Coinbase has announced significant plans to introduce futures contracts for Cardano (ADA) and Natural Gas (NGS), aiming to merge cryptocurrency and traditional commodities on a single platform. This strategic move is anticipated to attract new investors and offer unique trading opportunities.
The announcement, made via X, states that Coinbase is seeking approval for these contracts from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The CFTC is an independent U.S. watchdog that oversees futures and derivatives markets, ensuring transparency, fairness, and stability to protect investors and the economy. Following approval, these futures products could be available on Coinbase as early as March 31, 2025.
With this step, Coinbase signals its ambition to venture beyond the realm of cryptocurrency and compete in the traditional commodities sector, beginning with natural gas. By introducing natural gas futures, Coinbase is creating a unique setup that combines crypto and traditional commodities in a regulated environment, which it hopes will provide a competitive advantage in a crucial sector for global economic stability and growth.
This announcement comes shortly after Coinbase introduced futures for Solana (SOL) and Hedera (HBAR), indicating a broader strategy to expand its futures offerings. The growing interest in futures and ETFs reflects a trend in the cryptocurrency market as various firms jockey for position. Recently, Grayscale has filed for a spot Cardano ETF with NYSE Arca, and other firms such as Canary Capital, WisdomTree, Bitwise, CoinShares, and 21Shares have also filed for Ripple (XRP) ETFs. Notably, VanEck submitted an application for an Avalanche (AVAX) spot ETF just last week.
The integration of crypto and traditional markets is a noteworthy trend underscored by Coinbase's ventures. Meanwhile, analyst Ali Martinez has recently spotlighted XRP and ADA, indicating potential buy signals using the TD Sequential indicator on March 22, 2025. Specifically, these signals suggest a possible recovery on the horizon. Martinez elucidated that XRP surged from $2.3 to $2.6 earlier this week after Ripple's CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced victory in the SEC lawsuit, yet is struggling to stay above $2.4.
In recent months, ADA has struggled significantly, losing over 10% and fluctuating around $0.7. Martinez previously predicted ADA could climb to $2 if it manages to close above $1.2 on the daily candle, a goal that appears distant currently. However, the recent buy signal hints that a rebound could be forthcoming, which has generated excitement in market circles.
The intertwined fates of XRP and ADA have made headlines recently, especially as President Trump referenced both cryptocurrencies alongside SOL, ETH, and BTC in discussions about a strategic crypto reserve for the U.S. This increased visibility places XRP and ADA in the limelight and, according to Martinez, indicates that these tokens should not be overlooked as viable trading options.
As the cryptocurrency market continues to evolve rapidly, the fate of ADA now hinges on an impending technical formation known as the Death Cross, which occurs when the 50-day moving average falls below the 200-day moving average. This formation suggests strengthening downward momentum, and if it materializes, it will mark the first instance of this pattern for ADA in ten months. The price is currently 37% lower than its recent peak, and concerns are mounting over how it will respond to potentially bearish market signals.
The MVRV Long/Short Difference, a metric that gauges the profitability of Long-Term Holders (LTHs) compared to Short-Term Holders (STHs), has recently plummeted to a four-month low. Although the metric remains positive, it raises the risk of LTHs cashing out, creating additional selling pressure on ADA.
Market analysts highlight that should the ADA price test and decline below $0.70, a drop to $0.62 could follow, exacerbating the bearish scenario. Conversely, a rise above $0.77 could mark the end of ADA’s consolidation phase, with the possibility of reaching prices around $0.85, thus instilling confidence in short-term investors.
In this fluctuating environment, both Cardano and Natural Gas may find themselves at pivotal junctures, as their futures products aim to bring fresh perspectives to both markets. The effectiveness of Coinbase’s strategy and the impact of evolving market dynamics remain to be seen as the launch date approaches. Investors will be watching closely for signals that could determine the trajectory of both ADA and the new futures contracts.
