Ahead Of Planned IPO, Blockchain.com Applies For CFTC Licenses To Offer Event Contracts And Crypto Derivatives In The US
Blockchain.com has taken a significant step toward expanding its US product offering by filing two applications with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The digital asset platform is seeking a Designated Contract Market (DCM) license, which would designate it as a futures exchange, and registration as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM), which would allow it to act as a broker for derivatives contracts. If approved, these licenses would enable the company to offer event trading contracts and cryptocurrency derivatives to both retail and institutional clients across the United States, all within a fully regulated framework.
The move reflects a broader strategic vision of consolidating digital asset services into a single platform. According to CEO and co-founder Peter Smith, users should be able to manage their digital assets, trade derivatives, and take positions on real-world events without switching between multiple applications — a goal the DCM and FCM applications are designed to advance domestically.
Importantly, this is not an entirely new direction for the company. Earlier this year, Blockchain.com tested prediction market products with some of its international clients through a partnership with Polymarket, while offering perpetual contracts powered by Hyperliquid. The CFTC filings mark the extension of that product strategy into the regulated US market, a step the company argues will bring event-based trading under appropriate federal oversight.
Joining a Crowded and Rapidly Evolving Market
Blockchain.com’s applications place it at the intersection of two converging trends: crypto exchanges entering the prediction market space, and prediction market operators adopting crypto-style products. Crypto.com and Gemini operate their own event contract marketplaces, while Coinbase primarily offers similar products through its partnership with Kalshi. In the opposite direction, Kalshi and Polymarket have launched perpetual futures — one of the most popular trading products in crypto — for US and international customers respectively.
Competition for regulatory approval is intensifying as well. Blockchain.com is now one of twelve companies that have filed for DCM licenses this year alone, with the CFTC having approved six new designated contract markets in 2026. The surge in applications underscores both the growing mainstream appeal of event contracts and the industry’s push toward compliant, US-based trading infrastructure.
The licensing effort also coincides with the company’s preparations to enter public markets. Blockchain.com confidentially filed for an initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission in May, and reports have indicated it is targeting a public listing this year at a valuation between $4 billion and $6 billion. The outcome of its CFTC applications could prove consequential for that trajectory, as a fully licensed US derivatives and prediction market offering would strengthen its position as it approaches potential investors.
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About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in crypto, AI, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in crypto, AI, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
