How Wall Street Changed Bitcoin Forever #115

In this week’s Crypto Options Unplugged, Imran and David are joined by Jonathan Issan, Co-Head of Crypto Trading at Marex, for an institutional deep dive into how crypto markets have evolved from a retail-driven ecosystem into a mature asset class attracting hedge funds, pension funds, banks, and global asset managers.Jonathan shares his journey from equity derivatives and high-frequency trading into crypto, reflecting on the industry's rapid evolution through major events including FTX, banking crises, regulatory shifts, and the arrival of institutional infrastructure. The discussion explores how the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs fundamentally changed market structure, accelerating institutional adoption and cementing Bitcoin's place within traditional portfolios.The conversation then examines why volatility has continued to decline despite periodic market drawdowns. Jonathan argues that increasing institutional participation, sophisticated market-making, improved risk management, and growing derivatives liquidity have made crypto markets more resilient and efficient than in previous cycles. The team also discusses shrinking basis opportunities, the rise of structured products, hedge fund participation, and whether options markets are becoming large enough to influence spot price behaviour.The episode concludes with insights into institutional demand for Bitcoin exposure, the growing role of structured products, and why crypto's integration into global capital markets may still be in its early stages despite significant progress over the past several years.Deribit FZE does not accept UAE retail clients for derivatives and does not accept US clients and clients from restricted countries.