Kalshi files with CFTC to launch equity index and copper perpetual futures
Prediction market platform Kalshi has filed with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to launch perpetual futures contracts tied to U.S. equity indexes (tracking the MerQube U.S. Large Cap Index) and copper. This follows its May 2026 approval for crypto perps and a July filing for precious metals perps. The expansion challenges traditional exchanges like CME Group, which has sued the CFTC. Kalshi’s perps have already crossed $1 billion in notional volume within a week of launch.
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Kalshi Files for Copper Perpetual Futures, Expanding Beyond Prediction Markets
Prediction market operator Kalshi has filed with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to launch perpetual futures tied to copper prices. The proposed COPPERPERP contract, filed on August 18, would track the spot price of copper in U.S. dollars per pound using a price feed from Pyth Network, a blockchain-based market data provider. Perpetual futures have no expiration date, allowing traders to keep positions open indefinitely. The contract would be cash-settled, with periodic payments between long and short traders to maintain price alignment. This move pushes Kalshi further beyond event-based prediction markets, following a Washington judge's order to stop offering wagers on sports and politics in the state. The filing comes after the CFTC approved Kalshi to offer Bitcoin perpetual futures in May. Copper is a critical industrial metal used in power grids, construction, electric vehicles, and AI data center infrastructure.
Kalshi and Coinbase Launch Perpetual Futures for Equity Indexes
Prediction market exchange Kalshi has submitted a filing with the CFTC to list perpetual futures for equity indexes, allowing traders to take leveraged long or short positions on stock market benchmarks like the S&P 500 without owning the underlying shares. Kalshi clarified it is not planning to launch perpetual futures for single stocks. Separately, crypto exchange Coinbase announced the addition of the US500 perpetual contract to its derivatives exchange, marking a move into equity market derivatives. Both developments signal growing interest in crypto-style perpetual contracts for traditional equity benchmarks.
Kalshi files for equity index and copper perpetual futures with CFTC
Kalshi, a prediction market platform expanding into derivatives, filed with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on August 18, 2026, to launch perpetual futures contracts tied to U.S. equity indexes and copper. The equity index contract would track the MerQube U.S. Large Cap Index (the 500 largest U.S.-listed companies) and falls under CFTC jurisdiction, not SEC. The copper contract (COPPERPERP) is cash-settled, references the Pyth Network XCU/USD price feed, represents 1,000 pounds of copper, and trades continuously with daily funding payments. This follows Kalshi's earlier CFTC proposal for precious metals perps and its May 2026 approval for a bitcoin perpetual contract, which saw over $1 billion in notional volume within a week. The filings challenge traditional exchanges like CME Group, which sued the CFTC over domestic perps approval, and CBOE Global Markets.
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Kalshi Readies Perpetual Futures Tied to Stock Indexes
Kalshi, a prediction-market platform, announced on Tuesday that it has filed for federal approval to offer perpetual futures contracts tied to equity indexes. The new product will allow traders to take long or short positions on stock indexes. This move represents an expansion of Kalshi's offerings into traditional financial derivatives, pending regulatory approval.
Kalshi seeks to launch perpetual futures on equity indexes, expanding beyond prediction markets
Prediction market platform Kalshi has filed with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to launch perpetual futures, or 'perps,' tied to equity indexes. The proposed 'US500' perp would track the MerQube U.S. Large Cap Index, which follows the largest 500 U.S.-listed companies. This follows Kalshi's May 2026 approval for crypto perps and a July filing for precious metals perps. Perpetual futures, previously traded only offshore, allow continuous trading without expiration. Kalshi's expansion has raised competition concerns for traditional exchanges like CME Group and CBOE Global Markets, whose stocks initially fell on the crypto perps approval. CME has sued the CFTC over the matter. Kalshi aims to become a full-fledged multi-asset exchange, with its perps already crossing $1 billion in notional volume within a week of launch.