Nasdaq Gets SEC Nod for Bitcoin Options
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has given Nasdaq the green light to list options tied directly to a Bitcoin price index. This move is seen as an important step in expanding regulated, transparent access to digital asset derivatives.
The contracts will trade on Nasdaq PHLX under the ticker QBTC and track the CME CF Bitcoin Real Time Index, which updates valuations from major spot venues every 200 milliseconds. These are not spot Bitcoin ETFs; they're cash-settled, European-style options, meaning traders settle gains and losses in dollars and can exercise only at expiration.
The approval widens the menu for institutional and retail traders in the United States. Until now, their main tools were Bitcoin futures options at CME Group and options tied to spot funds such as the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF. The launch date remains uncertain, however, as the contracts still need clearance from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.