Kalshi Seeks Approval to Involve Cryptocurrency Experts in Stock and Copper Trading
Kalshi, a federally regulated exchange, has filed proposals with the CFTC for approval of perpetual futures contracts based on a major US stock index and copper. If approved, these contracts would bring a trading structure popularized in cryptocurrency markets to traditional equities and commodities.
Perpetual futures, or "perps," are a dominant force in crypto derivatives trading. They allow leveraged positions to be held indefinitely without expiry, using periodic funding payments to keep the contract price aligned with the underlying asset. While the concept was proposed by economist Robert Shiller in 1993, it gained mainstream traction in crypto.
Kalshi's proposed US500 contract would track the MerQube US Large Cap Index. The COPPERPERP contract would measure the current copper price using data from the Pyth network. Both await CFTC sanction under Regulation 40.3 before they can be listed.
This move follows the CFTC's approval of Kalshi's Bitcoin perpetual contract in May. The exchange now offers perps for 13 cryptocurrencies. Expanding into stocks and metals marks a significant step for Kalshi, known primarily for event contracts, as it aims to become a broader derivatives platform.
The initiative raises the question of whether crypto-native trading mechanisms can benefit traditional assets. Coinbase Institutional has suggested that perpetuals, with their constant availability and capital efficiency, could appeal to a new generation of traders and evolve beyond leverage into systems for lending, collateral, and hedging.
However, Kalshi's current market share in perps is small compared to larger crypto-native platforms. While its growth post-Bitcoin launch was rapid, its expansion faces regulatory hurdles. CME Group has sued the CFTC over its approval of Kalshi's perpetuals, arguing they should be classified as swaps, not futures. This legal challenge, along with the CFTC's review of the new filings, will ultimately determine if US500 and COPPERPERP come to market.
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