Bitnomial launches first US-regulated Aptos futures market

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Yaroslav Dmytrenko

14.01.2026

Bitnomial launches first US-regulated Aptos futures market — US crypto exchange Bitnomial opens regulated Aptos futures trading

Chicago-based crypto exchange Bitnomial is launching the first US-regulated futures market for Aptos, responding to rising investor demand for altcoin futures.

According to Bitnomial, the launch of futures contracts tied to the network’s native APT token marks the first Aptos derivatives market regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Other Aptos-linked derivatives available to US traders are currently listed as offshore products.

The contracts will initially be available to institutional clients through Bitnomial’s clearing members, with retail access expected in the coming weeks via the company’s Botanical platform.

Cointelegraph reports that the contracts have monthly expirations and are settled either in US dollars or in Aptos’ native token, APT, depending on the position. Monthly futures are standardized derivatives that allow traders to gain price exposure for a defined period without holding the underlying asset.

“A regulated futures market is a prerequisite for spot crypto ETF approval under standard SEC listing requirements,” said Bitnomial president Michael Dunn. He added that the contracts allow institutions to gain exposure to APT using the same derivatives infrastructure they already use for Bitcoin and Ethereum.

A conservative approach to altcoin derivatives

US-regulated crypto futures markets beyond the largest digital assets remain limited, making Bitnomial one of the few venues offering exchange-level futures tied to altcoins. However, bringing such products to market involves navigating a complex and evolving regulatory landscape.

For example, in August 2024, Bitnomial filed for self-certification with the CFTC to list XRP futures but faced an objection from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which argued that the contracts required Bitnomial to register as a securities exchange.

After filing a lawsuit against the SEC in October 2025, Bitnomial withdrew the case in March and, later that month, launched regulated XRP futures for US users, citing the SEC’s “shifting policy toward cryptocurrencies.”

Other US exchanges have taken a more gradual approach to crypto futures regulation. Coinbase Derivatives Exchange launched CFTC-regulated institutional futures contracts tied to BTC and ETH in June 2023 but did not expand retail access until May 2025.

In July 2025, Kraken launched a derivatives platform that provides US traders access to crypto futures listed on CME Group. The exchange also offers a perpetual APT futures contract on its global platform.

Additionally, in March 2025, Kraken announced plans to acquire NinjaTrader for approximately $1.5 billion, aiming to expand its derivatives capabilities through NinjaTrader’s CFTC-registered infrastructure.

As we wrote, Aptos: positive short-term setups fuel a 12.98% rise

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