CFTC Lets Traders Bet on Stocks With Crypto-Style Perpetual Futures
Summary
The CFTC has cleared equity perpetual futures tied to individual stocks to trade on CFTC-registered exchanges, bringing the crypto-native, expiration-free leveraged product into U.S. equity markets. Classified as security futures, the contracts will be jointly overseen by the CFTC and SEC under a framework clarified by a March memorandum between the agencies. Chairman Michael Selig said the move aims to let U.S. traders access perps through regulated venues rather than offshore platforms. The decision follows approval of Bitcoin perpetual futures and comes as exchanges, including Coinbase, pursue listings of single-stock contracts.
