Delivery points

Delivery Points

A delivery point in the context of futures contracts represents the location where the underlying asset can be physically delivered to the buyer if the contract is held to expiration. Understanding delivery points is crucial for anyone trading crypto futures, even if they don't intend to take or make physical delivery. While most crypto futures contracts are settled in cash settlement, the existence of designated delivery points influences price discovery and can impact contract specifications.

What are Delivery Points?

Traditionally, in commodity futures, delivery points were essential for the actual exchange of the underlying commodity – for example, crude oil delivered to Cushing, Oklahoma, or gold delivered to a specific vault in London. However, in the world of cryptocurrencies, physical delivery is less common, and often impractical. Nonetheless, delivery points remain a key component of the contract's rules and are specified by the exchange offering the futures contract. The delivery point defines *where* the cryptocurrency *could* be delivered, should a buyer choose to take delivery and a seller is obligated to make it.

While physical delivery of crypto is rare, the *possibility* of it influences the contract's pricing. The contract price will tend to converge towards the spot price at the delivery point as the contract approaches expiration. This convergence is a fundamental principle of arbitrage opportunities.

Importance for Crypto Futures Traders

Even if you primarily engage in day trading, swing trading, or other short-term strategies, understanding delivery points is important for several reasons:

Price Convergence: The location of the delivery point impacts the price convergence process as the contract nears expiration. Understanding this process is crucial for expiry trading and avoiding unwanted surprises.
Contract Specifications: Delivery points are part of the overall contract specifications, including contract size, tick size, and the underlying asset.
Roll-over Costs: When rolling over futures positions to the next contract month, the difference in price between the expiring contract and the next contract (the "roll cost") can be influenced by the delivery point's dynamics.
Arbitrage Opportunities: Discrepancies between the futures price and the spot price at the delivery point can create arbitrage opportunities for sophisticated traders. This often involves statistical arbitrage techniques.
Basis Risk: The difference between the futures price and the spot price is known as the basis. The delivery point plays a significant role in determining the basis, and understanding basis risk is essential for hedging strategies.

How Delivery Points Work in Practice

Let's assume a hypothetical crypto futures contract for Bitcoin (BTC) with a designated delivery point at a specific digital asset custodian in New York.

1. Contract Holder: A trader holds a long Bitcoin futures contract that is approaching expiration. 2. Delivery Notice: If the trader intends to take physical delivery, they must notify the exchange before a specified deadline (the "first notice day"). 3. Seller Obligation: The short side of the contract (the seller) is then obligated to deliver the specified amount of Bitcoin to the designated custodian in New York. 4. Physical Settlement: The long side receives the Bitcoin, and the transaction is settled.

However, as mentioned before, the vast majority of crypto futures contracts are settled in cash. In this case, the final settlement price is based on the spot price of Bitcoin at the delivery point at the time of expiration.

Examples of Delivery Points & Exchanges

While specific locations change and new exchanges emerge, here are some general examples. Note that these are subject to change, and traders must always verify the current contract specifications on the exchange's website.

Exchange	Underlying Asset	Example Delivery Point
CME Group	Bitcoin (BTC)	Designated Custodian Locations (e.g., New York, London)
Binance Futures	Bitcoin (BTC)	Designated Custodian Locations
FTX (historical)	Various Cryptocurrencies	Designated Custodian Locations

It’s important to note that the selection of a delivery point is not arbitrary. Exchanges will choose locations with robust security infrastructure, established custody solutions, and regulatory clarity.

Impact on Technical Analysis and Volume Analysis

Delivery points, while often unseen in the direct application of candlestick patterns, impact the behavior of the market, and thus, technical analysis.

Support and Resistance: The anticipated price convergence towards the spot price at the delivery point can create areas of support and resistance.
Volume Spikes: Increased trading volume is often observed near the expiration date as traders adjust positions and arbitrage opportunities emerge. Examining volume profile can highlight these areas.
Open Interest: Open interest often increases as the expiration date approaches, reflecting increased participation and potential delivery intentions.
Price Action: Elliott Wave Theory or Fibonacci retracements can be used to anticipate price movements as the contract converges.
Moving Averages: Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) and Simple Moving Averages (SMAs) can help identify trends and potential entry/exit points around expiration.
Relative Strength Index (RSI): RSI can indicate overbought or oversold conditions, potentially signaling reversals near expiration.
MACD: The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator can help identify changes in momentum and potential trading opportunities.
Bollinger Bands: Bollinger Bands can show volatility and potential price breakouts near the expiration date.
Ichimoku Cloud: The Ichimoku Cloud can provide a comprehensive view of support and resistance levels, momentum, and trend direction.
VWAP: Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) can be utilized to assess the average price paid for an asset during a specific period, aiding in trade execution.
Order Book Analysis: Analyzing the order book depth around the delivery point's spot price reveals potential liquidity and price impact.
Time and Sales Data: Reviewing time and sales data can reveal patterns in order flow and price movements.
Heatmaps: Heatmaps visualize trading activity and can highlight areas of high demand or supply.
On-Balance Volume (OBV): OBV helps assess the relationship between price and volume.
Accumulation/Distribution Line (A/D): The A/D line indicates whether a security is being accumulated or distributed.

Conclusion

While physical delivery is uncommon in crypto futures, delivery points remain a crucial aspect of contract specifications. Understanding them is vital for all traders, regardless of their strategies, to navigate price convergence, arbitrage opportunities, and potential risks associated with risk management. Always consult the specific contract details on the exchange where you are trading.

Futures contract Cash settlement Arbitrage Expiry trading Contract specifications Roll-over costs Basis risk Day trading Swing trading Statistical arbitrage Candlestick patterns Volume profile Open interest Elliott Wave Theory Fibonacci retracements Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) Simple Moving Averages (SMAs) Relative Strength Index (RSI) Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) Bollinger Bands Ichimoku Cloud Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) Order book Time and sales data Heatmaps On-Balance Volume (OBV) Accumulation/Distribution Line (A/D) Risk management

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