Perpetual futures, or perps, are derivative contracts without expiration dates that provide continuous exposure to underlying assets like cryptocurrencies or equities. Pioneered by BitMEX in 2016, they offer high leverage and deep liquidity, revolutionizing trading. Traditional finance giants like SGX and CBOE are now adopting similar products by 2025, signaling a shift toward 24/7 markets.
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Perpetual futures enable non-stop trading without expiry, mimicking spot prices through funding rates.
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They provide retail traders with high leverage, up to 100x, far exceeding traditional exchanges.
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Global derivatives volume is projected to surge, with equity perps trading over $100 million daily and expected to reach billions by 2026.
Discover how perpetual futures are transforming crypto and traditional finance. Arthur Hayes predicts explosive growth in equity perps by 2026. Stay ahead with expert insights on this innovative trading tool—explore now for smarter strategies.
What Are Perpetual Futures?
Perpetual futures are advanced derivative instruments that allow traders to speculate on asset prices without an expiration date, offering continuous market access. Unlike traditional futures, they use funding rates to keep prices aligned with the spot market, ensuring stability and liquidity. Introduced by BitMEX in 2016, these contracts have become essential for crypto trading, providing high leverage and 24/7 availability, which traditional finance is now emulating.
How Did BitMEX Develop the First Perpetual Futures Contract?
BitMEX’s creation of the first perpetual futures contract marked a pivotal moment in crypto derivatives. In May 2016, with a small team including Arthur Hayes, Ben Delo, Sam Reed, Greg Dwyer, and Jinming Shao, BitMEX launched the XBTUSD perp amid low liquidity challenges. Drawing from a 1993 academic concept, the team designed it to eliminate expiry confusion and consolidate liquidity into one deep pool.
Initial hurdles included trader resistance to funding mechanisms and basis risks during Bitcoin’s rapid surges. Hayes refined the system by introducing a look-back index for funding rates, capping them at 0.5% per hour to prevent excessive costs. This adjustment, based on Bitfinex’s lending data, stabilized the market. By October 2015, after shifting to a socialized loss model, volumes exploded, proving perps’ viability. Today, platforms like Hyperliquid extend this to equity perps, such as the Nasdaq-100, trading over $100 million daily via protocols like HIP-3 from XYZ firm. Expert Arthur Hayes notes, “Perps forced an ‘adapt or die’ moment for Wall Street,” highlighting their disruptive potential supported by CFTC’s evolving stance on innovation through proposed sandboxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Advantages Do Perpetual Futures Offer Over Traditional Derivatives?
Perpetual futures provide unmatched flexibility with no expiration, enabling indefinite positions and 24/7 trading. They deliver 1:1 price exposure with high leverage, ideal for retail traders seeking amplified returns— a 10% Bitcoin move can yield 10x on 1% margin, per Hayes’ analysis. This contrasts with options’ limited upside, while liquidity pools reduce slippage, backed by insurance funds against defaults.
Will Equity Perpetual Futures Become Mainstream in Traditional Finance?
Yes, equity perpetual futures are poised for mainstream adoption, as major exchanges like Singapore’s SGX and U.S.-based CBOE plan launches by end-2025. Coinbase’s retail version earlier this year demonstrates growing acceptance. With volumes already exceeding $100 million daily offshore, they address needs for weekend hedging during global events, offering TradFi the efficiency of crypto’s model without under-collateralized risks.
Key Takeaways
- Perpetual Futures Revolutionize Access: They solve retail demands for leverage and liquidity, shifting volumes from expiring contracts to endless trading pools.
- BitMEX’s Innovation Under Fire: Despite early backlash and technical fixes like funding caps, perps surged post-2016, influencing global markets with 100x leverage.
- Future Growth in Equities: By 2026, all major centralized and decentralized exchanges will likely offer equity perps, potentially handling billions in daily volume for non-stop hedging.
Conclusion
Perpetual futures have evolved from a crypto niche to a transformative force in derivatives trading, as articulated by BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes. With traditional players like SGX, CBOE, and Coinbase integrating perp-style contracts by 2025, and innovations like Hyperliquid’s equity perps gaining traction, the landscape is set for unprecedented liquidity and accessibility. As the CFTC embraces innovation through regulatory sandboxes, traders can anticipate a seamless blend of crypto efficiency and TradFi scale—position yourself early to capitalize on this shift toward perpetual, global markets.
Source: https://en.coinotag.com/arthur-hayes-traditional-finance-may-embrace-bitcoin-perpetual-futures-by-2025
