Moscow Exchange is preparing a breakthrough: perpetual futures on bitcoin and Ethereum will appear as early as September
The Moscow Exchange is taking a decisive step toward the institutionalization of crypto trading. As early as September, the platform will launch trading in the first perpetual contracts on bitcoin and Ethereum indices. This event marks a new stage in the development of the derivatives market, which is rapidly adapting to the demands of qualified investors.
In my assessment, the emergence of perpetual futures on leading crypto assets is not just an expansion of the product line, but a strategic signal. The Moscow Exchange is not only responding to growing demand but also setting a new standard for legal access to digital currencies within a regulated framework.
Launch details and ambitious plans
Crypto instruments appeared on the platform in the summer of 2025: qualified investors currently have access to quarterly and monthly contracts on BTC, ETH, Solana, Ripple, and Tron. However, the new initiative involves a transition to a fundamentally different level. The exchange's management has confirmed that the number of underlying coins will eventually be expanded to ten, with perpetual futures on bitcoin and Ethereum becoming the flagship products.
The mechanics of such contracts are simple and elegant: they represent one-day positions without a fixed expiration date. Each day, the contract is automatically rolled over to the next trading session, relieving the investor of the need to manually switch from one issue to another. This is a critically important convenience for those working on long-term trends.
Expanding horizons
In parallel, the exchange is preparing to launch perpetual futures on approximately 20 foreign stocks, including giants such as Amazon, AMD, Tesla, and Netflix. This points to a systematic approach: the platform aims to carve out a niche as a universal hub for derivative instruments.
The pace is impressive: 34 new instruments have already appeared on the derivatives market this year, and about 30 more contracts are planned to be launched by the end of the year. Such activity indicates a deep restructuring of the trading infrastructure.
Technological synchronization
It is important to note that the expansion of the product line is taking place against the backdrop of a schedule change. Starting September 14, the main session will begin at 9:00 instead of 10:00 and will last ten hours. This decision is driven by the demands of institutional participants, especially from Siberia and the Far East, for whom the extra hour creates more comfortable conditions for transactions.
Increased trading activity also requires stronger oversight. The Moscow Exchange has already implemented an AI-based system to detect manipulative trades and insider trading. Automation of routine checks is becoming critically important as the number of instruments and session durations grow.
My verdict: the launch of perpetual futures on crypto indices is an important step toward the legitimization of digital assets in Russia. In the long term, this could attract a significant volume of liquidity to the platform that is currently flowing to foreign venues. However, success will depend on how quickly the exchange can ensure sufficient market depth and competitive conditions for market makers.