Key Takeaways
- B3 will launch Ethereum and Solana futures contracts on June 16.
- The new contracts will be priced in US dollars using Nasdaq indices for reference.
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B3, the leading exchange in Latin America for crypto ETFs and derivatives, is set to launch Ethereum and Solana futures contracts on June 16 after introducing Bitcoin futures last April, the exchange said in a Friday statement.
B3 has confirmed the launch date for its new futures products after securing approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM). The plans were first announced in February, local news outlet Valor Investe reported.
Unlike Bitcoin futures, which trade in Brazilian reais, Ethereum and Solana contracts will be priced in US dollars and referenced to the Nasdaq Ether Reference Price and Nasdaq Solana Reference Price indices.
Explaining the reasons behind the launch, Marcos Skistymas, B3’s Director of Products, pointed to rising interest from investors in digital asset instruments.
“B3 is offering new cryptocurrency derivative instruments to meet the growing demand for products linked to crypto assets, bringing more innovation and sophistication to our products, in addition to offering more alternatives to investors familiar with blockchain technology against the price variation of digital assets, in a regulated and secure manner,” said Skistymas in a statement.
The Ethereum contract will have a size of 0.25 Ether, while the Solana contract will represent 5 SOL. Both contracts will expire on the last Friday of each month, with financial settlements based on crypto price movements.
The CVM has also approved reducing the Bitcoin futures contract size from 0.1 Bitcoin to 0.01 Bitcoin, effective June 16. The reduction aims to increase accessibility, enhance product liquidity, and lower trading costs.
B3 hosts numerous crypto ETFs
B3 recently launched the world’s first spot XRP ETF, the Hashdex Nasdaq XRP Fundo de Índice (XRPH11), which began trading late last month. The ETF tracks the spot price of XRP, Ripple’s native crypto asset, and allocates at least 95% of its net assets to XRP and related instruments.
In addition to the XRP ETF, B3 offers a variety of other crypto-related ETFs managed by Hashdex, including ETFs tied to Bitcoin (BITH11), Ethereum (ETHE11), and Solana (SOLH11).
Hashdex has launched nine crypto ETFs on B3, expanding the range of regulated digital asset investment products available to institutional and advanced investors in Brazil.
Crypto markets are showing strong upward momentum. Over the last 24 hours, Bitcoin has risen by 4% to around $103,000, per CoinGecko, Ether has impressively jumped by 20% to $2,300, and Solana has gained 11%, reaching $172.
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