time. Rollout is expected by CME Group and Crypto Facilities’ respective websites May 14, but formal CME market data platform distribution won’t begin until June 4th of this year.

London-based Crypto Facilities’ Timo Schlaefer noted, “Ether, the second largest cryptocurrency, experienced incredible adoption and growth in 2017, evolving into the leading blockchain for smart contracts. We are excited to be contributing to the strong community that has developed around the Ethereum network by providing a reliable reference rate and real-time Ether-Dollar price.”

Ethereum Futures in US One Step Closer as CME Deal is Struck

Earlier this week, Crypto Facilities detailed its other partnership with Chicago-based Akuna Capital and London-based market maker B2C2 in an effort to make ethereum futures contracts. The triumvirate hopes it can bring liquidity to ethereum futures. Aimed at institutional investors, such futures would allow long and short positions without dirtying hands (having to hold the actual coin).

Akuna’s Toby Allen insisted his company is “looking forward to seeing this much-needed product fill a gap in the market. The addition of a futures product enables crypto traders to take both long and short positions in ETH and is another giant leap in the development of the crypto asset class.”

Is having ether futures a good overall move for the crypto community? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments below.

Images via Shutterstock, Pixabay, Ethereum, CME Group Inc.

Do you agree with us that Bitcoin is the best invention since sliced bread? Thought so. That’s why we are building this online universe revolving around anything and everything Bitcoin. We have a store. And a forum. And a casino, a pool and real-time price statistics.

Share this story:

C. Edward Kelso

C. Edward Kelso has written hundreds of articles as a journalist covering a range of topics from international finance, regulation, to cryptocurrency philosophy, interviews with luminaries, and book reviews.

comments powered by Disqus.

In Case You Missed It

IIF Report Predicts Global Debt Will Reach New All-Time High of $257T in 2020

Global debt records were broken in 2019, but that likely won't be the end of such ominous economic milestones, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) predicts. The number could reach $257 trillion sometime in Q1 2020, according to a recent ... read more.

4 Bitcoin Mixers for the Privacy Conscious

In an era of unprecedented global surveillance, it is unreasonable to expect the blockchain world to be any different. It is perfectly reasonable, though, to resist this surveillance through countermeasures that thwart the would-be surveillers. Digital privacy is a right ... read more.

Silvergate Bank and Bitstamp Launch Bitcoin Collateralized Loans

U.S.-based Silvergate Bank has launched a bitcoin collateralized loan product with Bitstamp as its launch partner. The crypto exchange will act as the bank's agent to manage and provide custody for bitcoin collateral. The product utilizes Silvergate Bank's Exchange Network ... read more.

Uzbekistan to Create National Mining Pool, Launch Licensed Exchange

Establishing a “national mining pool” has been declared a priority in Uzbekistan. Miners who join the pool will enjoy lower electricity rates, announced the country’s agency overseeing the crypto industry. The Central Asian nation is also preparing to launch a ... read more.

Simple Ledger Protocol Shines During the Final Day of TNABC Miami

On Friday, The North American Bitcoin Conference (TNABC) convened for its final day with a great deal of well known speakers from the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. The slew of speakers discussed topics like the future of crypto mining, SLP ... read more.

Russia’s New Prime Minister Has an Opinion of Cryptocurrencies

The Russian Federation has a new prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, with a track record of statements regarding cryptocurrencies and an affection for digitalization. A stated goal of his government will be to turn the country into a digital platform “for ... read more.

New Stablecoins Commence a Fresh Assault on Tether

Can any stablecoin topple tether? In 2019, the answer to that question was an emphatic ‘No.’ Despite a string of stablecoins being released onto the market, tether (USDT) increased its grip on the cryptoconomy’s fiat supply, racking up $127B of ... read more.

Direct Democracy Party to Solve Issues With Crypto Rights in Russia

A new political force is being born in Russia out of the country’s tech business circles. The idea has been conceived by representatives of the country’s growing digital economy sector who want to embark on finding solutions to numerous issues ... read more.

Unnecessary Evil: How Government Regulations Kill Crypto Startups and Encourage Crime

Thanks to the EU's most recent money laundering directive, a small business called Post-a-coin, which sold cute postcards pre-loaded with tiny amounts of bitcoin, is being forced to shut down. Meanwhile, the most heinous criminals in history are continuing to ... read more.

Crypto Employment Abounds With More Than 8,000 Jobs in 2020

During the last year, the cryptoconomy has picked up pace after a drawn out crypto winter. When market prices were low and startups were short on capital, a bunch of firms laid off employees in 2018. A year later, and ... read more.

New Guidelines Subject Canadian Crypto Exchanges to Securities Laws

Canadian regulators have issued new guidance determining when current securities legislation applies to operations conducted by cryptocurrency exchanges. According to the clarifications in the document, many domestic and foreign entities serving Canadian users, for example those that provide custodial services, ... read more.

FATF Holds Global Forum to Discuss Crypto Supervision

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and over 50 delegations involved in crypto supervision recently gathered to discuss how to regulate crypto assets and related service providers. While examining three key areas, they stressed the importance of international cooperation, citing ... read more.

Crypto vs RBI: 3 Days of Intense Supreme Court Hearings

India's supreme court heard the crypto case in detail over three consecutive days this week. In addition to intense arguments against the central bank having the power to ban crypto, the judges learned how other countries regulate this new sector, ... read more.

Monopoly Is a Tiny Darknet Market With Big Aspirations

There’s a certain irony in the smallest market on the darknet being named Monopoly. With less than 150 listings, the monero-friendly Monopoly Market is anything but. What this tiny darknet market (DNM) lacks in size, however, it makes up for ... read more.