Genesis tests end-of-day pricing for institutional crypto futures product

Cryptocurrency brokerage firm Genesis Global Capital has announced the completion of a first-of-a-kind trade that will pave the way for new institutional crypto futures products.

Genesis has executed the first-ever over-the-counter (OTC) block trade of a Basis Trade at Index Close (BTIC) transaction using Bitcoin futures contracts issued by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). The trade was made in collaboration with derivatives market maker Akuna Capital according to a Sunday announcement.

This is the first time a BTIC has been used for cryptocurrencies as it is more commonly used in equities markets. This form of trading allows investors to buy and sell futures contracts with prices based on the end-of-day close of the index.

CME Group Global Head of Equity Index and Alternative Investment Products Tim McCourt said that the product was the next step in offering greater exposure to CME’s Bitcoin derivatives and Ethereum futures, with the Ether contracts having launched in February. He elaborated on the advantages of this new trading vehicle, explaining:

“BTIC enables market participants to more efficiently trade the basis while providing a regulated marketplace for real-time price discovery and enhanced trading precision for institutional participants who want to optimize holdings between the futures and spot markets.”

Genesis provides liquidity to CME Group for its BTC and ETH futures and options products.

Related: Big investors pivoting from Bitcoin to Ether futures: JPMorgan

In May, the CME launched micro Bitcoin futures, which are contracts worth 0.1 BTC. The offering was designed to allow institutional traders to hedge their risks to crypto assets.

By the end of June, the product had surpassed a million traded contracts, suggesting that there is a high demand for smaller positions in crypto among institutional investors still testing the waters. This latest product is another example of diversifying the options for well-heeled investors to gain exposure to crypto markets.