Chicago Mercantile Exchange

Leveraged funds on CME have flipped net long bitcoin futures after years in which basis trades kept reported positioning structurally short. The shift comes as weaker futures yields reduce the appeal of the carry trade while bitcoin rebounds from its July low.

A sharp decline in retail activity is forcing smaller crypto platforms into a tougher fight for survival. BitMEX, BitMart and other crypto-linked firms are becoming symbols of a market where scale, compliance and transparency matter more than hype.