The launch date for Bitcoin (available on Coinbase) futures on the Bakkt platform has been announced.

Bakkt is a platform for trading, storing, and spending digital assets, and was created earlier in 2018 by Intercontinental Exchange—the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Bitcoin (available on Coinbase) Futures Launch Date

According to a document released today, the launch date for trading is December 12th, 2018. The document explains the idea further:

“Each futures contract calls for delivery of one Bitcoin (available on Coinbase) held in the Bakkt Digital Asset Warehouse, and will trade in US dollar terms. One daily contract will be listed for trading each Exchange Business Day.”

The contracts will be physically settled and cleared by ICE Clear US Inc.

Earlier in September, ICE announced that the “first contracts will be physically delivered BTC futures contracts versus fiat currencies.”

Why Create Bakkt?

Bakkt is aiming to offer a federally regulated market for Bitcoin (available on Coinbase). Through its futures program, it will try to make Bitcoin (available on Coinbase) a secure and trusted global currency with hopes of major adoption by big financial institutions.

Bakkt will create a path for these major money managers to offer Bitcoin (available on Coinbase) mutual funds, pension funds, and ETFs as highly regulated, mainstream investments.