Perpetual futures could become crypto’s next ETF moment
John Palmer, head of derivatives at Kraken, said he expects sophisticated traders to lead adoption of newly approved U.S. perpetual futures, with broader institutional participation likely to follow over time.
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Summary
- Regulated perpetual futures, long dominant on offshore crypto venues, are starting to debut in the U.S., with Kraken set to launch them on Kraken Pro after securing CFTC-regulated licenses through its NinjaTrader and Bitnomial acquisitions.
- John Palmer, head of derivatives at Kraken, said he expects sophisticated proprietary traders and retail users to adopt U.S. perps first, with investment advisers and large asset managers following more slowly.
- Proponents say perpetual futures’ lack of expirations and simpler structure compared with dated futures, along with eventual use of crypto as collateral, could transform the still-nascent U.S. crypto derivatives market and reduce reliance on offshore platforms.
