Share this article
Two More Bitcoin Futures ETFs Are Up for SEC Approval
A growing number of companies are looking to launch ETFs tied to bitcoin derivatives contracts, public records show.
By Stan Higgins
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 6:58 a.m. Published Sep 28, 2017, 3:05 p.m.
A Maryland-based exchange-traded fund (ETF) firm has filed to launch two new bitcoin futures-based products.
According to a Form S-1 dated September 27, ProShares Capital Management wants to create two bitcoin-tied funds: the ProShares Bitcoin ETF and the ProShares Short Bitcoin ETF. Like other proposed ETFs that have emerged in recent months, ProShares isn’t planning to buy direct stakes in the cryptocurrency; rather, it intends to create exposure through derivatives contracts.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Per the filing, ProShares is aiming for a maximum aggregate offering price of $1 million, priced at $25 per share, with a plan to have it listed on the NYSE Arca exchange.
As the filing acknowledges, the market for bitcoin-tied derivatives is still nascent and early-stage.
"Bitcoin futures contracts have only recently been listed for trading and have a very limited trading history. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for bitcoin futures contracts will develop or be maintained," the firm wrote.
Even still, that market is starting to take shape, if not slowly.
Startups like LedgerX and options exchange operators like CBOE have moved to capitalize on interest in such products. On the other hand, major players like CME are keeping their distance, at least for now, in spite of work on intellectual property related to cryptocurrency derivatives.
Disclosure: CME Group is an investor in Digital Currency Group, CoinDesk's parent company.
Image via Shutterstock
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
Bitcoin Faces Japan Rate Hike: Debunking The Yen Carry Trade Unwind Alarms, Real Risk Elsewhere
Speculators maintain net bullish positions in the yen, limiting scope for sudden JPY strength and mass carry unwind.
What to know:
- Impending BOJ rate hike largely priced in; Japanese bond yields near multi-decade highs.
- Speculators maintain net bullish positions in the yen, limiting scope for sudden yen strength.
- BOJ tightening may contribute to sustained upward pressure on global yields, impacting risk sentiment.
Top Stories
