Kraken exec sees perpetual futures following spot ETF growth path

John Palmer, Head of Derivatives at Kraken, predicted that the U.S. market for perpetual futures will follow a growth trajectory similar to that of spot Bitcoin ETFs. He noted that with the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs, retail and professional investors entered the market first, followed sequentially by institutional capital. Palmer expects a similar pattern for the initial launch of regulated perpetual futures products in the U.S., with professional traders and institutional investors leading the way, followed by broader participation from traditional finance entities like asset managers and investment advisory firms. Palmer assessed that perpetual futures, which lack an expiration date, have become the dominant product in the global crypto derivatives market due to their simpler structure compared to traditional futures, adding that the U.S. market is still in its early stages.