The world's largest derivatives exchange operator, CME Group, plans to launch Nasdaq CME Cryptocurrency Index Futures on June 8th, a cryptocurrency futures index that can cover exposure to 7 digital assets with a single contract. According to the announcement on Thursday, the new Nasdaq CME Cryptocurrency Index Futures will track a market-cap-weighted basket of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and Stellar (XLM). These contracts will be available in standard and mini sizes and will be cash-settled at expiration based on the index reference price.
Nasdaq and CME stated that the index aims to measure the performance of the largest and most actively traded cryptocurrencies by market cap. This upcoming product marks CME's first market-cap-weighted cryptocurrency futures offering and reflects the exchange's efforts to expand its regulated derivatives offerings linked to a broader range of digital assets.
CME said that as institutional investors' participation in regulated crypto markets continues to grow, the average daily trading volume of its crypto derivatives products has increased by 43% this year. Earlier this month, CME launched Bitcoin volatility futures, a regulated financial instrument that tracks the expected market volatility of Bitcoin over the next 30 days.
Crypto Derivatives Expanding Beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum
Cryptocurrency exchanges and trading platforms are expanding their derivatives offerings linked to a wider range of digital and traditional financial assets. In February, Kra began offering perpetual contracts for tokenized stocks and commodities, allowing international users to access leveraged exposure to traditional markets around the clock. The following month, Coinb launched perpetual futures for users outside the U.S., covering U.S. stocks and indices. These contracts provide leveraged cash-settled exposure to assets like Nvidia (NVDA) and Apple (AAPL). In April, Blockchain.com added perpetual futures trading through Hyperliquid (HYPE) in its self-custody wallet, enabling users to trade leveraged crypto positions directly and collateralize with self-custody Bitcoin without transferring BTC to a centralized exchange.
Prediction market platforms are also entering the crypto derivatives space. Earlier this month, reports indicated that Kalshi is preparing to enter the perpetual futures trading market for cryptocurrencies, potentially expanding its business from event contracts to leveraged digital asset markets. However, most crypto perpetual futures products are still unavailable to retail investors in the U.S. Due to regulatory uncertainty, much of this activity has historically shifted offshore. However, according to derivatives publication FOW, CFTC Chairman Michael Selig stated in March that the agency is working to secure approval within “about a month” to allow the U.S. to launch “real perpetual futures.”




