Cme Group To Launch Crypto Index Futures Targeting Xrp, BTC, Link, Etc

CME and Nasdaq Target June 8 for Historic Index Futures Launch

@CMEGroup has announced plans to launch Nasdaq CME Crypto Index futures on June 8, 2026, pending regulatory review. The product will be the company's first-ever market-cap weighted futures contract, available to trade in both micro-sized and larger-sized contracts.

The contract is a single, financially settled instrument that gives institutional investors exposure to a basket of major digital assets, including $BTC, $ETH, $SOL, $XRP, $ADA, $LINK, and $XLM. The move sees Nasdaq and CME Group deepen their long-standing partnership by reintroducing the Nasdaq Crypto Index as the Nasdaq CME Crypto Index, establishing a leading benchmark designed for today's investor looking to gain digital asset exposure.

"This is not just a name change," said Giovanni Vicioso, Executive Director of Equity and Alternative Products at CME Group. "It is the combination of two gold standards to deliver the regulated diversification and foundational building block the market now demands."

Surging Demand Drives the Product Forward

CME Group reports that average daily volume in its cryptocurrency futures suite is up 43% year-to-date, and the company says this growth in regulated crypto futures trading helps support the introduction of the new index futures.

Since launching the first CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate in 2016 and one of the first regulated Bitcoin futures contracts in 2017, CME has become a leading venue for institutional crypto participation. The Nasdaq CME Crypto Index futures represent the latest step in that expansion, providing professional investors with a regulated, diversified hedging tool in a single contract.

The announcement brings together two of the world's most trusted market infrastructure providers at a pivotal moment for the digital asset ecosystem, as renewed investor confidence and clearer regulatory frameworks accelerate institutional participation. The launch remains subject to regulatory review, and timing may be adjusted accordingly.

Sources:
CME Group Plans Nasdaq Crypto Index Futures June 8 - Stock Titan (PRNewswire)
Nasdaq and CME Group Deepen Partnership to Advance New Era of Crypto Investing - Nasdaq
Nasdaq and CME Relaunch Crypto Index - Markets Media