US SEC Deliberates Nasdaq Bitcoin Index Options Approval amid Rising Derivatives Demand

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is moving forward with its review of a proposal to list and trade options on the Nasdaq Bitcoin Index. At the same time, the exchange is also seeking approval for FLEX options on the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) and the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF.

US SEC Advances Proceedings on Nasdaq Bitcoin Index Options

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has started reviewing a proposed rule change that would let Nasdaq list and trade index options, according to the commission’s order.

The proposed rule from Nasdaq PHLX aims to introduce a new derivative product, which could help bring Bitcoin further into mainstream financial markets. This comes amid an increase in demand for Bitcoin derivatives, including options on BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT).

Notably, the US SEC extended the period to decide whether to approve or deny the proposed rule change during the government shutdown in early November.

The SEC’s decision to review the proposed Nasdaq Bitcoin Index Options rule highlights a broader effort to balance innovation with investor protection.

As CoinGape reported earlier, the SEC has also announced proceedings on Nasdaq’s filings for FLEX options on the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) and the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF.

BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) Among Top 10 Highest Open Interest

Options tied to BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) have surged to become the 10th largest in the U.S. market, with over 6.7 million open interest, according to OpenCharts data.

Today, IBIT options rank third in the stocks category, following NVIDIA and Tesla. It has even surpassed gold ETFs and major tech stocks, indicating Bitcoin’s growing demand amid mainstream adoption.

This trend has accelerated the adoption of crypto-linked financial instruments, including ETFs and futures contracts, as investors seek diversified exposure to digital assets.

BTC price currently trades at $86,987, down nearly 1% in the past 24 hours. The intraday low and high are $86,606 and $88,320, respectively. Furthermore, trading volume has decreased by 26% over the last 24 hours.