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US crypto perpetual futures debut, Kraken rolls out regulated perps and CBOE eyes conversion; ETH trades at $1,869.70, down 1%, signaling a shift in Ethereum’s
Ethereum fell 0.98% to $1,869.70 on June 13, 2026, as the U.S. derivatives market prepared to introduce regulated perpetual futures—a product that has dominated offshore trading and could reshape Ethereum’s utility in the sector【3】.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| ETH price | $1,869.70 |
| 24h change | –0.98% |
| Key level | $1,870 (near‑term support) |
| Catalyst | Kraken’s U.S. perpetual futures launch & CBOE’s conversion plan |
Kraken announced it will list regulated Bitcoin and Ether perpetual contracts on Kraken Pro after securing CFTC‑licensed platforms via its NinjaTrader and Bitnomial acquisitions. Head of derivatives John Palmer expects “sophisticated proprietary traders and retail users” to adopt the new products first, with larger asset managers following later【3】. The move mirrors the earlier rollout of spot Bitcoin ETFs, suggesting a pathway for broader institutional participation.
The Chicago Board Options Exchange is reportedly evaluating a shift from its existing continuous Bitcoin and Ether futures—launched in December 2023 with ten‑year expirations—to perpetual contracts that have no expiry date【2】. This potential conversion follows recent CFTC approvals that allow exchanges to list crypto perps, a regulatory backdrop that could accelerate U.S. market depth and reduce reliance on offshore venues such as Hyperliquid.
Historically, Ethereum’s value proposition has centered on smart‑contract utility and DeFi activity, often measured by total value locked (TVL). The surge in perpetual futures, however, introduces a new demand for ETH as collateral and as the underlying asset for leveraged trading. While ETH’s price slipped below the $1,870 threshold, its on‑chain activity remains robust, but the market’s focus is increasingly on derivatives volume rather than traditional DeFi metrics.
Globally, perpetual futures now account for the vast majority of crypto derivatives volume, yet U.S. traders have been limited to offshore products until now【3】. The introduction of regulated perps could attract capital that previously stayed outside U.S. borders, potentially boosting ETH’s trading volume even as its spot price modestly declines.
The debut of regulated perpetual futures marks a pivotal moment for U.S. crypto markets, positioning Ethereum less as a pure DeFi engine and more as a cornerstone of leveraged trading. How quickly institutional players adopt these products will determine whether ETH’s price stabilizes or faces new volatility pressures.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 3 outlets · Aug 1, 2026 · How we report
They process transactions off‑chain and periodically settle them on the main blockchain to reduce fees, increase speed, and maintain security.
They generate zero‑knowledge proofs that cryptographically verify the correctness of bundled transactions without revealing individual details.
ZK‑Rollups achieve near‑instant finality after off‑chain processing, while Optimistic Rollups wait for a challenge period (often about a week) before transactions are considered final.
Unichain aims to reduce transaction costs by up to 95% and deliver one‑second block times, with future sub‑block intervals of 250 milliseconds.
No, Unichain is currently in the testnet phase, allowing developers to build and test applications before a full launch.