Nasdaq is seeking the green light from regulators to launch and trade options on a bitcoin index, the exchange operator said on Tuesday. The U.S. Securities and Exchange commission has yet to approve options based on any of the individual exchange-traded funds tied to spot bitcoin prices that made their debut in January, including a Nasdaq application to trade options on BlackRock's $21.3-billion iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF. The proposed index options - listed derivatives offering a quick and inexpensive way to amplify exposure to bitcoin - on a bitcoin index would give institutional investors and traders an alternative way to hedge their exposure to the world's largest cryptocurrency.