The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (#CFTC ) has launched a pilot program that, for the first time, allows #BTC, #ETH, and #USDC to be posted as collateral in U.S. derivatives markets. Trading firms and institutions need to post collateral to back their positions in futures, swaps, or other derivative instruments. They normally maintain sizable reserves of assets that regulators deem safe and liquid enough to serve as collateral, typically U.S. Treasuries or cash-like instruments. As institutions begin using bitcoin as collateral, this could create a new source of steady demand, reduce available float in spot markets, and further entrench bitcoin’s position as a mainstream, regulated financial instrument.(BloFin Research)