11.27.2017

Ether Derivatives Are Coming

11.27.2017

Look out bitcoin – there’s going to be another crypto currency derivative coming to the market.

First, there were bitcoin derivatives courtesy of the CME Group and Cboe. Slated for a December release, these futures are designed to promote trading and confidence in the fledging crypto markets. Now, according to CDS Pioneer, the second-biggest cryptocurrency, ethereum or “ether”  is poised to get into the derivatives market, thanks in part to a pioneer of trading credit-default swaps, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Contracts on the ether digital currency will be offered by an as-yet-unnamed exchange going by the code name “Virtuoso,” according to one of the people, who asked not to be named discussing private information. One of its co-founders is Sunil Hirani, who sold the CDS brokerage he co-founded, Creditex Group, to Intercontinental Exchange Inc. in 2008 for about half a billion dollars, the person said.

Derivatives on bitcoin and ether could help lure professional traders and investors, who’ve been hesitant to dive into unregulated digital currency markets.

Though bitcoin gets much more press coverage, ether is presence in the marketplace too. It’s linked to the ethereum blockchain. When Wall Street banks and big corporations like IBM tout blockchain innovations, they’re usually cribbing technology from ethereum, not bitcoin’s blockchain.  Ether, which has soared more than 4,000 percent in 2017, hit record highs after CME Group announced its bitcoin futures project last month.

According to the report, Virtuoso will be overseen by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and aimed at institutional investors and corporations that have exposure to ether’s price swings, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. By the first or second quarter, it plans to offer futures, non-deliverable forwards, swaps and forwards, and it’s possible — though this is not yet decided — that some of the contracts will deliver ether to holders if held to expiration, the person said.

A recent Markets Media article highlights how @tZERO is resetting its vision - focusing on partnerships, regulated infrastructure, and global scale to make tokenized capital markets a reality.

Under CEO @Alan_Konevsky, the company is leveraging regulatory momentum to enable…

Want to know who calls the shots on trading tech? We partnered with @WeAreAdaptive to interview capital markets professionals globally to uncover key trends and evolving patterns in technology deployment. Reach the report here:

Load More

Related articles

  1. Goldman Sachs and DBS traded cash-settled OTC bitcoin and ether options.

  2. This is one of the first crypto ETPs with built-in staking.

  3. Ripple Prime will enhance the utility and reach of Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD, as collateral.

  4. This meets demand for transparent, exchange-traded crypto exposure on familiar, regulated rails.

  5. The digital asset prime broker aims to strengthen across trading, asset management & market infrastructure.

We're Enhancing Your Experience with Smart Technology

We've updated our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy to introduce AI tools that will personalize your content, improve our market analysis, and deliver more relevant insights.These changes take effect on Aug 25, 2025.
Your data remains protected—we're simply using smart technology to serve you better. [Review Full Terms] | [Review Privacy Policy] Please review our updated Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy carefully. By continuing to use our services after Aug 25, 2025, you agree to these

Close the CTA