ICE CEO: Bakkt Bitcoin futures will be launched "in the near future"

Bakkt is developing a regulated ecosystem that will serve the evolving needs of market participants around the world," he said at the quarterly results conference. - We look forward to final regulatory approvals and plan to launch Bitcoin delivery futures in the very near future.

Spreader did not name any approximate dates for the launch of futures.

Bakkt ICE first announced the creation of Bakkt last August, presenting it as a platform that will allow trading in Bitcoin delivery futures on the regulated U.S. market and can realize other opportunities for the use of cryptocurrencies with the support of companies such as Microsoft and Starbucks. The launch of the platform was scheduled for December 2018, but the timing has shifted several times due to regulatory difficulties.

Bakkt has not yet received official approval from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and has decided to resort to the statutory procedure for self-certifying contracts. Now the company is waiting for its trust license application to be considered by the New York State Department of Financial Services. In case of a positive decision Bakkt will be able to launch its product.

On July 22, Bakkt reported about the beginning of testing of Bitcoin futures in accordance with the previously mentioned plan.