While easing Middle East tensions lifted stocks and cooled oil prices, options markets signal lingering caution, with long-term volatility metrics staying elevated. Traders are hedging against future geopolitical and tariff risks, as equity-oil correlations tighten and energy calendar spreads attract record interest amid uncertainty over global supply and demand.

South Korea's central bank has suspended its digital won pilot project, shifting focus to regulating stablecoins amid growing interest and recent legislative support. The move reflects changing priorities under President Lee Jae Myung, as officials push for phased rollout of bank-led, won-pegged stablecoins and increased oversight of digital assets.

DRW CEO Don Wilson has said that 24/7 collateral mobility and native tokenization are essential to avoid systemic risk as markets move toward round-the-clock trading. Speaking at FIA IDX, Wilson criticized superficial tokenization efforts and warned that poor regulation has harmed innovation, while highlighting AI and blockchain as forces reshaping market infrastructure.

Cboe Global Markets believes European options are nearing a breakout moment, with its CEDX platform aiming to make the market "mainstream on the global stage." Iouri Saroukhanov, Cboe's head of European derivatives, said the push isn't about taking market share but "a rising tide lifts all boats," as Cboe calls for reforms to boost on-screen liquidity, retail access, and pan-European integration.

Custodians like BNY, JPMorgan, and Euroclear report rising interest from buy-side firms in using tri-party structures to post non-cash variation margin, traditionally handled bilaterally. The shift is driven by operational efficiencies, growing bond and equity collateral use, and experience gained from initial margin requirements, though adoption remains gradual due to cost, reuse limitations, and market inertia.

The European Energy Exchange has signed a deal with Taiwan's TCX to support the development of a national emissions trading system, drawing on EEX's experience with the EU ETS. Taiwan plans to launch its pilot platform in 2026, as EEX expands its footprint in Asia amid growing regional demand for carbon pricing infrastructure.

Coinbase Derivatives will debut its first US "perpetual-style" crypto futures on July 21, offering nano contracts for bitcoin and ether under Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight. The 24/7 products aim to mirror global perpetuals while eliminating offshore workarounds, intensifying competition with CME's upcoming spot-quoted futures launch.

A surge in derivatives trading is emerging as a key force behind India's latest market rally, with rising options volumes and retail participation amplifying momentum. Analysts say increased liquidity and risk appetite in the F&O segment are magnifying moves in banking and defense stocks, reinforcing the bullish trend.

Optiver has moved its full Sydney team into a new five-floor office designed to support high-speed trading, AI research, and talent retention. Optiver said the move reflects its long-term investment in machine learning and push to stay competitive in the global market-making race.

Deribit's bitcoin options open interest crossed $40 billion ahead of the Q2 expiry, representing the majority of global BTC options activity. The platform settled 139,000 BTC contracts, marking the largest quarterly expiry of 2025 so far and highlighting continued growth in institutional derivatives trading.

CME Group will launch BrokerTec Chicago on September 15, a new trading venue aimed at improving efficiency for firms managing US Treasury bond and futures positions. The platform is designed to support growing demand for Treasury spread trading and complements CME's existing New York-based Treasuries order book.

Bruce Markets has secured strategic investment from Fidelity Investments, Nasdaq Ventures, Robinhood, and others to support the development of its overnight U.S. equity trading platform. The ATS currently operates Sunday to Thursday from 8pm to 4am ET, and CEO Jason Wallach said the funding reflects growing industry support for "a fully accessible, 24-hour trading ecosystem."