CME Launches Crypto Index Futures For Coins Including XRP, LINK, ADA

CME Group has officially launched Nasdaq CME Crypto Index Futures, giving traders regulated access to a diversified basket of leading digital assets through a single contract.

The world's leading derivatives marketplace confirmed the launch on June 9, 2026. At expiration, the contracts are financially settled to the value of the Nasdaq CME Crypto Settlement Price Index, which measures the performance of the largest and most actively traded cryptocurrencies.

What the Index Covers

As of June 9, the index includes Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ether, $SOL, $XRP, $ADA, $LINK, and lumens ($XLM). Note: the original copy listed Stellar under $ADA in error. Stellar's correct ticker is $XLM.

The Nasdaq CME Crypto Index futures are CME's first-ever market-cap weighted futures contract, available to trade in both micro-sized and larger-sized contracts. The full-size NCI contract carries a $10 multiplier against the index value, while the micro-sized MCI contract uses a $1 multiplier.

The index product represents something meaningfully different from single-asset futures. Instead of forcing traders to construct their own multi-token positions across separate futures contracts, the NCI bundles the exposure into one trade.

Institutional Appetite and Market Context

"With trading now officially underway, our new Nasdaq CME Crypto Index futures represent a major milestone in the expansion of our regulated digital asset marketplace," said Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group.

Vicioso highlighted surging interest in regulated crypto derivatives, noting that average daily trading volumes across CME's existing crypto products have risen 43% year-to-date.

Mick McLaughlin, U.S. Chief Executive Officer and Head of Global Distribution at Hashdex Asset Management, said the launch is "another sign of crypto's maturation and its ongoing intersection with traditional financial market infrastructure."

The hedging use case is also significant. Crypto funds and companies with token treasuries now have a straightforward tool to manage portfolio-level risk. Previously, hedging a diversified crypto portfolio required multiple positions across different futures contracts, each with its own margin requirements and roll schedules.

Sources:
CME Group Press Release: Nasdaq CME Crypto Index Futures Announcement
PR Newswire: CME Group Announces Launch of Nasdaq CME Crypto Index Futures
Crypto Briefing: CME Group Takes Crypto Index Futures Campaign to the Big Screen