Caspian partners with Deribit to offer crypto options and futures trading to institutions

Markets • March 20, 2019, 8:14AM EDT
The Block

Caspian announced Wednesday a partnership with futures exchange Deribit to offer its options and futures products on its trading platform, according to a press release.

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Derivatives have become an increasingly attractive product for big traders, with CME currently leading the front on bitcoin futures in the U.S. and newcomers like Bakkt and ErisX hoping to join. In Asia, players like BitMEX dominate trading in so-called perpetual futures, a synthetic way to trade the spot market. Deribit, a smaller rival to BitMEX, offers both bitcoin and Ethereum options and futures. In a statement, the firm said its integration onto Caspian’s interface could lure in institutions to trade in “high volumes." That could help the firm's paltry volumes. 

Cayman Island-based Caspian raised $19.5 million in an ICO last year, integrating over 30 crypto exchanges and OTC desks in one interface. It has claimed to have 170 customers signed up, including high-profile players like Galaxy and Bletchley Park.

About Author

Isabel is The Block's London and European reporter. She previously reported for Reuters in Madrid and London, following on from her time as a freelance journalist for the Guardian and the New York Times. She has a Bachelors in War Studies from King’s College London and a Master of Philosophy from the University of Oxford. Conflict of Interest: Edward Woodford, the CEO of SeedCX, is Isabel's brother. She does not report on any issues related to Seed or advise other authors in any regard.

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