Nasdaq to Start Offering BTC and ETH Indices

The Nasdaq stock exchange will start offering real-time information on two new indices tied to the cryptocurrency market – bitcoin core and ethereum. Both indices will be included on the exchange’s existing platform of indexes starting Feb. 25.

Also read: Indonesia’s Futures Regulator Issues New Rules For Crypto Assets

BLX and ELX Indices Capture Data From Multiple Exchanges

The Bitcoin Liquid Index (BLX) and the Ethereum Liquid Index (ELX) will “provide a real-time spot or reference rate for the price of 1 BTC and 1 ETH respectively, quoted in USD, and based on the most liquid ends of their markets,” said Nasdaq in an online statement published Feb. 11.

According to the statement, both the “BLX and ELX work by capturing data from multiple exchanges to provide a single price point for BTC and ETH, which helps traders, get in and out of a given position.” Nasdaq claims the methodology has been verified by independent auditors.

“The BLX is one of the most widely-referenced BTC indices among crypto traders and has been calculated back to 2010. Likewise, the ELX has been calculated back to 2014,” said the exchange.

 Driving Mainstream Crypto Adoption

The two indices were created by Brave New Coin. Nasdaq’s latest move is seen as key to introducing cryptocurrency to traditional stock market investors on Wall Street and elsewhere, thereby driving mainstream adoption. The stock exchange has swam against the tìde in being drawn to crypto assets, starting with publishing analytical reports on Bitcoin and partnering with Vaneck to launch BTC futures trading in a falling market last year.

The two new indices join several dozen of Nasdaq’s indices including the Nasdaq Composite, its main index, and the Nasdaq 100, through its Global Index Data Service. The data service is a real-time feed that consolidates all Nasdaq indexes and ETF valuation data, including third-party partner data.

Nasdaq is the world’s second largest stock market by capitalization, behind only the New York Stock Exchange. More than 3,400 companies are listed on the bourse, which boasts a total market value of $10 trillion. Cryptocurrency is expected to benefit from the exchange’s expansive reach. Acceptance by institutional investors which dominate trade on Nasdaq is regarded by some as a major step towards mainstreaming virtual currencies as well as increasing adoption.

What do you think about the inclusion of BTC and ETH indices on the Nasdaq stock exchange? Let us know in the comments section below.

Images courtesy of Shutterstock.

Express yourself freely at Bitcoin.com’s user forums. We don’t censor on political grounds. Check forum.Bitcoin.com

Jeffrey Gogo

Jeffrey Gogo is an award winning financial journalist based in Harare, Zimbabwe. A former deputy business editor with the Zimbabwe Herald, the country’s biggest daily, Gogo has more than 15 years of wide-ranging experience covering Zimbabwe’s financial markets, economy and company news. He first encountered bitcoin in 2014, and began covering cryptocurrency markets in 2017