Kalshi launched LINKPERP on June 8, the first CFTC-regulated perpetual futures contract for Chainlink available to U.S. traders. The contract was self-certified under CFTC Regulation 40.2(a), the same fast-track mechanism Kalshi used for its Bitcoin perp debut on May 29.
How LINKPERP works
LINKPERP is cash-settled, has no expiry, and trades 24/7. It references the CME CF Chainlink-Dollar Real Time Index, which is administered by CF Benchmarks. Each contract represents 10,000 LINK, quoted in USD per 1 LINK with a minimum tick of $0.0001 per LINK, or $1 per contract.
Clearing runs through Kalshi Klear, the exchange's central counterparty. The contract includes funding rate caps and lower leverage limits than offshore venues — a deliberate design for the regulated market.
A steady institutional bid
Institutional ETF net assets in LINK have crossed $101.21 million since the product's December 2 inception, with zero days of outflows. LINK was trading near $7.88 at the time of reporting. The persistent institutional interest likely made Chainlink a natural candidate for Kalshi's second perpetual product.
Kalshi has framed LINKPERP as the opening of a broader suite of U.S.-regulated crypto derivatives. The exchange has cited ETH, SOL, and LTC as candidates if early volumes justify expansion. Chainlink's official X account called LINKPERP 'an industry first for a U.S. regulated market and a major step for compliant access to Chainlink exposure.' Whether traders actually pile in will determine how fast that lineup grows.
