It is still unclear how the arrival of Bitcoin futures will influence the demand for the digital tokens. With a futures contract, banks can bet on the price of Bitcoin without holding the underlying Bitcoins. Other market participants have worried that Bitcoin futures could spread the risks of Bitcoin into the rest of the financial system. People still use Bitcoin and other virtual currencies to make ransom payments and buy illegal goods online, including synthetic opioids. They have been encouraged by laws passed this year that essentially legalized Bitcoin and allowed Bitcoin exchanges to get regulatory licenses.

Source: New York Times December 08, 2017 00:20 UTC