crypto.news 2025-05-09 15:43:44

Brazil’s B3 to launch Ethereum and Solana futures, cuts Bitcoin contract size

Brazil’s main stock exchange, B3, will begin offering Ethereum and Solana futures contracts on June 16, expanding its crypto derivatives lineup beyond Bitcoin. The move comes after approval from the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission and is part of a broader push to make digital asset investment more accessible to institutional and retail players. Unlike the existing Bitcoin ( BTC ) futures, which are priced in Brazilian reais, the new Ethereum ( ETH ) and Solana ( SOL ) contracts will be denominated in U.S. dollars. The Ethereum contract will be based on 0.25 ETH and the Solana contract on 5 SOL. Both will use Nasdaq’s reference indices and settle financially on the last Friday of each month, according to a company note. You might also like: Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky sentenced for 12 years in prison for stealing $48M Regulated alternatives The launch responds to increasing demand for diversified crypto instruments, according to B3’s Product Director Marcos Skistymas, who emphasized the goal of offering “regulated and secure” alternatives tied to blockchain assets. In addition to launching new contracts, B3 is also reducing the size of its Bitcoin futures, the company said. Previously set at 0.1 BTC, each contract will now represent 0.01 BTC starting June 16. The change is intended to improve accessibility, increase liquidity, and lower trading barriers. This move follows B3’s recent debut of the world’s first spot XRP ETF, further establishing the exchange as a leader in regulated crypto investment products. Currently, B3 hosts nine crypto ETFs managed by Hashdex. You might also like: Gate.io releases proof of reserves report: $10.865b total reserves, $2.415b in excess