Moscow Exchange is preparing a revolution in the derivatives market: perpetual futures on bitcoin and Ethereum will appear as early as September.
The Moscow Exchange is taking a confident step toward the institutionalization of crypto trading in Russia. As early as September 2025, the platform will launch its first perpetual contracts on digital assets—perpetual futures tied to Bitcoin and Ethereum indices. This is a landmark event for the entire domestic derivatives market, opening a new era for qualified investors.
First Step Toward Perpetual Contracts
According to my information, these two instruments will become the first perpetual futures in the exchange's crypto lineup. Earlier, in the summer of 2025, the platform had already begun offering fixed-expiration futures contracts on BTC, ETH, Solana, Ripple, and Tron. Now, however, we are talking about a fundamentally different format: perpetual futures have no maturity date and are automatically rolled over each trading day, relieving investors of the need to manually shift positions between issues.
This is not just a technical innovation but a strategic move. The exchange plans to expand the lineup to ten underlying assets and, in the long term, launch similar perpetual contracts on the same coins. Moreover, in the near future, the platform intends to offer perpetual futures on approximately 20 foreign stocks, including giants such as Amazon, AMD, Tesla, and Netflix.
Large-Scale Overhaul of Trading Infrastructure
The launch of new instruments comes amid a major modernization of the entire trading process. Starting September 14, the main session will begin at 9:00 instead of 10:00 and last ten hours, affecting the stock, derivatives, currency, and precious metals markets. This decision is driven by the demands of institutional participants, for whom it is critical to operate during the main session, where the bulk of orders is concentrated. Clients from Siberia and the Far East will benefit especially—it will become much more convenient for them to execute trades.
In parallel, the exchange is strengthening control over trading. The implemented AI-based system is already helping to identify trades with signs of market manipulation and insider trading. This is especially important now, as the growing number of instruments and the extended trading day increase the burden on departments responsible for market integrity. Automating routine checks is becoming a critically important element of the infrastructure.
My View on the Situation
The launch of perpetual futures on the Moscow Exchange is not just an expansion of the product lineup but a signal of the maturation of the Russian crypto market. However, investors should remember: perpetual contracts carry heightened risks due to the position funding mechanism. In conditions of high Bitcoin volatility, this could lead to significant losses for inexperienced participants. Nevertheless, for professionals, this is an excellent tool for hedging and speculative trading without being tied to expiration dates.