Ethereum (ETH) is the second largest virtual currency in terms of market cap, and for quite some time investors have been expecting Ethereum futures that seem to, at last, be happening. However, these expectations have faced interest concerns and regulatory uncertainty regarding the crypto asset.
Ethereum Futures Realized

The expectations for Ethereum futures appear to have been realized with The Block reporting that one of the largest global exchanges, CME Group, was preparing to release a futures product for Ethereum. The Chicago-based CME Group was the institution that launched Bitcoin futures during the cryptocurrency boom in 2017.

What this means according to The Block is that CME is changing Ethereum’s reference rate and Index, which is an indication that Ethereum futures are imminent. According to an industry source, the alterations that are being made are for the “preparation of an Ether” vehicle. However, the source indicates that the cash-settled futures such as the CME’s crypto contracts can be altered and thus need a strong index to help in risk mitigation. The latest changes are seen as a way of boosting the confidence of regulators to accept Ethereum products.
Ethereum Futures Gaining Support

The development comes at a time when Ethereum futures are gaining support from a number of cryptocurrency users in the industry. For instance, Thomas Chippas, the CEO of ErisX, has emphasized the need of having an Ethereum vehicle since ETH has a very vibrant and real community, appropriate institutional involvement, and precise use cases, as well as other good tenets in the industry.

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Early in the year, a CFTC official claimed that government officials at the CFTC were friendly to Ethereum after they claimed that the body was content with the crypto asset. He added that when a derivative exchange wants to launch a derivative that meets the CFTC requirement, they will be certified.

The news of the Ethereum futures comes at a time when various crypto exchange startups have received licenses to begin listing physically-delivered Bitcoin vehicles.

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