Kalshi is set to introduce perpetual futures contracts for cryptocurrencies, marking a significant departure from its traditional event-based derivatives. This expansion aims to attract both institutional and retail traders by providing continuous exposure to digital assets like Bitcoin (BTC).
The move, reported by The Information, highlights Kalshi's intention to broaden its market offerings amidst growing competition in the prediction markets and perpetual futures sectors. As perpetual futures do not have an expiration date, they allow traders to speculate on price movements with leverage, a structure popularized by platforms like BitMEX.
Regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the United States, Kalshi aims to position itself as a compliant alternative to offshore options. CFTC Chair Michael Selig has suggested that such products could soon be available in the U.S., as regulators focus on increasing onshore trading volume.
With daily perpetual futures volumes nearing $20 billion, competition is heating up, especially as platforms like Coinbase and Kraken expand their offerings in this space to attract non-U.S. traders.