The London Stock Exchange Group (LSE) has partnered with Global Futures and Options (GFO-X) to launch the UK's first regulated Bitcoin futures and options trading, with the launch expected in Q4 2023. The LSE's Paris-based LCH SA clearing arm will introduce DigitalAssetClear, a clearing service for cash-settled dollar-denominated digital assets traded on GFO-X. The clearing service is pending approval from French regulators. The move follows a cautious approach to crypto adoption in the UK, which is preparing to become a global hub for crypto and recently launched a public consultation on future rules for crypto assets that are currently unregulated. The LSE has acknowledged the growing importance of Bitcoin index futures and options as a growing asset class for institutional investors.

(By Varinder Singh)