Bitcoin futures have begun trading with a bang and, like everything else surrounding cryptocurrencies, they are the subject of fierce debate, MarketWatch reports.

Digital currency mavens are convinced the advent of an exchange-traded product will transform bitcoin, providing a venue for professional traders and institutional investors to enter and legitimize the market. Critics, including some within the futures industry, argue that the contracts are premature and, in a worst-case scenario, present a systemic danger given the underlying volatility of the digital currency market.