CHICAGO – December 4, 2017 – Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE | Nasdaq: CBOE), one of the world’s largest
exchange holding companies, today announced that Cboe Futures Exchange (CFE), plans to offer trading in bitcoin futures
beginning at 5:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, December 10, 2017, at the start of Global Trading Hours. Monday, December 11, will
be the first full day of trading, and trading will be free1 through December.
Cboe’s bitcoin futures will trade on CFE under the ticker symbol ‘XBT.’ XBTSM futures are cash-settled contracts based on
Gemini’s auction price for bitcoin, denominated in U.S. dollars. Gemini Trust Company, LLC (Gemini) is a digital asset
exchange and custodian that allows customers to buy, sell, and store digital assets such as bitcoin. XBT futures are
specifically designed to allow participants to implement straightforward trading strategies, through settlement to a single,
tradeable auction price.
Ed Tilly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cboe Global Markets, said: “Given the unprecedented interest in bitcoin,
it’s vital we provide clients the trading tools to help them express their views and hedge their exposure. We are committed
to encouraging fairness and liquidity in the bitcoin market. To promote this, we will initially offer XBT futures trading for
free.”
Tyler Winklevoss, Chief Executive Officer of Gemini, said: “Developing a regulated derivatives market is the next logical and
crucial step towards advancing the broader digital asset market. We have been working for years to build infrastructure to
grow the digital asset market and today’s news marks a significant milestone.”
On Friday, December 1, Cboe announced that CFE had filed a product certification with the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission (CFTC) to offer bitcoin futures trading2
More information on XBT futures is available at www.cboe.com/xbt.
Over the last five years, the total value of all bitcoin outstanding (i.e., “market capitalization”) has grown from less than $1
billion to over $183 billion3 with daily notional turnover over $10 billion. The total value of all cryptocurrency tokens
outstanding is now approximately $332 billion.
About Cboe Global Markets, Inc.
Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE | Nasdaq: CBOE) is one of the world’s largest exchange holding companies, offering
cutting-edge trading and investment solutions to investors around the world. The company is committed to relentless
innovation, connecting global markets with world-class technology, and providing seamless solutions that enhance the
customer experience.
Cboe offers trading across a diverse range of products in multiple asset classes and geographies, including options, futures,
U.S. and European equities, exchange-traded products (ETPs), global FX and multi-asset volatility products based on the
Cboe Volatility Index (VIX Index), the world’s barometer for equity market volatility.
Cboe’s trading venues include the largest options exchange in the U.S. and the largest stock exchange by value traded in
Europe. In addition, the company is the second-largest stock exchange operator in the U.S. and a leading market globally
for ETP trading.
The company is headquartered in Chicago with offices in Kansas City, New York, London, San Francisco, Singapore, Hong
Kong and Quito, Ecuador. For more information, visit www.cboe.com.
About Gemini Trust Company, LLC
Gemini Trust Company, LLC (Gemini) is a digital asset exchange and custodian that allows customers to buy, sell, and store
digital assets such as bitcoin and ether. Gemini is a New York trust company that is subject to fiduciary obligations, capital
reserve requirements, and banking compliance standards of the New York State Department of Financial Services. Gemini
was founded in 2014, by brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, to build a bridge to the future of money. For more
information, visit Gemini.com.
1 This fee waiver applies to all CFE transaction fees for XBT futures in December 2017.
2 The product certification does not constitute CFTC endorsement of the use or value of virtual currency products or derivatives.
3 All data given as of December 1, 2017, source: https://coinmarketcap.com/