Nasdaq has formally asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to approve a rule change that would remove long-standing position and exercise limits on options tied to spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) exchange-traded funds, a move that could significantly expand institutional participation in crypto-linked derivatives markets.
In a filing submitted to the SEC earlier this week, Nasdaq proposed eliminating the current 25,000-contract cap that applies to options on crypto ETFs.
The exchange argues that these products now meet the same liquidity, market capitalization, and surveillance standards as other commodity-based ETF options and should therefore be regulated under the same framework.
Push To Align Crypto ETF Options With Traditional Products
Nasdaq’s proposal seeks to treat options on spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in line with options linked to commodities such as gold or oil.
According to the filing, the existing limits were introduced when crypto ETFs were new and untested, but market conditions have since evolved.
The exchange said trading volumes, assets under management, and price discovery in the underlying ETFs have reached levels that support larger and more sophisticated options activity.
Removing the limits, Nasdaq argued, would improve market efficiency without introducing new systemic risk.
Institutional Demand Drives The Proposal
Options markets are a core tool for institutional investors, used for hedging, volatility strategies, and structured products. Current position limits have constrained the ability of asset managers, hedge funds, and market makers to deploy capital at scale, even as demand for regulated crypto exposure has grown.
If approved, the change would allow larger options positions tied to ETFs issued by firms including BlackRock, Fidelity, Ark Invest, VanEck, Grayscale, and Bitwise, reflecting the breadth of products that would be affected.
A Test Of The SEC’s Regulatory Stance
The proposal places the decision squarely with the SEC, which must determine whether crypto-linked ETF options should continue to face bespoke restrictions or be fully absorbed into existing derivatives regulation.
While the agency has approved spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs over the past year, derivatives tied to those products have remained subject to tighter controls.
Nasdaq’s filing effectively challenges that distinction, arguing that oversight mechanisms, including surveillance-sharing agreements and clearinghouse risk management, are already sufficient.
Implications For Crypto Market Structure
Approval would not introduce new crypto ETFs or expand retail access directly. Instead, it would deepen the derivatives layer underpinning regulated crypto exposure in U.S. markets.
More robust options trading typically supports liquidity, tighter spreads, and more sophisticated risk management, factors that tend to anchor institutional capital over longer market cycles.