Kraken ‘plans’ regulated perp contracts as rivals are quick off blocks

Crypto Insight Summary: Kraken announced it expects to launch CFTC-regulated Bitcoin perpetual futures contracts for US institutional clients within 30 days, following the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission's approval of the instruments on May 29, 2026. The contracts would be listed on Bitnomial Exchange, a CFTC-regulated platform acquired by Kraken's parent company Payward in a deal announced April 17 for up to $550 million. No specific BTC perpetual contract filing was found among Bitnomial's recent CFTC filings as of Sunday, though companies often request confidential treatment of such applications, as KalshiEX did before receiving approval on the same day. Coinbase Financial Markets moved quickly to offer US institutional clients access to global crypto options and perpetual futures through Deribit, the largest crypto options exchange by open interest, which Coinbase acquired in August 2025. The SEC and CFTC stated in September 2025 they would explore ways to bring perpetual futures trading onshore, noting the instruments had been largely confined to offshore markets. CFTC Chair Michael Selig said the question was never whether crypto perpetual contracts would exist, but whether they would operate under American oversight and rule of law. The CFTC also issued guidance supporting 24/7 trading, clearing, and settlement for crypto asset derivatives. Kraken and Coinbase's rapid moves signal intensifying competition to capture market share in the newly regulated US perpetual futures space. Crypto Insight Analysis: Direction: Bullish BTC Impact: Major Impact Horizon: Mid-term (1-8 weeks) Reasoning: Regulated US BTC perpetual futures will boost institutional adoption and liquidity.