Nasdaq may consider launching cryptocurrency exchange platform in future, says CEO

Nasdaq Inc is open to becoming a platform for trading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, said the company’s CEO.

“Of course, Nasdaq would consider becoming a crypto exchange over the years,” Adena Friedman, CEO of the company said in an interview.

“We can look at it and say that it’s time and people are ready for a more regulated market. It would provide a fair and transparent experience for the investors,” she said.

The view that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin would pave way for the future commercial transactions and would become more mainstream, Adena Friedman said after the announcement of better-than expected quarterly earnings.

“Over the time if the cryptocurrency exchange morphs into a regulated environment, we would welcome the opportunity of participating as a marketplace, but I think that it doesn’t have a certain path as of now,” she added.

Further talking about the current priorities of Nasdaq, she told that Nasdaq is exploring deals with several virtual currency exchanges for providing market infrastructure technology for trading, surveillance and clearance. Nasdaq announced a deal with Gemini Trust Company to monitor cryptocurrency trading.

  However, Friedman was not very optimistic about the ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings) asserting that the ICOs need to be regulated..

She termed SEC’s move a correct one saying that its regulation is crucial. SEC had moved to crackdown on ICO fraud and had indicated earlier last month revealing its plan of applying securities laws to all types of cryptocurrency-related activities and products.