Crypto Industry Advocates for Perpetual Futures Amid CFTC Scrutiny

The crypto industry is mounting a robust defense of perpetual futures contracts following regulatory attention from the CFTC. Market leaders contend these instruments—which dominate over 90% of crypto derivatives trading—solve the inefficiencies of traditional futures by eliminating costly rollovers. The contracts, first conceptualized by Nobel laureate Robert Shiller in 1992, have found their natural habitat in crypto markets.

Decentralized finance isn’t being left out of the conversation. A coalition is pushing for DeFi inclusion through a specialized advisory committee focused on decentralized trading infrastructure. This comes as most perpetual trading activity occurs beyond U.S. jurisdiction, creating both regulatory challenges and innovation opportunities.