Nasdaq Bitcoin Index Options Win SEC Approval, But One Hurdle Remains

U.S. regulators have cleared Nasdaq to list options tied directly to a Bitcoin (BTC) price index, opening a new route for stock-market traders to bet on the asset.

SEC Approves Nasdaq Bitcoin Index Options

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved the proposal on an "accelerated basis," according to a filing made public Friday and reports from Bloomberg.

The contracts will trade on Nasdaq PHLX under the ticker QBTC and track the CME CF Bitcoin Real Time Index, which pulls valuations from major spot venues every 200 milliseconds.

These are not spot Bitcoin ETFs. They are cash-settled, European-style options, meaning traders settle gains and losses in dollars and can exercise only at expiration, which limits the chance of early assignment.

The approval widens the menu for institutional and retail traders in the United States. Until now, their main tools were Bitcoin futures options at CME Group and options tied to spot funds such as the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF.

Why The Launch Date Stays Uncertain

Trading cannot begin right away. The contracts still need clearance from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission before they reach the market.

David Barrett, Nasdaq's head of U.S. options, called the decision an important step in expanding regulated, transparent access to digital asset derivatives.