Blockchain.com has filed for two key regulatory licenses with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, positioning itself to operate regulated prediction markets and crypto derivatives domestically. The company applied for designated contract market (DCM) and futures commission merchant (FCM) licenses, according to Decrypt. The DCM designation would allow Blockchain.com to run its own regulated venue for event contracts, while the FCM license would enable it to handle customer funds and execute trades—eliminating its current reliance on overseas partners.
The timing coincides with intensified regulatory attention on prediction markets. The CFTC is proposing a formal rule to classify certain event contracts traded on platforms like Kalshi's as swaps subject to agency oversight, CoinDesk reported. This regulatory push comes amid ongoing legal disputes over the scope of the CFTC's authority to police contracts based on political outcomes, sporting events, and other real-world occurrences.
The Block noted that Blockchain.com's licensing pursuit precedes a planned $500 million initial public offering, suggesting the company aims to demonstrate regulatory compliance to prospective investors. The dual-license strategy would give Blockchain.com end-to-end control over its derivatives infrastructure rather than depending on third-party venues.
Cointelegraph confirmed the license applications, framing them within the broader context of courts currently weighing multiple prediction market cases that could reshape the regulatory landscape. The CFTC's proposed rule would explicitly bring event contracts under its swaps framework, potentially clarifying ambiguities that have fueled legal challenges.
For Blockchain.com, securing these licenses would represent a significant expansion beyond its core cryptocurrency exchange and wallet services into regulated derivatives and prediction markets—a segment that has drawn growing institutional and retail interest but remains entangled in jurisdictional disputes between the CFTC and platforms seeking to offer contracts on elections, economic indicators, and other outcomes.