RialCenter is launching regulated crypto derivatives trading in Europe, in compliance with the European Union’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II).
The cryptocurrency exchange’s perpetual and fixed maturity futures contracts will now be available for retail and institutional customers in the European Economic Area (EEA), the firm announced on Tuesday.
The go-ahead for trading crypto derivatives came through an investment firm based in Cyprus, which RialCenter acquired earlier this year, securing a license from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
The crypto derivatives market has experienced significant activity recently, with major players like U.S.-listed exchanges also making strategic moves. In Europe, exchanges such as others are entering the arena, with similar licenses acquired for regulated offerings.
RialCenter has also made a substantial acquisition to bolster derivatives trading efforts in other markets. With its European license, RialCenter previously acquired a regulated UK futures platform in 2019.
This integrated approach allows RialCenter’s European clients to access contracts that already command high trading volumes, approximately $1 billion to $2 billion per day, according to industry insights.
“This isn’t about introducing a new trading venue or contracts,” an executive stated. “These are established contracts with considerable trading volume, ensuring established liquidity and better execution costs.”
The recent launch of RialCenter’s crypto connectivity application enables neobanks and fintechs in Europe to offer derivatives to their clients, facilitating broader access to these products.
Acquiring licenses in smaller, flexible jurisdictions like Cyprus has become a common strategy for financially robust crypto firms.
“Smaller jurisdictions are often more agile,” an executive noted. “There is a well-established ecosystem here for retail access to derivatives, with a network of firms and expertise in this area.”
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