Moscow Exchange Introduces Bitcoin Futures Contracts for Qualified Investors

The Moscow Exchange has launched bitcoin-linked futures contracts available exclusively for qualified investors. Key details include:

Futures linked to the U.S.-listed iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF.
Quoted in U.S. dollars per lot; settlement in Russian rubles.
Quarterly futures with the first expiration set for September 2025.

This initiative follows interest from other Russian financial entities in crypto exposure without direct asset ownership. The Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange is also testing similar cash-settled futures.

Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, is launching its own bitcoin futures alongside these contracts, which include structured bonds tracking bitcoin and the dollar-to-ruble exchange rate.

Russia's central bank recently approved offerings of securities and derivatives tied to cryptocurrencies, restricting them to qualified investors.