Nasdaq Pushes for Million-Contract Cap on Bitcoin Options Trading
Published Date: 2/27/2026
Notice
Summary
Nasdaq ISE wants to raise the limits on how many iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) options traders can hold and exercise—up to 1 million contracts! This change affects investors trading these Bitcoin-related options and could mean bigger moves in the market. The SEC is now reviewing the latest amendment and will decide soon whether to approve or reject this update.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
IBIT Options Limit Raised to 1,000,000
Nasdaq ISE proposes to raise the position and exercise limits for options on the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) from the current 250,000 contracts to 1,000,000 contracts. The Exchange filed the proposal beginning November 13, 2025 and submitted Amendment No. 5 on February 20, 2026; the SEC instituted proceedings on February 24, 2026 to decide whether to approve the change.
Large-Position Reporting Remains Unchanged
The Exchange states that reporting requirements will remain unchanged if limits increase: Members must continue to report options positions and whether positions are hedged, Market Makers remain exempt from the reporting requirement (though the Exchange may access their positions), and the customer large-position reporting threshold of 200 contracts for the prior day remains in place.
Exchange Finds Exercisable Risk Small vs. Bitcoin Market
ISE reports that a 1,000,000-contract position limit would represent 7.474% of IBIT's shares outstanding and, using February 11, 2026 figures (IBIT NAV $38.29; ~20.5 million Bitcoins at ~$66,938), would represent about 0.278% of the total Bitcoin market—so exercising all such options would have a 'virtually unnoticed' effect on the entire Bitcoin market, per the Exchange's analysis.
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