2017.12.1123:46:00UTC+00Bitcoin Futures Indicate Cryptocurrency’s Rally to Slow in Coming Months

Bitcoin futures, which made their trading debut on Monday, suggested that traders anticipate the digital currency's stellar price rally to slow in the coming months, even as it surged above $17, 000 to a new record high in the spot market.

On late Sunday, Cboe Global Markets launched the futures, marking the first time investors could trade bitcoin via a large, regulated bourse.

The one-month bitcoin contract opened at $15, 460. By late Monday in New York, it traded at $18, 650, almost 8 percent higher than bitcoin's spot price of $16, 900 on the Bitstamp exchange.

Earlier, Bitcoin scaled a record high of $17,270.

Its significant gains and rapid increase have enticed investors globally as well as intense scrutiny from government regulator.

Given bitcoin has almost increased by threefold in value over the last month, and has risen by more than 15 percent on Monday alone, the futures pricing indicated that investors project price increases cooling.

Bitcoin futures have been offering on some unregulated cryptocurrency exchanges outside the U.S., but supporters of the digital currency said the U.S. market launch would give it higher legitimacy on the volatile virtual currency and bring on wider acceptance.