Bitnomial launches Injective futures in US, with eyes on ETF eligibility

Chicago-based crypto exchange Bitnomial has launched monthly futures contracts tied to Injective, marking the first US-regulated derivatives product for the Web3 financial ecosystem’s native token.

According to Wednesday’s announcement shared with Cointelegraph, the contracts settle in $INJ ($INJ) with monthly expiries, allowing traders to gain price exposure without holding the underlying asset, and can be margined in crypto or US dollars through Bitnomial’s clearinghouse.

The listing also starts a six-month track record that could support a spot exchange-traded fund under US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) listing rules. In July, Canary Capital filed for a staked $INJ ETF, with Cboe BZX Exchange submitting a corresponding rule change to the SEC.

Institutional clients can access the futures immediately, with retail trading expected to follow via Bitnomial’s Botanical platform in the coming weeks. The company said it also plans to add perpetual futures and options tied to $INJ.

Injective runs on a Layer 1 blockchain built for financial applications, with an onchain order book and cross-chain connectivity to networks including Ethereum ($ETH) and Solana (SOL).

Bitnomial is a derivatives exchange that operates a trading venue, clearinghouse and brokerage for crypto futures and options that is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In January, the exchange launched monthly futures contracts tied to Aptos (APT) marking the first US-regulated derivatives product for the alt coin.

Related: Injective community passes governance vote to slash $INJ token supply

Exchanges push to expand US crypto futures offerings

US-regulated crypto futures remain largely concentrated in major assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether ($ETH), with Bitnomial among the few venues listing derivatives tied to altcoins. Expanding those offerings has required navigating a shifting and often uncertain regulatory environment.

In August 2024, Bitnomial moved to list $XRP ($XRP) futures through CFTC self-certification, but the SEC challenged the plan, arguing the contracts could require securities exchange registration.

After filing a lawsuit in October 2025, Bitnomial dropped the case in March and later that month launched regulated $XRP futures for US users, citing evolving SEC policy.

Other platforms have taken a more gradual approach. Coinbase launched CFTC-regulated futures tied to Bitcoin and Ether for institutional clients in June 2023, later expanding access with retail-sized contracts in May 2025 and introducing 24/7 trading to provide round-the-clock market access for US participants.

Also in May, Kraken acquired futures platform NinjaTrader for about $1.5 billion, gaining a CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant and expanding its reach into regulated derivatives markets.

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