Interactive Brokers Expands Crypto Futures Offering with Coinbase Derivatives

Key Terms

futures contracts financial

A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an asset at a set price on a predetermined future date. Investors use them to lock in prices or to bet on price moves; like agreeing today on the price of a loaf of bread you'll buy months from now to avoid surprise cost changes. Because these deals often require only a small upfront payment compared with the contract size, they can both protect against risk and magnify gains or losses.

perpetual-style futures financial

Perpetual-style futures are contracts that let traders bet on an asset’s future price without a set expiry date, so positions can be held indefinitely like a rolling lease. They use small periodic payments between buyers and sellers to keep the contract price close to the asset’s market price, which matters to investors because these products offer easy, often high leverage and continuous exposure but also carry risks from funding costs and sudden forced liquidations that can amplify gains and losses.

derivatives financial

Derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on the price or performance of another asset, such as a stock, bond, commodity, currency or interest rate. Investors use them to hedge against risk, to speculate on future price moves, or to gain exposure without owning the asset — like buying insurance or placing a leveraged bet — so they can both protect portfolios and magnify gains or losses, affecting risk and market liquidity.

regulated exchange regulatory

A regulated exchange is a licensed marketplace where securities are bought and sold under official rules and oversight, so companies that list there must meet disclosure and conduct standards. For investors it matters because the rules promote honest pricing, easier buying and selling, and some legal protections—think of it like a licensed farmers’ market where vendors must meet safety and labeling rules so buyers can trust what they’re paying for.

margin requirements financial

Margin requirements are the minimum amount of cash or securities an investor must keep with a broker when borrowing to buy stocks or when holding short positions; think of it like a down payment and required balance on a loan. They matter because they limit how much leverage an investor can use and can trigger a margin call — forcing quick sales to restore the required balance — which can amplify gains or losses and affect market liquidity.

crypto futures financial

Contracts that let two parties agree today to buy or sell a specific amount of a cryptocurrency at a set price on a future date, often without transferring the actual coins immediately. They matter to investors because they provide a way to speculate on or hedge against future price moves, can amplify gains or losses through borrowed exposure, and influence market liquidity and price discovery—think of them as a price-locked ticket for a volatile asset.

digital assets financial

Digital assets are electronic files or representations of value stored electronically, such as cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, or digital art. They matter to investors because they can be bought, sold, and used for transactions much like physical assets, but exist entirely in digital form, offering new opportunities for investment and financial innovation.

Select nano and Perpetual Style Futures Contracts Available Around the Clock

GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR), an automated global electronic broker, today announced the launch of Coinbase Derivatives, LLC nano Bitcoin and nano Ether futures contracts for trading on the IBKR platform. These new products are available with monthly expirations or as perpetual-style contracts, offering eligible clients a cost-effective way to gain exposure to cryptocurrency and manage risk within a regulated framework, with trading available 24/7.

Clients of Interactive Brokers can access more than 170 markets worldwide and trade both traditional instruments and digital assets from a single platform. The new Coinbase Derivatives contracts offer an easier way to manage cryptocurrency exposure, with lower capital requirements and transparent trading on a regulated exchange.

Nano futures are smaller-sized contracts, such as 0.01 Bitcoin and 0.10 Ether, that lower entry costs and allow for more precise position sizing. Perpetual-style futures are long-dated contracts that are designed to closely track the spot price of the cryptocurrency, reducing the need to frequently roll contracts. Together, nano contract sizing and perpetual-style features make these futures products more accessible and convenient for a wide range of traders.

“Perpetual-style crypto futures have become popular with traders because they provide long-dated exposure and greater flexibility,” said Milan Galik, Chief Executive Officer of Interactive Brokers. “By offering nano-sized Bitcoin and Ether futures on a regulated exchange, we are expanding access to these products with smaller contract sizes and lower margin requirements, alongside the broad range of global markets available on our platform.”

"We’re pleased to collaborate with Interactive Brokers to expand access to regulated crypto derivatives,” said Greg Tusar, Co-CEO of Coinbase Institutional. “These nano sized contracts are designed to lower the barrier to entry and give more investors the ability to engage with digital assets in a secure and regulated environment.”

Eligibility to trade in crypto-related products may vary based on jurisdiction.

To learn more about trading Coinbase Crypto futures with Interactive Brokers, visit:

US and countries served by IB LLC: Coinbase Derivatives
Canada: Coinbase Derivatives
Europe: Coinbase Derivatives
Australia: Coinbase Derivatives
Hong Kong: Coinbase Derivatives
Singapore: Coinbase Derivatives

Coinbase Derivatives trade 24/7 except for Fridays, 17:00 – 18:00 Eastern for scheduled exchange maintenance.

The best-informed investors choose Interactive Brokers

About Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.:

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) is a member of the S&P 500. Its affiliates provide automated trade execution and custody of securities, commodities, foreign exchange, and forecast contracts around the clock on over 170 markets in numerous countries and currencies from a single unified platform to clients worldwide. We serve individual investors, hedge funds, proprietary trading groups, financial advisors and introducing brokers. Our four decades of focus on technology and automation have enabled us to equip our clients with a uniquely sophisticated platform to manage their investment portfolios. We strive to provide our clients with advantageous execution prices and trading, risk and portfolio management tools, research facilities and investment products, all at low or no cost, positioning them to achieve superior returns on investments. Interactive Brokers has consistently earned recognition as a top broker, garnering multiple awards and accolades from respected industry sources such as Barron's, Investopedia, Stockbrokers.com, and many others.

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210379285/en/

Contacts for Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. Media: Katherine Ewert, media@ibkr.com

 

Source: Interactive Brokers