The CME opened futures trading on Solana today, with FalconX making the first block trade. This development could provide liquidity and institutional legitimacy, even potentially helping the case for a Solana ETF.

When the SEC under Gary Gensler was considering Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, CME futures helped determine approval. Now that Solana has this stamp of approval, too, it could improve its chances with the Commission.

CME Offers Solana Futures Contracts

After some rumors and back-and-forth, Solana, a leading cryptoasset, finally has a substantial market for futures contracts. In January, the CME hinted it might launch SOL and XRP futures but quickly clarified that no official decision had happened. Now, however, the CME debuted Solana futures and FalconX made the first trade:

“FalconX is proud to execute the first block trade in CME SOL futures with StoneX. This highly anticipated launch marks a historic moment for the Solana ecosystem, allowing institutional investors to manage risk and price exposure on a regulated venue,” Josh Barkhordar, Head of US Sales at FalconX, said in a press release.

The CME is not the first market to offer Solana futures, as Coinbase began offering them in February after seeking CFTC approval.

However, the CME is much bigger. It is very much a pillar of the TradFi ecosystem, with well over $100 billion in total assets. As Matthew Sigel, VanEck’s Head of Digital Assets Research, noted, this could be very important for a Solana ETF.

The Solana ETF recently suffered a few setbacks; the SEC delayed several applications, prompting sizable outflows from Solana spot trading. Experts have previously noted that a sizable futures trading market helped persuade the SEC to approve ETFs for Bitcoin and Ethereum. The CME’s new Solana futures market could serve a similar function.

Besides that, the CME’s Solana futures market offers a few significant advantages. First of all, it provides a sense of institutional legitimacy, which may encourage institutional investment.

Additionally, it will greatly increase liquidity in the market. This could have a huge impact on Solana’s future market behavior, but it hasn’t changed SOL’s price in the short term.

Even if the new futures trading didn’t immediately bump Solana’s price, that’s very understandable. A development like this will hopefully set up future successes, but that doesn’t always translate to a short-term price bump.

If it encourages liquidity, institutional investment, or even a Solana ETF, then the CME could end up creating some very bullish outcomes.

Robinhood is launching a prediction markets hub thanks to a partnership with Kalshi. The hub will first offer bets on NCAA basketball tournaments but could expand after initial successes.

Both companies have been enjoying regulatory wiggle room under Trump’s administration. This new offering may put Robinhood in direct competition with Polymarket.

Robinhood’s New Prediction Market Hub

Robinhood, one of the largest trading platforms in the US, has been enjoying the recent pro-regulatory shift. Under Gary Gensler, the SEC ordered the company to pay a major fine, but it subsequently dropped its probe and penalties the following month.

Since then, Robinhood Crypto has been exploring a few new service offerings, such as a prediction markets hub.

According to a recent press release, Robinhood’s prediction markets hub will let its users trade on the outcomes of a wide variety of events. Shortly before the US election, the firm offered prediction betting on the topic of its outcome.

Now, thanks to a partnership with Kalshi, Robinhood will expand these services, beginning with US college basketball tournaments:

“[The team was] up till 4:20am working to get every single march madness game listed after Selection Sunday. The Robinhood engineering team was working in lockstep with up to ensure a smooth launch. We did it with elections and now we will do it for sports, together we will change the world of finance and trading,” claimed Tarek Mansour, CEO of Kalshi.

Kalshi also chafed under a harsh regulatory environment; last year, the CFTC tried to shut down its election-related prediction markets.

Today, however, Robinhood’s announcement claims that its prediction market hub is powered by “KalshiEX LLC, a CFTC regulated exchange.” This phrasing seems to suggest a less combative relationship with the regulator.

In any event, teaming up like this may put Robinhood in direct competition with Polymarket, the largest prediction market. Polymarket is still facing legal challenges in several worldwide jurisdictions, but its difficulties in the US have calmed down.

Robinhood, on the other hand, has been experimenting a little since Trump’s inauguration. A week after Trump took office, the firm began offering futures trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum, and its recent token listings moved the meme coin market.

In other words, Robinhood may have an opportunity to innovate and excel in a potential competition.

This prediction market hub is a major upgrade for Robinhood, but it picked a good focus area to start. Recent estimates claim that gamblers will place more than $3 billion in bets on NCAA tournaments this spring. Capturing a small share of this potential market would create significant revenue opportunities for the firm.

CoinGecko says that over 200 crypto exchanges record over $131 billion daily trading volume. BTCC Exchange has emerged as one of the oldest, maintaining a good reputation over the past fourteen years. 

Established in June 2011, BTCC is a highly secure exchange with zero security breaches since its founding. For traders in the United States and Canada, it provides different trade options and supports fiat deposits in USD and CAD. BTCC also has a copy trading feature and a broad selection of trading pairs. 

Investors can use different trading strategies, such as perpetual futures, spot trading, and tokenized stocks and commodities. As the platform approaches its fourteenth anniversary in 2025, BTCC has become a leading exchange. 

The exchange is improving its services, introducing new trading features, competitive fees, and massive rewards. This review will explore the features that make BTCC an ideal exchange for traders in North America. You will learn about its security, trading tools, fees, and bonuses. 

Unmatched Security: 14 Years with Zero Breaches

One of BTCC’s most impressive attributes is its excellent security record. Since launching in 2011, the exchange has reported zero breaches or hacks. Compared to its competitors, exchanges like Bybit, Bitmart, and Binance have experienced security breaches. 

BTCC uses a multi-layered security system that combines cold wallet storage and multi-signature authentication. Another aspect of its security is the integration of advanced encryption technologies. The exchange is also PCI DSS certified, which stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard certified.

BTCC has many security features that protect assets from hackers for U.S. and Canadian traders who want safety. First, the exchange maintains a 1:1 storage of users’ assets. This means that once a user deposits Bitcoin at the exchange, it will be stored, and Tether will be stored if users deposit Tether. 

Secondly, BTCC doesn’t support collateralising tokens for loans. The exchange does not issue tokens and is entirely self-funded, which prevents it from joining or participating in any staking or DeFi projects. Additionally, the exchange has a set of money laundering preventive (AML/CTF) measures. 

Extensive Trading Options: Futures, Spot Trading, and Tokenized Assets

BTCC provides different trading products for investors and traders of all types. The exchange has over 360 USDT-M perpetual futures contracts and 240 spot trading pairs. 

Additionally, investors can access more than 37 tokenized stocks and commodities. This allows traders to diversify their portfolios beyond traditional crypto assets.

In the futures trading section, BTCC allows traders to increase their trading positions to 500x on select pairs. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Dogecoin, and Solana are some tokens eligible for this leverage ratio. Beyond these flagship pairs, BTCC supports over 300 perpetual futures contracts with leverage of up to 50x. It was created to suit traders who want a flexible way of increasing their trading profits.

The tokenized assets available on BTCC include gold, silver, and U.S. stock market instruments. Some examples are stocks of MicroStrategy, Visa, and 3M Company. BTCC is ahead of exchanges like Bitget or Tapbit because it combines crypto and traditional assets. This feature benefits North American traders who want to gain exposure to multiple asset classes without using numerous platforms.

Copy Trading: A Revolutionary Feature for Beginners

BTCC has a copy trading feature, so beginners can quickly learn how to make profits by copying pro traders’ trades. On this exchange, those new to crypto trading can see the trades of expert traders and execute their strategies in real time.

This exchange has different risk management tools within the copy trading system. It has different notification settings, and you can set stop-loss levels for individual traders. These tools allow users to manage potential losses while benefiting from expert strategies. 

Who says you can’t take charge in copy trading?

With our Copy Stop Loss feature, you can set your max loss for each lead trader.

Take charge and trade smart! 🚀#BTCCcopytrading

— BTCC (@BTCCexchange) February 6, 2025

To encourage participation, BTCC provides a zero-loss first-trade insurance policy. This insurance policy covers up to 50 USDT in losses for a trader’s first copy trade. According to their website, they have more than 600,000 active copy traders. 

User Experience and Mobile Accessibility

BTCC tries to provide a good trading environment for its users. Its website and app have a user-friendly interface for beginners and professional traders. Features include real-time market data, advanced charting tools, and a one-click payment system.

BTCC has a mobile app available on iOS and Android for traders who prefer mobile trading. The app is quite fast and has all the essential trading tools, including features like live market updates, customizable alerts, and copy trading. The iOS app is available on the App Store, while Android users can download the app from Google Play. 

VIP Program, Trading Fees, and Deposit Options

BTCC offers a competitive fee structure. The spot taker/maker fee starts from 0.3% / 0.2%. However, as your VIP level increases on the exchange, the fees begin to reduce. Those in special VIP level 5 can receive up to 35% reduction in their spot trading fees. 

On the other hand, their futures trading fees start from 0.045% / 0.025% taker/maker. However, this can be reduced to 0.01% / 0.007% if you join their VIP program. The VIP membership rewards traders with lower trading fees, priority customer support, and different trading campaigns. VIP members also receive fee discounts and coupon-based rewards.

Deposits and withdrawals are simple. It supports fiat deposits in USD and CAD. A complete list of deposit and withdrawal fees is available here.

BTCC is known for many rewards and promotions for new and existing traders. One of the most notable promotions is the 10,055 USDT new user reward. Traders can claim this reward by visiting this page.

Additional promotional campaigns include the TOKEN2049 Trade-to-Win event, the referral program offering up to 35% commission, and 10,060 USDT in rebates. During this promotion, there were weekly giveaways on X. These promotions make BTCC particularly attractive for those who want new opportunities that come with trading.

Regulatory Compliance and Global Presence

BTCC operates with full regulatory compliance in the jurisdictions where it offers services. The exchange holds licenses from FinCEN in the United States, FINTRAC in Canada, and Lithuania’s Financial Crime Investigation Service in Europe. 

The exchange also engages in major blockchain events worldwide, including TOKEN2049 Dubai 2025, Paris Blockchain Week 2024, and BTCC Japan’s first offline event. Many trusted websites have reviewed this exchange, and their verdicts are favorable. Benzinga, Trustpilot, and CoinGecko recognize BTCC as a top crypto exchange. 

Conclusion: Is BTCC Worth It for U.S. and Canadian Traders?

After many reviews and verdicts, BTCC Exchange is considered one of the industry’s safest and most competitive crypto exchanges. It has been operating for about 14 years and has recorded zero breaches. It also has different security guarantees, such as two-factor authentication, regulatory licenses, and cold wallet storage systems. 

This crypto exchange also offers different trading strategies. There’s futures trading, copy trading, tokenized assets, and a VIP program for new and experienced traders in North America. For those ready to start, more details can be found on the BTCC official website.

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