Deribit and SignalPlus Launch $600,000 Crypto Derivatives Trading Competition

Crypto derivatives exchange Deribit and trading software firm SignalPlus have launched "The Island," their fifth and largest joint trading competition, featuring a prize pool of up to $600,000 USDC. The 35-day event, run by Deribit's broker-dealer DRB Panama Inc., is designed to attract sophisticated retail traders by rewarding high-volume activity in options and futures markets.

Competition Structure and Rules

According to a company announcement, the competition runs from July 6, 2026, to August 10, 2026. To participate, traders must execute trades on the Deribit platform through the SignalPlus interface. The campaign is not intended for residents of Dubai, UAE.

Competition standings are based on notional trading volume, with a clear emphasis on options contracts:

• Options Volume: Weighted at a 1.0 multiplier.
• Futures Volume: Weighted at a 0.5 multiplier.

The event features multiple ways to compete, including weekly solo and team-based leaderboards, daily missions, and incentives for block trades and referrals.

New Features and Prize Pool

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This year's competition introduces several new mechanics, including a "Mystery Box" deposit incentive and a "Flash Arena" that rewards high-volume trading in short-dated options with chances to win a "Private Island" jackpot.

Beyond the headline USDC prize pool, the campaign offers a range of premium rewards. These include a Rolex watch, an Apple Vision Pro, NVIDIA stock, a luxury trip to Turkey, and various hardware wallets and trading fee coupons.

Executive Commentary

Company executives highlighted the campaign's ambitious scale and focus on active derivatives traders. "The Island brings together everything we want this competition to be: bigger scale, stronger participation loops, and a structure that rewards how active options traders actually engage," said Luuk Strijers, Senior Director from Deribit by Coinbase.

"The Island is designed to make participation more dynamic and more rewarding, whether traders are competing on volume, teaming up with their network, or engaging through short-dated options and daily missions," stated Chris Yu, CEO and Co-Founder of SignalPlus. He added that the goal is to create a "more immersive experience for sophisticated retail traders."