Its definitely positive. It means everyone with a brokerage account suddenly has access to bitcoin without having to deposit onto a third party exchange they might not trust, and they can go in and out of bitcoin trades next to their stock trades. It means massive liquidity. Think billions of dollars suddenly added to the finex order book. Possibly with leverage too. I posted on here some time in 2013 or 2014 a prediction that if BTC were to be integrated with standard brokers, the price would immediately surge to $10K. This is what the rally has been all about.
I was under the impression that CME futures did not touch Bitcoin directly at any moment during the entire process. It's USD all the way. Am I wrong?
They are futures contracts which means eventually at some date on the contract, the exchange has to buy actual bitcoins and deliver them. In addition, the futures prices will move the bitcoin price by mere arbitrage.
Sorry but no. They are cash settled. It is a fiat bet on bitcoin price in $. Nothing more.
Other players will move BTC price by arb.
This is correct. Cash settled.
could you explain the arb angle though?Here is how I understand it:
Trade 1:
If the futures contract price is above the current BTC price (say future contract is $11000 vs actual BTC at $10000):
(1) Sell (short) the futures contract. $11000
(2) Buy actual BTC for a lower price than the futures contract settlement rate. $10000
(3) Wait until the futures contract settlement date to cash in the futures contract and sell the BTC you bought as part of this trade.
It's a risk free trade. No matter what happens, you have a $1000 USD profit minus trading fees and borrowing costs.
If BTC/USD drops to $9000, you will lose $1000 value on your BTC but your futures contract short will be worth $2000 so a net profit of $1000.
If BTC/USD stays at $10000, your BTC is worth what you bought it for but your futures contract short is worth $1000 so a net profit of $1000.
If BTC/USD goes to $11000 and the contract settlement rate is $11000, you make nothing on the contract but the BTC you bought for $10000 is worth $11000 so a net profit of $1000.
If BTC/USD goes up to $12000, your BTC will be worth $2000 more than you bought if for but you will lose $1000 on the futures contract short so a net profit of $1000.
Trade 2:
If the futures contract price is below the current BTC price (say future contract is $9000 vs actual BTC at $10000):
Reverse trade 1 above.
So, the prices should stay in sync assuming enough people arbitrage. Of course, traders know arbitrage will happen so prices should stay in sync even without it. The futures price will be an indicator traders will use.
The interesting part of either scenario is the limited supply of coins for sale and to borrow for shorting and the nearly unlimited supply of fiat in the world. Could get interesting.