Blockchain.com has formally applied with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to register as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) and to be designated as a Designated Contract Market (DCM), the company announced on Oct. 13, 2026. If approved, the licenses would allow the platform to offer regulated crypto derivatives, including futures and options, and prediction market contracts to U.S. retail and institutional customers. The company detailed the filings in a press release distributed by PR Newswire.
Why FCM and DCM status would matter
Blockchain.com framed the applications as a way to bring fragmented crypto and prediction markets into one integrated app under CFTC oversight. FCM registration generally permits a firm to solicit or accept orders for futures and swaps, while DCM designation enables a platform to operate a trading facility for those contracts. Earlier this year, the company launched self-custodied prediction market offerings and perpetual futures trading for users in eligible non-U.S. markets. The CFTC filings would extend similar products, in regulated form, to U.S. customers. Peter Smith, executive chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Blockchain.com, said users should be able to manage digital assets, trade derivatives, and take positions on real-world events without switching between apps. The request arrives as U.S. regulators increase scrutiny on event contracts and derivatives platforms, a dynamic covered in CFTC Updates Crypto Asset Rules as Polymarket Faces Probe.
Prediction markets enter a more defined regulatory lane
Prediction markets have become one of the most contested parts of the crypto economy because the CFTC has historically treated many retail event contracts with caution. Blockchain.com’s DCM application suggests the firm is trying to operate those markets inside the agency’s framework rather than outside it. That approach tracks a broader industry shift toward licensing and compliance as enforcement activity expands. BTC-Pulse previously reported on the changing regulatory and market landscape in OKX $25B Round as CFTC Issues First Crypto Rules.
What to watch if the licenses move forward
Approval is not guaranteed, and CFTC reviews can involve public comment periods, market structure analysis, and capital or custody requirements. If granted, the licenses could position Blockchain.com as one of the more integrated venues for spot crypto, derivatives, and event contracts aimed at U.S. customers. The filing also reflects how established crypto companies are adapting after the CFTC issued its first formal crypto derivatives framework. That framework and related market moves were examined in CFTC Unveils First Crypto Rules, OKX Raises at $25B Valuation, Vitalik Warns on AI Risks. Near-term watch items include any CFTC public notice, company comments on product sequencing, and whether prediction markets stay bundled with derivatives or proceed separately.
