CME will list Cardano, Chainlink and Stellar futures on February 9, adding micro and standard contracts as institutions look for regulated altcoin exposure and hedging tools.
Summary
- CME plans to launch standard and micro futures on Cardano, Chainlink and Stellar on February 9, pending regulatory approval, going beyond BTC, ETH, XRP and Solana.
- Cardano, Chainlink and Stellar give traders programmable exposure to DeFi, Oracle and payments, while microcontracts lower capital barriers for smaller participants.
- CME says crypto derivatives averaged 278,300 contracts in 2025, with 313,900 open interest, as futures listings often precede U.S. spot ETF approvals for new assets.
- Alt text (≤ 60 characters)
CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives exchange, has announced plans to launch futures contracts tied to Cardano, Chainlink and Stellar, expanding its cryptocurrency offering beyond Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).
The contracts, available in both standard and micro formats, are expected to start trading on February 9, pending regulatory approval, a company statement said.
CME Group adds Cardano, Stellar and Chainlink futures
Standard Cardano futures will have a size of 100,000 Cardano per contract, while micro futures will represent 10,000 Cardano. Chainlink contracts include 5,000 Chainlink in the standard version and 250 Chainlink in the micro format. Stellar futures will hold 250,000 Stellar in standard contracts and 12,500 Stellar in their micro counterparts.
“Given crypto’s record growth over the past year, customers are looking for trusted, regulated products to manage price risk, as well as additional tools to gain exposure to this dynamic market,” Giovanni Vicioso, CME Group’s Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products, said in a statement. Vicioso added that offering both micro and standard sizes will give market participants “greater choice with improved flexibility and greater capital efficiency.”
The three digital assets represent established projects in the cryptocurrency sector. Cardano, a programmable blockchain, is currently one of the top cryptocurrencies worldwide in terms of market capitalization. Chainlink functions as an oracle network that provides real-world data feeds for smart contracts. Stellar supports smart contracts and global payment infrastructure.
CME launched bitcoin futures in 2017 and has since expanded its cryptocurrency derivatives offering to include futures and options tied to bitcoin, ether, XRP and solana. In 2025, the exchange recorded an average daily volume of 278,300 contracts in crypto derivatives, with average open interest reaching 313,900 contracts, according to company data.
The listings come as institutional demand for cryptocurrency risk management tools continues to grow. Historically, CME futures quotes have preceded the adoption of US spot exchange-traded funds for digital assets by establishing regulated market infrastructure and price discovery mechanisms. Bitcoin and ether both followed this path before receiving spot ETF approval from US regulators.
The new futures contracts are intended to serve both institutional and retail traders seeking exposure to altcoin price movements or looking to hedge existing positions. Microcontracts, which require lower capital commitments than standard futures, have become popular among smaller traders and institutions testing market exposure, according to market observers.
The expansion reflects the broader institutional adoption of cryptocurrency derivatives as the financial infrastructure for digital assets continues to evolve. CME Group operates regulated markets across multiple asset classes, including interest rates, equity indices, currencies, energy and agricultural products.
