GFO-X Launches UK's First Regulated and Centrally Cleared Trading Venue for Digital Asset Derivatives

GFO-X today announced the successful launch of its UK FCA regulated trading venue for centrally cleared digital asset derivatives.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has authorized GFO-X, the first trading venue in the UK for centrally cleared digital asset derivatives, to commence operations. The venue, which is designed to meet the growing institutional demand for secure, transparent, and compliant digital asset futures and options, will offer BTC index futures and options for clearing by LCH DigitalAssetClear.

The first institutional trade on GFO-X has been executed by Virtu Financial and IMC, two leading U.S. financial institutions, and centrally cleared by LCH DigitalAssetClear. This partnership is a significant step in the development of institutional-grade digital asset markets.

GFO-X provides additional depth, breadth, and diversification in centrally cleared digital asset index derivatives, which are in high demand from institutional investors for risk management, yield enhancement, and efficient exposure to the crypto markets with greater regulatory clarity.

"We are pleased to announce the launch of GFO-X, which is a further foundational step toward increased institutional digital asset derivatives trading, providing the infrastructure, central clearing, robust risk mitigation, and liquidity," said Arnab Sen, CEO of GFO-X. "With our first trade executing between two leading financial institutions and several more lined up, we are expanding the market for centrally cleared digital asset derivatives."

The global market for digital asset derivatives has seen explosive growth, with options and futures trading volumes growing exponentially. As a result, hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, and asset managers are increasingly turning to structured products underpinned by derivatives to hedge risk, enhance yield strategies, and gain exposure to crypto markets with greater regulatory clarity.

GFO-X is designed to bridge the gap between traditional finance and digital assets, offering:

* A fully FCA-regulated trading venue with a central counterparty (CCP) in LCH DigitalAssetClear to provide the highest standards of compliance, supervision, and stability.

* Deep liquidity from leading market makers and brokers, ensuring efficient order execution and price discovery.

* Advanced technology and infrastructure to handle the large-scale trading volumes and rapid processing speeds required by institutional investors.

With institutional adoption accelerating, GFO-X will continue expanding its product suite, initially offering Bitcoin index futures and options. Market participants can now onboard and begin trading, with several additional leading financial institutions already lined up for integration.

As institutions increasingly seek regulated, scalable solutions for digital asset derivatives trading, GFO-X is positioned to become a premier venue in the evolving landscape of institutional crypto derivative markets.

For more information about GFO-X and its upcoming developments, please visit www.gfo-x.com or contact sales@gfo-x.com. For press enquiries, contact Serra Balls, Eterna Partners gfo-x@eternapartners.com.

Marcus Robinson, Head of DigitalAssetClear and CDSClear, LCH, said: “We are delighted to partner with GFO-X to launch this highly anticipated service from LCH SA. The regulated clearing infrastructure within LSEG’s post trade ecosystem has allowed us to build something meaningful for our participants and address the availability of options for a rapidly growing asset class. It is essential that we find ways to offer regulated, segregated and trusted routes to provide customers with a diverse breadth of services and we are excited to continue working with GFO-X to offer a regulated marketplace for this asset class.”

Barry Polak, Lead Product Commerce, ABN AMRO Clearing, said: “We are excited to partner with GFO-X, the UK’s first regulated and centrally cleared trading venue dedicated to digital asset derivatives. This strategic collaboration underscores our shared commitment to advancing the institutional digital asset futures and options market.

“Leveraging LCH DigitalAssetClear’s clearing services for Bitcoin futures and options offers our clients unparalleled confidence in trading the products, and is a logical step to continue to lead the way to safe and transparent markets.”

Osi Lilian, IMC Strategic Investments Co-Lead, said: “IMC was proud to be one of the earliest investors in GFO-X in 2021. We aligned with their vision of establishing the UK’s first regulated and centrally cleared trading venue for digital asset derivatives, built on secure, high-performance technology and robust risk management.

“As a market maker, our strategic connection with GFO-X underscores our commitment to the institutional digital asset futures and options market – a rapidly evolving space we believe holds significant potential for continued growth and opportunity.”

"We are thrilled to partner with GFO-X as they launch the UK's first regulated and centrally cleared trading venue dedicated to digital asset derivatives," said Olivier Dang, Head of Ventures at Laser Digital. "This collaboration aligns perfectly with our vision to drive innovation and growth in the digital asset market."

Andy Ross, Global Head, Prime & Financing, Financing & Securities Service, Standard Chartered, said: “We’re delighted to support the launch of GFO-X derivatives and to join LCH SA as a general clearing member to enable our clients to trade and clear