Since the wave of crackdowns from the CFTC on bitcoin derivatives players, it's been a really uncertain place.
OKCoin and
BitMEX both banned US customers and there was really only one place you could legally trade bitcoin derivatives as an American:
CryptoFacilitiesHowever now there's no safe place for Americans to use reliable hedging products, because
CryptoFacilities has announced they have to ban US traders due to regulatory pressure and uncertainty:
http://www.bitcoinfuturesguide.com/bitcoin-blog/news-updates-from-fca-regulated-bitcoin-derivatives-exchange-cryptofacilities-us-traders-banned-insured-block-chain-settlement-free-moreI'm worried that the US will be experiencing a "brain drain" of talent who go to Europe and Asia to develop such technologies rather than deal with the US regulatory environment.
I hope things change, but the US is going to be left behind if this keeps up.