Binance Hikes Leverage to 125x for Launch of Bitcoin-Tether Futures

Binance’s futures exchange is raising leverage to 125x with the launch of bitcoin (BTC)/tether (USDT) contracts today.

The cryptocurrency exchange first announced its futures platform in early July, at the time hinting it would allow 20x leverage. Now, futures traders can now choose leveraged positions between 1x and 125x, it said Friday.

“We have seen an increase in institutional participation in trading … And they are flocking to Binance Futures,” said Binance CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao in a statement. “The market has been demanding a product with superior stability and performance; now we are providing one.”

Max leverage positions on Binance now exceed crypto exchange BitMEX’s futures leverage positions, which top off at 100x for some contracts.

Noted economist and crypto skeptic Nouriel Roubini has previously argued that, in providing such high leverage, exchanges are exposing traders to too much risk.

Binance said its BTC futures contract provides a built-in hedging tool to help traders manage that risk. Further, the exchange said it's providing an "insurance fund" (the firm's quotation marks) that "helps to limit the chances of auto-deleverage."

The announcement comes amidst tightening competition in the bitcoin futures space. Intercontinental Exchange's Bakkt bitcoin futures exchange launched this September. Although the exchange's initial volume disappointed critics, the exchange has already conducted its first block trade for two institutional investors.

CZ image courtesy of Binance