The U.S. cryptocurrency derivatives market has entered a new era with the self-certification and launch of the first regulated perpetual futures contracts by Bitnomial, Inc., owner of Bitnomial Exchange, LLC. These innovative financial instruments are now live on a U.S.-based exchange, marking a pivotal development for institutional and future retail investors seeking compliant exposure to digital assets.
Trading begins today with the debut of the BTC/USD perpetual futures contract, initially available to institutional clients. This milestone positions Bitnomial as a trailblazer in bringing globally popular crypto derivatives under full regulatory oversight—offering transparency, security, and alignment with established financial market standards.
Retail access will follow shortly after the official rollout of Botanical, Bitnomial’s upcoming unified trading platform. Designed for both institutions and individual traders, Botanical will support perpetual futures, traditional term futures, and options—all within a single, seamless interface. Future contract expansions are already planned, including XRP/USD, ETH/USD, and SOL/USD pairs, with potential for physical commodity derivatives down the line.
👉 Discover how regulated crypto futures are reshaping U.S. markets
A New Chapter for Regulated Crypto Derivatives
Luke Hoersten, Founder and CEO of Bitnomial, emphasized the significance of this moment:
“This is a turning point. The United States is finally ready to lead in regulated perpetual contract trading. With the launch of our perpetuals and the Botanical platform, we’re delivering the infrastructure the market has been waiting for. Built for both institutional and retail investors, Bitnomial represents a once-in-a-generation disruption in the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. futures industry.”
What sets Bitnomial apart is its status as the only U.S. exchange offering physically settled, non-synthetic cryptocurrency futures, options, and perpetual contracts—all under the oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This regulatory clarity enhances investor protection while maintaining the performance and flexibility expected in modern crypto markets.
A key innovation on the horizon is the planned introduction of perpetual contracts settled in RLUSD, a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin developed by Ripple. Once approved by regulators, RLUSD-settled contracts will bring native stablecoin margining and settlement capabilities directly into the heart of the U.S. regulated derivatives ecosystem—an industry-first advancement that could redefine how digital assets are traded domestically.
Matching Global Market Structure with Local Compliance
To ensure smooth adoption by professional traders, Bitnomial has aligned its product design with global best practices. The exchange employs an eight-hour funding rate interval, mirroring the structure used by leading offshore crypto derivatives platforms that dominate trading volume worldwide.
Michael Dunn, President of Bitnomial Exchange, explained:
“By adopting an eight-hour funding model, we ensure structural consistency with the dominant offshore exchanges. This allows traders to seamlessly integrate Bitnomial into their existing systems without costly re-engineering or strategy adjustments.”
This strategic decision reduces friction for high-frequency traders, hedge funds, and algorithmic trading firms looking to transition from unregulated venues to a compliant U.S.-based alternative.
Building a Vertically Integrated Financial Infrastructure
Over the past year, Bitnomial has made significant strides in developing a fully integrated trading and clearing ecosystem. In addition to operating a CFTC-regulated Designated Contract Market (DCM), the company recently expanded its capabilities through its affiliated Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO), enabling end-to-end clearing services.
This vertical integration allows Bitnomial to control risk more effectively, reduce counterparty exposure, and offer tighter spreads—critical advantages for institutional participants. The exchange also provides proprietary broker services aimed at streamlining client onboarding and improving execution quality for large-scale traders.
Backed by prominent investors such as Jump Capital, Electric Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Franklin Templeton, Ripple Labs, and DV Trading, Bitnomial has secured the capital and expertise needed to scale its infrastructure responsibly.
👉 See how next-gen trading platforms are setting new standards
Bridging Traditional Finance and Crypto-Native Innovation
The upcoming Botanical platform represents Bitnomial’s vision for the future of digital asset trading—a unified environment where traditional financial frameworks meet crypto-native functionality. By combining futures, options, and perpetuals in one interface, Botanical aims to attract sophisticated retail traders, family offices, and institutional players alike.
Unlike offshore exchanges that operate in regulatory gray zones, Bitnomial offers a fully compliant alternative without sacrificing performance. The exchange prioritizes security custody solutions, transparent clearing processes, and continuous technology upgrades—addressing long-standing concerns about risk management and operational integrity in crypto derivatives.
For market participants tired of navigating jurisdictional uncertainty or counterparty risks on foreign platforms, Bitnomial delivers peace of mind through regulation-by-design.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What are perpetual futures contracts?
A: Perpetual futures are derivative contracts that allow traders to speculate on asset prices without an expiration date. They use a funding mechanism to keep prices aligned with the underlying spot market—making them popular among active crypto traders.
Q: Why is Bitnomial’s launch significant for U.S. markets?
A: It marks the first time that regulated, self-certified perpetual futures are available on a U.S.-based exchange. This brings a widely used global product into a compliant framework overseen by the CFTC—enhancing investor protection and market integrity.
Q: When will retail traders be able to access Bitnomial’s products?
A: Retail access will be available following the launch of the Botanical platform, which is designed to serve both institutional and individual users with a unified trading experience.
Q: Are Bitnomial’s contracts physically settled?
A: Yes. Bitnomial offers physically settled contracts for certain products, meaning actual delivery of the underlying asset can occur upon settlement—providing greater transparency compared to synthetic or cash-settled alternatives.
Q: What cryptocurrencies will be supported beyond Bitcoin?
A: Planned expansions include perpetual futures for XRP/USD, ETH/USD, and SOL/USD. The exchange may also introduce commodity-based derivatives in the future.
Q: How does RLUSD settlement benefit traders?
A: RLUSD is a regulated U.S. dollar stablecoin. Contracts settled in RLUSD would enable faster settlements, lower costs, and native integration of stablecoin mechanics within a CFTC-regulated environment—once final approvals are obtained.
👉 Explore regulated crypto trading platforms built for the future
The Road Ahead: Institutional-Grade Crypto Trading in America
Bitnomial’s entry into the perpetual futures space signals a fundamental shift in how American investors interact with digital assets. For the first time, market participants have access to a compliant, high-performance alternative to offshore exchanges—without compromising on features or liquidity.
As demand grows for secure, transparent, and scalable crypto trading infrastructure, Bitnomial is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation. With strong institutional backing, regulatory alignment, and a clear product roadmap, the exchange is poised to become a cornerstone of the next generation of U.S. financial markets.
The convergence of traditional finance principles with blockchain-native innovation is no longer theoretical—it's live, regulated, and ready for adoption.