The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group is planning to launch bitcoin spot trading in addition to its existing futures product, according to the Financial Times, which cited sources familiar with the matter.

The group has reportedly been conducting discussions with traders who prefer dealing with cryptocurrencies on a regulated platform. The plan has not been finalized, according to the report.

The launch of bitcoin’s spot trading on CME would allow traders to profit from so-called basis trades — where they would gain by exploiting the difference between futures prices and the underlying asset’s spot price — added the FT report. CME Group owns the world’s largest futures exchange and already supports bitcoin futures trading.

If launched as reportedly planned, CME would become …