Trading 17 February 2026 - 21 May 2026

U.S. crypto exchanges are edging closer to rolling out regulated ether-linked perpetual futures—products that, so far, have stayed largely overseas—after Kraken struck a deal to acquire Bitnomial and regulators in the U.S. gave clearer guidance. Ether was changing hands at $2,337.50 early Thursday in New York, down from an intraday high of $2,421.06, building on a 3.5% jump from the previous session. Timing is key here. Perpetual futures let traders hold positions indefinitely, provided they stick to margin requirements. According to Coinbase, these contracts make up over 90% of global crypto derivatives volume, yet U.S. access is still limited even with solid demand. If the U.S. loosens up, ether trading could shift onshore and boost liquidity—but that would also mean