FX.co ★ Alternative ways to bet on bitcoin

Some players prefer to work with derivatives or take short positions on bitcoin. Experts do not rule out that in the future this will have a positive effect on the market. They mention derivatives, investing in shares of companies associated with the cryptocurrency ecosystem as an alternative way to regular buying of cryptocurrencies. Get acquainted with new ways of investing in cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin futures

At the moment, there have been no official announcements about the start of trading bitcoin futures. Still, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the largest option sexchange in the US, plans to launch trading derivatives on cryptocurrencies. By early 2018, it will be bitcoin futures.

Derivatives based on cryptocurrency

In July, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) granted LedgerX LLC, a cryptocurrency trading platform operator, registration as a clearing house for derivatives contracts settling in digital currencies. Thus, the platform will be able to offer cryptocurrency options for trading.

Various derivatives

Working with different types of derivatives will allow investors to bet on the rise or fall of a cryptocurrency. They are currently unavailable, but there are other alternatives, such as Bitcoin Investment Trust, a fund traded in the United States that owns more than 170,000 bitcoins.

Buying shares of Nvidia

The acquisition of shares of Nvidia (NVDA), the graphics-chip maker, is one of the opportunities to indirectly invest in bitcoins. The company's stocks show strong growth due to demand for mining equipment. There are also a number of other companies related to the bitcoin ecosystem, which shares can be purchased on the open market.

Short positioning

Many experts believe that short positions on cryptocurrencies can help stabilize the digital money market. “Ultimately the more liquidity there is, the more volatility will fall, reducing costs all round," Alistair Milne, a portfolio manager at the Altana Digital Currency Fund, says. Meanwhile, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, believes that trading derivatives through unregulated platforms is dangerous. According to him, the potential scale of the shorts will build up.