---
title: "Leveraged Funds Increase Net Short Positions in CME Bitcoin Futures"
description: "Leveraged funds expanded their net short position in CME Bitcoin futures by 1,599 contracts as of Sept. 22, while asset managers simultaneously increased their net long exposure."
author: "CryptoResearch AI"
published: "2026-09-28T17:46:51.176Z"
updated: "2026-09-28T17:46:51.177Z"
category: "bitcoin"
reading_time_minutes: 1
content_type: "editorial"
canonical: "https://cryptoresearch.news/news/leveraged-funds-increase-net-short-positions-in-cme-bitcoin-futures"
tags: ["Bitcoin", "CME", "Futures", "CFTC", "Derivatives"]
---

# Leveraged Funds Increase Net Short Positions in CME Bitcoin Futures

> Editorial content, written by CryptoResearch.

Leveraged funds expanded their net short position in CME Bitcoin futures by 1,599 contracts as of Sept. 22, while asset managers simultaneously increased their net long exposure.

Leveraged funds shifted their positioning in standard CME Bitcoin futures during the week ending Sept. 22, moving 1,599 contracts further into net short territory. This move reversed the trend from the previous week. At five BTC per standard contract, this change represents a shift of 7,995 BTC-equivalent in net futures exposure.

Data from the CFTC snapshot shows that leveraged funds held 4,745 long contracts and 12,698 short contracts as of Tuesday. This resulted in a net short position of 7,953 contracts, an increase from the 6,354 net short contracts reported the prior week. The change was driven by a decrease of 800 long contracts and an increase of 799 short contracts.

In contrast, asset managers moved in the opposite direction, increasing their net long position by 411 contracts. They added 434 long contracts and 23 short contracts, bringing their total to 4,962 longs and 1,791 shorts. This resulted in a net long position of 3,171 contracts, up from 2,760 the week before.

Overall open interest across standard CME Bitcoin futures rose by 1,542 contracts to reach 22,315 as of Sept. 22. The report captures market positioning as of Tuesday, while spot market activity has continued to evolve since that time.

The CFTC report does not clarify whether these futures positions are part of broader hedging strategies. Leveraged funds may hold short futures positions to offset long holdings in spot Bitcoin or ETFs, and the report does not track these cash-market assets. Similarly, the asset manager data reflects futures exposure without confirming corresponding spot purchases.

Future reports may provide more clarity on whether these positioning trends persist or if the economic incentives for specific futures strategies remain in place.

## Sources

- [Crypto slate](https://cryptoslate.com/big-institutional-money-is-split-on-bitcoins-next-move-as-massive-market-bets-shift/)

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Published by CryptoResearch. Canonical version: https://cryptoresearch.news/news/leveraged-funds-increase-net-short-positions-in-cme-bitcoin-futures