Bitcoin Futures

A derivatives contract that is solely based on the price of bitcoin. These contracts can be traded on the CBOE & CME.
# Bitcoin Futures traded on the CBOE goes under the ticker /XBT. It costs a margin requirement of $8,667.00 - TD Ameritrade.
# Bitcoin Futures traded on the CME goes under the ticker /BTC. It costs a margin requirement of $34,174.80 - TD Ameritrade. You can look up the contract specs on your own time.

Liquidity is very low as it costs a lot of money to trade the product. Although, the price is followed fairly closely to the actual bitcoin data via the exchanges bitcoin API of choice. With this low liquidity, you will be paying a lot of money on spread. For example, Buy @ 13360 & Sell @ 13275, you will pay a $425 spread on just one contract. This is on the CME.

Now for the CBOE, Buy @ 13390 & Sell @ 13460, you will simply pay a $70 spread on a contract. Not bad, but less money to be made on the CBOE then the CME.

Bitcoin volatility posses a factor on trading halts. When bitcoin futures first opened to the public for trading. It had received two trading halts in one trading session. If the currency drops anymore than 10%, all orders will be canceled for a certain amount of time.

Wannabe Futures Trader: I received 3 margin calls because bitcoin futures fluctuates through prices like a hot knife in butter.