Bitnomial opens US-regulated futures market for Aptos

Chicago-based crypto exchange Bitnomial has launched monthly futures contracts tied to the Layer-1 blockchain Aptos’ native token, expanding the availability of APT derivatives on regulated US markets.

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

According to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph, the contracts feature monthly expirations and settle in either US dollars or Aptos’ native APT (APT) token, depending on the position. Monthly futures are standardized derivatives that allow traders to gain price exposure over a defined period without holding the underlying asset.

Michael Dunn, president of Bitnomial, said that “a regulated futures market is a prerequisite for spot crypto ETF approval under the SEC’s generic listing standards,” adding that the contracts let institutions gain APT exposure using the same derivatives infrastructure they already use for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), including portfolio margining across positions.

The contracts are regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), according to the company.

Related: CFTC issues no-action letter to Bitnomial, clearing way for event contracts

The slow expansion of US-regulated crypto futures

US-regulated crypto futures markets beyond the largest digital assets remain limited, with Bitnomial emerging as one of the few venues offering exchange-native futures tied to altcoins. Bringing those products to market, however, has involved navigating a complex and evolving regulatory landscape.

In August 2024, Bitnomial filed to list XRP (XRP) futures through a self-certification with the CFTC, but was challenged by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which argued the contracts required Bitnomial to register as a securities exchange.

After filing a lawsuit against the SEC in October 2025, Bitnomial dropped the case in March and went on to launch regulated XRP futures for US users later that month, citing “the SEC’s evolving policies on crypto.”

Other US exchanges have taken a more incremental approach to regulated crypto futures.

Coinbase Derivatives Exchange launched institutional futures contracts tied to Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) under CFTC regulation in June 2023, but did not expand access to retail-sized contracts until May 2025.

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

In March 2025, Kraken announced plans to acquire NinjaTrader for about $1.5 billion, a deal aimed at expanding its derivatives capabilities through NinjaTrader’s CFTC-registered infrastructure. 

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