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From Major Firms Expand Perpetual Futures, Signaling Shift to 24/7 Trading

How could the expansion of perpetual futures affect Interactive Brokers?

Possible What happens if… A possibility worth considering, not a forecast.

Increased competition from crypto firms may challenge Interactive Brokers' market share. The rollout of perpetual futures by major players like Coinbase and Robinhood is driving a structural shift toward 24/7 trading in digital assets. These contracts allow investors to speculate on asset prices with high leverage without owning the underlying asset, providing round-the-clock access to macro assets. This trend, which is accompanied by the arrival of institutional-grade rules and infrastructure in digital assets, increases competitive pressure on traditional brokerages like Interactive Brokers, forcing them to adapt to the demand for always-on trading and sophisticated derivatives.

Reported by 1 independent outlet Written Oct 9
Effect
Mild negative
How direct
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When
Over the long term
The story
Gone quiet

How it reaches Interactive Brokers

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The facts so far

As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.

  • Coinbase rolled out "perpetual-style futures" in July 2025.businessinsider.com
  • Robinhood released a similar perpetual futures feature in September.businessinsider.com
  • Perpetual futures allow investors to bet on an asset's price without owning it directly.businessinsider.com
  • Perps allow traders to take on enormous leverage to fund their bets on a particular asset.businessinsider.com

Why it matters

For Interactive Brokers, a major multinational brokerage, the shift toward 24/7, high-leverage trading represents a fundamental change in client demand and market structure. If sophisticated traders migrate to platforms offering these perpetual futures, it could erode the market share and trading volume that traditional brokerages rely on.

This trend is part of a broader movement where institutional-grade rules and infrastructure are arriving in digital assets. While perps offer opportunities for event-driven macro traders, they also carry significant risks due to the enormous leverage they allow, which regulators are still hesitant to fully approve.

What we don't know yet

  • How quickly will regulators approve the introduction of perpetual futures for traditional assets like oil or equities?
  • Will the increased risk associated with high leverage deter institutional clients from adopting these new products?

What would change this answer

Regulatory bodies approve the expansion of perps to traditional assetsThe effect on Interactive Brokers could become stronger and more immediate as more capital flows into these new, high-leverage products.
Major brokerages successfully integrate perpetual futures into their existing platformsThe competitive pressure on Interactive Brokers may fade as the market standardizes the new trading mechanisms.

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Beyond this explainer

Questions worth asking

Ideas the web ties closely to this story that the explainer doesn't mention. These are prompts for your own research: Brind hasn't answered them.

  • About CFTC

    How might specific actions or rulings by the CFTC influence the adoption rate of perpetual futures by traditional brokerages?

  • About Cexs

    Since Coinbase and Robinhood are centralized exchanges, how might their operational structure differ from traditional brokerages like Interactive Brokers?

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Who else could feel it

Other possible ripples from the same event.

Reporting

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The full eventMajor Firms Expand Perpetual Futures, Signaling Shift to 24/7 Trading Everything aboutInteractive Brokers

Brind's analysis is written by AI from the reporting linked above and can be wrong. This explainer is a possibility worth considering, not a forecast: steps marked as Brind's reasoning are not stated in the reporting. It is not investment advice; do your own research.