Bernstein: The perpetual contract structure is penetrating the AI computing power market, with related futures from CME and ICE expected to launch by the end of the year

According to The Block, Bernstein pointed out in its latest research report that the perpetual contract structure originating from the cryptocurrency market has first entered the AI computing power market. The Architect AX exchange, registered in Bermuda and not regulated by the CFTC, has launched GPU computing power perpetual contracts, which are anchored to spot prices through funding rates, a mechanism that directly originates from the cryptocurrency market. The cash-settled computing power futures from CME and ICE are still awaiting CFTC review, with a launch expected by the end of 2026.

In addition, the CFTC-regulated prediction market platform Kalshi has previously launched prediction contracts linked to GPU rental prices and introduced the computing power pricing curves for B200, H200, and A100 chips on July 14, with the B200 quoted at $5.41 and a historical peak of $7.39.

Bernstein noted that unused GPU computing power cannot be stored, and hedging is the only way to bear price risk. However, the current market liquidity is still dominated by speculative funds, and the difficulty in constructing computing power benchmark indices is also a major bottleneck in market development.