On December 10, BTC futures trading went live. The first set of those contracts is set to expire tomorrow, January 17

what r u? 16?
they don't have to pay the margin in ur internet shekels.
they pay in dollars

It's a Plebbit pasta, sorry to dissapoint.

>would still need to get the coins from unregulated

What does that mean? If im trading a futures contract, im trading on the SPECULATION that thing will go long or short. Has nothing to do with 'getting' any coins

Unfortunately no, this would not happen. You cannot accumulate 10,000 BTC over a short time period without inflating the price

Yes you can, in dark pools.

I was only talking about the example in the OP. Where he went Long physically. Its true in standardised futures you cash settle.

Oh when it comes to market manipulation? Yeah I see

Also thinking about this more, I swear to write thhese options there used to be some law that states you need a reserve of some sort? I can't remember specifically but it was reduced / removed like 20 - 40 years ago....

It depends how you look at it. Derivatives were not always stigmatised as something made out of thin air by the jews to take your money. Its meant to create liquidity. Grease the wheels of production if you will.

Example they teach in school for commodities future is: farmer is in planting season. If he can get $10 a kilo for potatoes he would make $100k.

Of course he doesn't know whether it would be $10 a kilo or not when he harvests. So he would short his potatoes now for $10 a kilo and grow enough for delivery during harvest.

Now he's locked in $10 a kilo and he can safely plant.

If no one knew who would take the risk of planting a farm's worth of potatoes that might be worth $1 a kilo in the future?

Look up naked short selling.