Bitcoin News

Story: CFTC Greenlights Crypto Perpetual Futures While Warning Other Markets Off 24/7 Trading

By Dan Saada

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What the Advisory Actually Said. The commission was direct: 24/7 trading works for crypto.

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Why Traders and Exchanges Are Paying Attention. For exchanges, the approval is kind of a validation.

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What's Still Unclear. No details on specific exchanges or contract specifications came out alongside the announcement.

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The CFTC just approved crypto perpetual futures contracts. Big move — and the agency didn't bury the headline with caveats, though it did attach a pretty pointed warning for…

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Perpetual futures let traders speculate on digital asset prices without an expiration date hanging over the position. No settlement deadline. No rollover.

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But the approval came packaged with an advisory. A careful one.

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The commission was direct: 24/7 trading works for crypto. It probably doesn't work for everything else.

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So the CFTC drew a line. Crypto gets perpetual futures because crypto, structurally, can handle them. Other sectors? Not yet.

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It's a nuanced position, and honestly a smarter one than a blanket green light would have been. Regulators who say yes to everything tend to regret it.

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For exchanges, the approval is kind of a validation. Crypto perpetual futures have existed offshore for years — platforms outside U.S.

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See also: CFTC Greenlights Kalshi Crypto Futures and Hands Coinbase a No-Action Shield

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Traders who've been wary of unregulated offshore venues now have a cleaner path. And exchanges that want to serve U.S.

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The broader crypto market has matured enough that this was probably coming regardless. Spot Bitcoin ETFs changed the conversation. Institutional money moved in.

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And the CFTC's cautionary note about other markets is worth taking seriously too. Equity markets, bond markets, commodity markets — they've all flirted with extended hours…

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Read also: CFTC Clears Kalshi to Offer Bitcoin Perpetual Futures in U.S. Market

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