Bitnomial built the first and only crypto-native spot and derivatives exchange and clearinghouse in the U.S. That infrastructure includes crypto settlement, crypto margin collateral, perpetual futures, and most recently leveraged retail spot trading. New CFTC and OCC guidance means both independent and bank-affiliated brokerages can now support Bitnomial's crypto margin deposits and settlement for the first time.
On December 8, 2025, the CFTC made digital assets first-class margin collateral, treated the same as gold, stocks, or any other commodity for margining purposes. The next day, the OCC confirmed that national banks can engage in crypto transactions as intermediaries. Together, these actions remove the regulatory barriers that had prevented brokers and banks from being able to utilize or support Bitnomial's full crypto-native capabilities.
Why This Matters
Previously, commodity brokerages (FCMs) could only accept crypto as margin against crypto-settled derivatives of the same underlying, such as bitcoin margin for bitcoin futures. Now, FCMs can accept crypto or stablecoins as margin across the broader customer portfolio.
Bitnomial Clearinghouse already supports crypto portfolio margining and cross-product offsets across futures, perpetuals, options, and spot positions. FCMs and their customers can finally utilize these capabilities without going offshore. Positions are cleared, collateral is segregated, and the same protections that govern traditional futures now apply to crypto collateral.
The Bottom Line
Years of building the exchange and clearinghouse infrastructure have led to this moment. The regulatory barriers are falling away. Independent and bank-affiliated brokerages can now support Bitnomial's full crypto-native capabilities.
Bitnomial built the infrastructure against massive regulatory headwinds. The new guidance turns that headwind into a tailwind. Retail traders can now access perpetuals, crypto-settled futures and options, and leveraged spot through Botanical, all with crypto margin and settlement, all on one federally regulated exchange.