CME Expands Regulated Access to Altcoins
CME Group is set to broaden its regulated crypto derivatives lineup by introducing new futures contracts tied to Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar. These new contracts are scheduled to launch on February 9, pending final regulatory approval. This strategic move integrates major altcoins more deeply into traditional derivatives markets, reflecting ongoing institutional demand for regulated cryptocurrency exposure.
The upcoming futures contracts will cover ADA (Cardano), LINK (Chainlink), and XLM (Stellar) through both standard and micro-sized contracts. Specifically, the standard contract for Cardano will represent 100,000 tokens, with the micro contract covering 10,000 tokens. For Chainlink, standard contracts will cover 5,000 tokens, and micro contracts will be set at 250 tokens. Stellar contracts will represent 250,000 lumens, while their micro counterparts will include 12,500 lumens.
These contract sizes are designed to accommodate a diverse range of trading strategies and risk profiles. Larger institutional firms will be able to hedge broader exposure using the standard contracts. Concurrently, smaller participants can utilize the micro contracts, which require lower capital investment. This approach allows CME to serve a wider spectrum of market participants within the same regulated framework.
Expansion Builds on CME’s Crypto Market Role
CME has established a significant role in regulated crypto derivatives over several years. The exchange was an early mover, launching Bitcoin futures in December 2017, well ahead of many competitors. Since then, CME has systematically expanded its offerings to include futures and options for Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. The addition of ADA, LINK, and XLM futures aligns with this established strategy of gradual expansion.
Furthermore, CME operates cryptocurrency reference rates and indices through its CME CF Benchmarks. These benchmarks play a crucial role in standardizing pricing data across the cryptocurrency industry. Recently, assets such as Arbitrum, Near, Ondo, and Sui have been incorporated into the benchmark data. However, CME has not yet announced futures contracts for these specific tokens.
Market Data Shows Rising Derivatives Activity
Crypto futures and options trading experienced record levels throughout 2025. The average daily contract volume increased to 278,300 contracts, which equated to approximately $12 billion in daily notional value. Simultaneously, open interest reached 313,900 contracts, representing $26.4 billion in notional exposure.
These metrics indicate sustained market participation rather than solely short-term speculative activity. Institutional traders are increasingly leveraging futures contracts to manage volatility and hedge their exposure. As a consequence, the demand for additional regulated crypto derivative products has remained robust throughout the year.
Launch Comes Amid 24/7 Trading Push
The launch of altcoin futures is consistent with CME's ongoing initiative to enable continuous trading across its crypto derivatives. The exchange plans to implement 24/7 trading for its crypto derivatives, a move that mirrors the perpetual nature of spot cryptocurrency markets. This transition is also intended to mitigate pricing discrepancies that can arise during traditional market closure hours.