Our four-decade focus on technology and automation allows us to provide our clients with a sophisticated, global trading platform with the lowest costs for managing investments. IBKR clients enjoy access to cryptocurrencies, stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, funds and more on over 150 markets in 34 countries. Why Are They So Expensive? Bitcoin is considered a commodity and is the underlying asset in bitcoin futures contracts.
The first cryptocurrency contract launched at CME Group, Bitcoin futures can help you easily trade a view of bitcoin. Finance A futures ETF does not take possession of the underlying asset; instead the ETF purchases and holds a number of futures contracts. Since all futures contracts eventually expire, in order to maintain price exposure, the ETF must periodically sell futures contracts before expiration (or hold them to expiration) and simultaneously replace the sold (or expired) contracts by buying new contracts that have a longer dated expiration. This process is commonly referred to as “rolling.”