Bitnomial Unveils First Regulated Aptos Futures For US Crypto Traders

TLDR

• Bitnomial launched the first US-regulated Aptos futures with monthly expiry and USD or APT settlement.
• Traders can use crypto or USD as margin through Bitnomial Clearinghouse’s CFTC-regulated platform.
• Retail access will open soon via Botanical, Bitnomial’s retail trading platform.
• Bitnomial plans to expand with Aptos perpetuals and options in the near future.

Bitnomial has introduced the first regulated Aptos (APT) futures in the United States, marking a key development in the U.S. crypto derivatives market. This launch provides institutional and retail traders with a compliant platform for price discovery and risk management. As the first of its kind in the U.S., the product may also help lay the groundwork for a future spot APT ETF, following the model used by Bitcoin and Ethereum.

A Regulated Market for Aptos Derivatives

Bitnomial, a U.S.-based derivatives exchange regulated by the CFTC, has launched the first regulated Aptos (APT) futures product in the country. The contracts are now available to institutional traders and will soon open to retail users through Botanical, Bitnomial’s trading platform.

According to Bitnomial, these futures contracts offer a regulated venue for price discovery and risk management in APT trading. The launch comes at a time when most Aptos derivatives are traded on offshore exchanges such as Binance Futures and Bitget, which are not regulated in the U.S.

The new APT futures have monthly expirations and allow settlement in either U.S. dollars or Aptos tokens, depending on the direction of the position. Traders can post either USD or crypto as margin via Bitnomial Clearinghouse.

Connecting Futures to Potential ETFs

Bitnomial President Michael Dunn stated that creating a regulated futures market could help pave the way for a spot ETF approval for Aptos. He explained that the SEC generally requires a futures market and surveillance-sharing agreements to consider spot ETF applications.

“Regulated futures markets are often a prerequisite for spot crypto ETF approval under the SEC’s generic listing standards,” Dunn said.

This method was used for both Bitcoin and Ethereum, where futures markets were launched before the SEC approved spot ETFs. The same path might be followed for Aptos, now that regulated futures exist.

Institutional and Retail Expansion

Founded in 2014 and based in Chicago, Bitnomial is known for launching regulated crypto-native products in the U.S. It previously introduced the first U.S.-regulated XRP futures and physical Solana futures.

Now with Aptos, Bitnomial aims to serve both institutional and retail markets. While institutional access is live, retail traders will be able to join “in the coming weeks” through the Botanical platform. The contracts are designed to meet compliance standards while offering flexibility in how traders manage their risk.

Solomon Tesfaye, Chief Business Officer of Aptos Labs, welcomed the launch. “Bitnomial’s CFTC-regulated exchange and clearinghouse provide the institutional framework that sophisticated market participants need,” Tesfaye said.

Roadmap for Future Derivatives

Bitnomial also announced plans to add Aptos perpetual contracts and options at a later date. These additions would give traders more choices in how they gain exposure to the APT token.

CME, the largest U.S. derivatives exchange, does not currently offer Aptos futures but does provide benchmark pricing for APT. With Bitnomial’s launch, APT now joins other major tokens with regulated futures offerings in the U.S. market.

As the demand for digital asset products continues to grow, Bitnomial’s efforts aim to give U.S.-based traders more tools to manage exposure while staying within regulatory bounds.

The post Bitnomial Unveils First Regulated Aptos Futures For US Crypto Traders appeared first on CoinCentral.