In a significant expansion of its index offerings, CoinDesk Indices has launched the CoinDesk 80 Index, providing diversified exposure to the next 80 digital assets beyond the widely-tracked CoinDesk20. The new index, designed to meet growing institutional demand for broader altcoin market coverage, is already being utilized by Bullish Exchange, which has listed a perpetual futures contract linked to the CoinDesk 80.
Expanding Liquidity and Trading Opportunities
As digital asset derivatives markets continue to mature, institutional investors are seeking exposure beyond just the top cryptocurrencies. The CoinDesk 80 Index aims to facilitate this by tracking a more comprehensive slice of the altcoin market, with constituents weighted by market capitalization and subject to robust liquidity screening.
Bullish, the fast-growing crypto exchange that has already surpassed $1 trillion in cumulative trading volume, was quick to capitalize on the new index. Under the ticker CD80/USDC-PERP, Bullish has launched perpetual futures contracts tied to the CoinDesk 80, leveraging its deep liquidity and tight spreads.
“We’re excited about the broader opportunity this brings to expand liquidity, empower informed trading strategies, and further the maturation of the crypto ecosystem,”
Jon Loflin, Chief Investment Officer, GSR
Enabling More Sophisticated Trading Strategies
The index is already finding favor with leading crypto market makers like GSR and STS Digital, who see it enabling more efficient management of altcoin exposure and powering a wider range of trading products for their clients.
“The CoinDesk 80 Index Perpetual Future will enable us to efficiently manage market exposure arising from our wide-ranging altcoin option offering to our clients. It is another innovative product from Bullish, enhancing their strong product suite and bringing index derivatives forward.”
Maxime Seiler, CEO of STS Digital Ltd
By providing a single, liquid instrument to gain diversified altcoin exposure, the CoinDesk 80 Index opens the door for more sophisticated trading and hedging strategies across a broader range of digital assets. Institutions can more effectively manage risk, express market views, and construct bespoke crypto portfolios.
Methodology Prioritizes Liquidity and Diversification
The methodology behind the CoinDesk 80 Index has been carefully designed, focusing on the most liquid and established altcoins while ensuring a diversified exposure. Key features include:
- Market cap weighting with individual constituents capped at 5%
- Robust liquidity screening to ensure investability
- Minimal exclusions for stablecoins and wrapped tokens
This approach allows the index to accurately reflect the broader altcoin market, while still being practical for institutions to track and trade against.
Building on the Success of CoinDesk Indices
The launch of the CoinDesk 80 builds on the strong momentum of CoinDesk Indices, which debuted its first index product, the CoinDesk 20, just over a year ago. Since then, the CoinDesk 20 has seen over $12 billion in total trading volume and now underpins a dozen crypto investment products globally.
“The demand for index products is growing as digital assets become an established part of global financial markets. We are excited to launch the CoinDesk 80 Index Perpetual Futures Contract on our platform, leveraging our tight spreads, deep liquidity, and robust regulatory framework to support market participants.”
Tom Farley, CEO of Bullish
As institutional involvement in crypto continues to accelerate, CoinDesk Indices is positioning itself as the leading provider of reliable, investable digital asset benchmarks. With the CoinDesk 80 joining its growing suite of indices, CoinDesk is empowering institutions with the tools to navigate an increasingly diverse and dynamic cryptocurrency landscape.
The crypto industry has come a long way from just trading Bitcoin and Ethereum. As the market matures, investors are demanding exposure to the next tier of digital assets – and CoinDesk Indices is rising to meet that demand head on with innovative new products like the CoinDesk 80.
Look for this new index to become an essential tool for any institution serious about trading the full spectrum of the cryptocurrency market. As liquidity deepens and more sophisticated products emerge, the CoinDesk 80 is positioned to be the benchmark institutions turn to navigate the rapidly expanding world of altcoins.
