A Japanese financial services firm, Nomura, has introduced bitcoin derivatives for institutional clients. Cumberland DRW completed the initial trades on behalf of Nomura on the CME. BTC Futures & Options Available Over-the-Counter Institutional clients will have access to Nomura’s over-the-counter bitcoin futures and options. According to media sources, they will be non-deliverable and must be settled in cash. Rig Karkhanis, Nomura’s head of markets, Asia ex-Japan (AEJ), said in a statement regarding the relationship with Cumberland DRW, “Working with institutional-grade counterparties will allow us to scale into the increasing demand from our clients.” During the Digital Assets Meltdown, Derivatives Even though crypto markets have been in a downward trend for the past few months, demand for such services from institutional and private investors has grown, leading large investment banks to enter the market. The current crypto market crash, which has caused a $300 billion loss in just four days, will fuel calls for more regulation. “We expect the sector to mature over time and become more regulated, making it more attractive for an institutional investor,” Tim Albers, head of Forex Structuring, AEJ, Nomura, said. Nomura is the World’s First Cryptocurrency Custody Bank Nomura’s interest in cryptocurrency dates back to May 2018, when it launched Komainu, the first crypto custodial bank. It teamed up with Ledger, a crypto security...
